Do you ever wish somebody would stop you in the street and say, ‘Oh my god, are you Kaz Marston? I’m a huge fan of your writing!’ and then you’d be like, ‘Wow, thanks!’ while hoping they didn’t notice your scruffy attire and unbrushed hair, or that shopping bag full of junk food you just bought?
No, you’re right, that would be weird, and I definitely can’t help you with that. It also certainly didn’t happen to me! Because I’m immaculately dressed at all times and brush my hair every single day. I also only eat vegetables and, uh… hummus?
Okay, let’s try this instead. Have you ever wished someone would:
Reply to your newsletter or blog post just to tell you they loved it?
Leave a comment on an article you wrote gushing about how good it is?
Recognise you at a conference (or on the street!) because of your writing?
Actively seek you out to write something for them because of your voice?
Email you six years later to tell you how something you wrote impacted their life?
Go right ahead and tell you they’re your fan, just like that? Like it’s no big deal?
And is this all that’s actually happened:
You poured yourself into your writing only for it to be completely ignored.
You’re not good enough, you’re not interesting, you’re too stupid, you have nothing to say, and no one will ever listen to you. Sound familiar? Yeah. I’m gonna need you to stop that. None of those things are true.
I don’t care who you are. You’re not seriously trying to tell me you’re the only person in the world who thinks the way you do, is interested in the things you are, and can relate to the experiences you’ve had? Hmm. A little arrogant, don’t you think? Are you really that special?
You are not the problem. Well, you are. But not like that.
You’re not being ignored because of who you are. You’re being ignored because of what you say and how you say it. And, if we’re being honest, the things you don’t say, too. Don’t tell me you’ve never deleted a line because you were scared of what people would think.
God. Maybe you haven’t even reached the point of publishing your work yet. Is that right? You’re too worried people will think it’s complete crap? Damn. Well, alright then. I see I have my work cut out for me. But that’s okay.
Or are you actually pretty confident in your writing, and you’re confused why no one seems to care about it? If that’s the case, you’re probably saying too much rather than too little. Either that or you’re trying to say the wrong thing to the wrong people.
Well, whatever the situation, we’ll figure it out. Whether your voice is naturally a shout or more of a whisper, I’ll teach you how to write things people actually want to read and, more specifically, things people want to read because you wrote them. I mean, can you imagine if somebody told you they’d even read your stuff if it was about potato farming?
Why should you listen to me?
That potato farming quip? That’s just one of the things people have said to me over the years.
Here’s a few more:
Yes, I have a fanmail folder. Don’t look at me like that. Hey, maybe you’ll need one too by the time you’re done here.
What this course isn’t.
This isn’t for fiction.
You may learn things that’ll apply to fiction writing, but this course is not about that. It’s about building a brand around your personal non-fiction writing, for whatever reason you wish to do that.
This isn’t about writing like I do.
You have your own voice, and you’re going to damn well use it. You don’t want mine. Seriously, just ask your grandma.
This isn’t about ‘networking’.
You’re not going to beg people you already know to leave comments and reviews on your work so other people will find it more impressive. Not on my watch. People are going to share your work because they want to, not because there’s something in it for them.
This isn’t about learning correct grammar.
Bad grammar isn’t the reason you’re being ignored. It’s amateurish, yes, but it’s not a deal breaker. You can construct shoddy sentences and still appeal to people. I don’t recommend it, but it’s better than the reverse: beautifully written but ultimately meaningless garbage. A thousand correctly placed apostrophes won’t save you from boring writing. But sure, if there’s a mistake you repeatedly make, I’ll point it out so you can correct it. I’m just not actively going to teach you how to use commas.
This isn’t about clickbait.
We’re gonna be writing good things here, not mediocre crap people forget about within seconds. If you try to send me an article titled Top 10 Things That’ll Blow Your Mind (You Won’t Believe Number 7!) I’ll slap you into outer space.
This isn’t about marketing.
It’s not about how to get your writing in front of the people who will want to read it. It’s about learning to write things people will love when they do read it. Having said that, I will provide some bonus material at the end of the course with ideas to get you started.
This isn’t about copywriting.
This course is not designed to teach you how to be a copywriter or to find work as a freelancer. It won’t hurt, though 🤷🏻♀️
This isn’t (just) about writing better sentences.
It’s about writing things people will care about. And, to be clear, you can write about literally any subject and others will share that interest – but they may not necessarily want to read what you have to say about it. Your subject matter is not the issue. Your writing is. But why? That’s what we’re here to figure out.
This is not a guarantee of anything.
I’ll give you the tools and knowledge to write things people want to read. What you do with it after the course is over is up to you.
‘Now I work with an eye to what you pointed out, and I think my writing’s getting better – more ‘me’ – all the time.
‘The feedback you gave was spot-on and really helpful. It gave me a direction and focus that I wasn’t getting on my own. I’ll never have your wit, but I look forward to the day when my website reflects my personality as much as your site showcases yours. Thanks again, Kaz, for your high standards and your consistent support.’
—Prudence Tippins
What you’ll get from this course.
My goal is to help you uncover your true writing voice, then figure out how to wield it effectively – which will be different for everyone. It depends on who you are, what you care about, and what you want to accomplish with your writing.
And listen, I’m gonna shove my fist down your throat and pull that voice out of you if I have to. What, you don’t think threatening people is a good move in a sales pitch? Well sure, you say that now, but you’ll be laughing when people finally start paying attention to what you have to say.
To find out more about the course, check it out on my website.