Join 25,000 readers for daily insights about personal brand building, writing online and growing a profitable business. For creators, coaches and business owners.
How I manage my content library in 30 minutes a week
|
Hi Reader, Earlier this week, I explained that I use a content library to manage writing and publishing on my blog, email and social media. Using my library, I can quickly and easily find ideas, notes and research when I need it. I also rely on my content library to repurpose old content, like emails, social media posts and even book chapters. A reader wrote in to ask “Where do I keep my content library?” And, “Do you have an index or tracking system for it?” I could give an easy answer and tell you Google Docs, Notion, Roam Research, Airtable, Apple Notes, Scrivener, or some other tool is the best solution. Plug it all into Apple Notes? Tried that. It crashed when I uploaded 1000s of notes. Do it all in Google Docs? Messy and clunky. Upload everything to Roam Research? Steep learning curve. Create a database using Airtable or Notion? Great for organizing, but less so for writing. As you can see, I love geeking out about writing apps. I’ve tried them all. I’ve spent years testing the latest and greatest writing apps. I even reviewed a few for my YouTube channel. Some of these writing apps are great, and some are terrible. FAR too many of these tools are latching onto AI simply because, well, AI is hot right now. And almost all of them want to lock you into their wall garden (never a good idea). The truth is my content library is app-agnostic. I’ve 1000s of ideas and pieces of content inside my library. Extracts from books, articles, podcasts, YouTube videos, courses… Even emails like this one. I can access my library of files and ideas using pretty much any app, on any device. But if my needs change, I’m not locked in. As for organizing and categorizing ideas? I spend about 30 minutes a week going through my library, organizing my ideas and notes from the week gone by. Then, I can pull out pieces of content to work on for the week ahead. Lately, that’s daily emails like this one. Working like this means I can easily resurface old ideas and see how Idea A connects with Idea B. That’s far more intuitive than anything the latest and greatest ChatGPT clone can do. If you’d like to create your content library, check this out. Write on, |
Grow your business by changing how you create content
Join 25,000 readers for daily insights about personal brand building, writing online and growing a profitable business. For creators, coaches and business owners.
Hi Reader, My business was bloated. So, this year, I canceled half a dozen SaaS subscriptions. How I loathe bloated software! I also let my team of writers and editors go. Now, I keep things simple. I run my business using a few affordable tools and a virtual assistant’s help. I write emails in plain text files on my computer, so I’m not locked into any one writing app. I use ConvertKit to manage my daily newsletter because it hooks me up with sponsors. I use WordPress to manage my website...
Hi Reader, I run a daily newsletter. I earn four figures a month from it. If I can do it, so can you. Why should you rely on an algo. When you can write and sell directly over email. That's what I do. And my story isn't unique. Crafting a daily email is a good form of writing practice. I can touch on multiple topics, like marketing, creating offers, and writing online. Sending a daily email unlocks more opportunities for connecting with readers. I hear from subscribers every week who want to...
Hi Reader, Screenwriter and director Brian Koppelman wrote his first screenplay, Rounders, while working a day job. He worked on his manuscript for two hours each morning before work. Years later, he told aspiring screenwriters: "Don’t quit your job because the pressure will be so great that the anxiety will be thwarting. Instead, build your routine.” I built a routine like Koppelman’s when I’d a corporate gig as a six-figure copywriting job. I worked on my business for an hour or two before...