(a written summary)

When you're invested in creating a business around writing, knowing when to keep going and when to throw in the towel is crucial.

Here’s the 5-question framework I to help navigate that decision.

Assumptions Before You Begin

Before diving in, I’m making 2 key assumptions:

1. This Is a Business, Not a Passion Project: The purpose of this project is to generate income rather than fuel a hobby.

2. You've Tried the Viral Validated Method: This is where you model your content after viral, audience-specific articles. You’re not trying to come up with ideas. Instead, you’re modeling ideas that have already gone viral - Hence the name: Viral Validate.

Do this for at least 3 months (and write at least 15 articles).

Assuming those 2 things, here is the framework:

1. Passion: Are You On Fire For This?

There are 3 things you need to be on fire for:

* The person you’re writing for

* The general topic you’re writing about

* The success of your audience

Passion leads to resilience. If you lack this passion, you’re unlikely to stick it out for the 12 to 18 months it often takes before you start making money.

2. Enjoyment: Do You Like the Platform?

Do You Enjoy Creating Content on the Chosen Platform?

Every audience congregates into tribes on different platforms: Instagram, YouTube, Medium, etc. Pay attention to where your tribe is active.

If you don’t enjoy using that platform, you’ll struggle to create content consistently. If you don’t enjoy the medium, you’ll half-ass the job and the audience will know.

3. Engagement: Are People Engaging with Your Content?

Genuine Human Interaction Is Key

Review the engagement on your content. Genuine interaction—like thoughtful comments or messages—signals that you are resonating with your audience.

If at least half of your articles have genuine engagement, you're on the right path. Generic comments like "Great job" don’t count here.

4. Outliers: Have You Struck a Chord?

Identify Outliers in Your Content Performance

Look for outliers in the content you've produced. If at least one article has doubled the average reach of your account, it's likely that your audience is actively seeking solutions you provide.

The presence of such outliers means the audience is underserved and in need of your unique insights.

5. The X Factor: What Unique Value Do You Bring?

Deliver the Goods and Offer Unique Solutions

* Do you have proof that you can solve the problem you claim you can solve?

You got the result for yourself, for someone else… or you have unique experience or qualifications that make you uniquely qualified to solve this problem….

* Can you provide something unique (or do it in a unique way)?

You can solve their problem in a unique way - something that’s different then the other solutions out there.

In this situation, different is better then better.

Real-Life Example

Initially, Writerpreneur was marketed as a “business development system for nonfiction writers” (boring, I know).

It wasn't until I recognized that execution is what drives results, and execution requires community - not just courses - that I changed my tagline to… “You don’t need another fucking course. You need community.”

When I made that change, my audience skyrocketed.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thewriterpreneur.substack.com