Demonstrate Evergreen Proof
To prove yourself, share your knowledge.
Test your beliefs in the marketplace of ideas. The public will scrutinize your experiences.
Jog your dream machine! Consider creating case-studies, stories, post-mortems, processes, tools/calculators, instructional videos, critical reviews, open letters, summaries, curated lists, rules-of-thumb, printables, open questions/problems, instructional guides, cheat-sheets, blueprints, etc.
Spoil your secret sauce.
Write about things only you can write about.
Go on an adventure. Find a New Thing™. Bring it back. Share it, and demonstrate why the New Thing™ is worth sharing.
Stand by your opinions. Don't be milquetoast.
Don't compete with content farms.
Be a trendsetter.
Write about nameless, murky mysteries. If a trend already has a name, you're late to the party.
Find something that matters and distill it into as few words as possible. Marie Kondo's "Spark Joy" is a masterclass in trendsetting.
Shelf-life is the best barometer.
Will your works be worthwhile 40 months from now? Do things that outlive fancy rats.
As you get comfortable with your craft, aim to create masterpieces:
It's exhausting -- unceasing streams of series, seasons, and sequels.
Artists create art. Content-creators create content.
I don't want content. I don't want reboots or remasters or reimaginings. I don't want pandering or product-placement or pop-politics. Breaking news is broken.
Content corrodes. Classics last. Masterpieces matter.
Search will continue to improve. Great works eventually get recognition.
Don't spam.
The quickest way to create enemies is to disrespect their attention.
Avoid tracking, pop-ups, frequent newsletters, or cold-calls. Don't sell your reputation for a few clicks.
It's okay to maintain a blog, but remember: quality is king. Never post anything that isn't worthwhile.
Beware the social-media rat-race.
Avoid vanity metrics. Followers/friends/subscribers/retweets/views are dangerous because they're easy to measure.
Use POSSE to gather a crowd outside of the walled gardens.
Don't send content into the void. There are billions of people and trillions of bots vying for attention. Don't add your voice to the cacophony.
When in doubt, make a positive impact in a small community.
This essay is part of How to Productize Yourself.