As I’ve mentioned a couple of times in this series, I recently started renting an office down the street from my house. Why? A couple of reasons were that I wanted to be more creative and productive. I also wanted to put myself in a more professional environment.

Those things are true, but to be brutally honest, a big reason why I got a new office was because of three barking dogs.

I’m not sure what it is about Missouri, but it seems like almost every household has at least one dog. However, not every household with a dog has a good owner. Over the last two years of working from home, I have spent quite a bit of time trying to drown out the noise of three dogs in my immediate neighborhood.

The owners don’t seem to have enough social awareness or consideration to realize that leaving their dogs outside to bark incessantly for long periods of time is perhaps not something they should do.

Yes, there are ways to deal with barking dogs, but in suburban Missouri, it’s like playing whack-a-mole. If you deal with one, another will pop up immediately. So, I’ve just dealt with barking dogs as best I can.

But when I had the chance to get a new office, I was thrilled because I wouldn’t have to listen to barking dogs anymore. And to be honest, the longer I worked from home, the more the barking bothered me, to the point where it was having a negative effect on my mental health.

I know this all probably sounds petty, but having someplace to go has been a game-changer for me. In my new space, I hear people in other offices talking sometimes, and I hear the dull roar of traffic on the nearby highway, but those things are actually a comfort, not an irritation. It’s nothing like barking dogs.

Think about your current work area or the office you might be considering renting. How quiet is it? Can you concentrate? Or are there factors such as barking dogs or other noises that make it harder?

You might have a higher tolerance than I do for disruptive noises. If so, that’s fantastic! I consider that a gift. But if you are easily distracted by noise and disruptions, is there another space where you can work? Maybe there’s a solution to help prevent the noise?

If so, take it into consideration. Your thinking and concentration are pretty important parts of what you do as a writer.

Today’s Challenge: Be honest about the level of disruption and noise in your current work area. Is it enough for you to consider switching locations?

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Opportunities are wonderful! You can write for more outlets or reach more readers with your own writing. With this expanded influence and connection also comes the need the limit your activities to the few things that produce the most results.

It’s hard to run a YouTube channel, host a podcast, write books, maintain a blog or newsletter, speak at conferences, and do all the other things you see influencers doing… unless it’s your full-time job and you have a staff. You need to pick and choose what to focus on.

The best filter is to focus on those activities that you enjoy, and that you will do consistently. You can grow a platform and writing career in many different ways. But as you grow in your career, you will have more options, and you will need to prune the ones that don’t serve your vision and direction.

As they say, you can be whatever you want, but you can’t be everything. Focus on just a few activities that will get you the biggest results in your writing life.

Pruning is not easy. At times it can be downright painful. But after you have prepared the soil of your mind, and planted and watered the seeds, you must cut back all the dead weight so the growth process can continue.

Question: Are there some activities in your life you should prune so you can focus on the bigger priorities?

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FRODO: I wish the Ring had never come to me… I wish none of this had happened.

GANDALF: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.

What a great reminder for all of us… we must make good use of the time that is given to us by focusing on what we can control.

Question: How much time and energy do you spend on things you can control versus things you can’t?

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But how do you actually go about doing this? Let me give you an example and then let’s talk about some simple ways to get clear on your message.

Here’s an example that you’re already familiar with because you’re listening to this podcast. The core message of the Daily Writer, which is my “brand” so to speak, is this: a regular writing habit is the foundation of everything else you want as a writer. Nothing else will happen until you write regularly.

Here’s the trick: I don’t think it is a matter of creating your message. It’s a matter of identifying it. You already know what it is. It’s the thing you talk about, write about, and like to research and think about.

You can also identify it this way: What makes you upset? What breaks your heart? What injustice or wrong do you want to correct in the world? This helps identify your passion.

Your core message is where your passion, your knowledge and gifts, and people’s needs come together. If you can figure out a message or core idea that meets all those, then you have a winner.

And when you hit on your core message, it must have an element of transformation built into it. How does it change people? How does it benefit their lives?

If you don’t know what your core message is, then your readers won’t either. Take a little time to put some thought into this, and it will have a radical impact on your writing.

Question: What is the message or topic where your passion, knowledge, and people’s needs

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Second, focusing on one core message gives you momentum. Readers are confused when a writer talks about different things all the time. If you write a book on gardening, then one on how to become an attorney, then a third that is sci-fi fiction, then a fourth that is devotional for teens, people will probably tune out because they don’t know what box to put you in as far as topics go.

The more you talk about a particular topic, the more you will become known as an expert on that topic. Over the last few years, I have mostly only talked about writing as far as my public image goes. I talk about it consistently, to the extent now where that is my public identity as far as what people know me for.

The same is true for you. Focus on one thing and talk about it consistently over time through a blog, books, podcast, and other content, and you will be known as the expert on that topic.

And third, focusing on a core message or topic is going to give you a lot of energy. I absolutely love talking about writing not just because I’m passionate about it and it helps people, but also because now it has become a business that not only gives me income–it also is simply fun to do so. It gives me a lot of emotional energy.

All these are true for you as well. When you focus on one more message, you will have more focus, momentum, and energy as well.

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So far in this series, we have looked at the importance of getting clear on your audience and message, building the platforms where you will share your content, and writing consistently.

That brings us to Milestone #4: Publishing and marketing books that solve problems for your reader.

Why it’s important: Books give you credibility and authority that you cannot get any other way. Books are also a super convenient way for you to share your wisdom with people.

Notice the emphasis on solving problems… it’s critical that your book be focused on solving a problem in some way for your reader. For example, my recent book 18 Words to Live By was focused on solving the problem of not knowing which values are most critical to take with you throughout life.

I highly recommend that you focus on writing short books that solve problems for people, at least in terms of nonfiction. If you’re focusing on fiction, that’s a different animal because fiction is not about solving problems. But if you’re doing nonfiction, remember that people come to your book with a problem or frustration they need help solving. Keep their needs in mind.

Remember, writing for an audience is not mainly about meeting your needs… it’s about helping your reader. If you want to write for therapy or just for fun, that’s totally fine. But if you’re focused on building a business with your writing, you have to follow the principle that every successful business follows, which is putting your customer (or reader) first.

What do they want? What do they need? How can you help them? Those are the questions that should be driving you if you want to have a successful writing business.

The main challenge you will face in this regard is two-fold. First of all, a lot of people feel intimidated by the idea of writing a book. That’s why I recommend writing short little books that people can read fast.

Second, you will face the challenge of not focusing on your reader. You must have a relentless focus on helping your reader. That is critical. We’ll say more about that later on.

Daily Question: What is a topic of interest to you that could be the basis for a short book you could write in the next 3 months?

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So far, I’ve given you a quick introduction to The Writer’s Path, why it’s important, and I’ve shared a bit of my story of traveling the path myself. Over the next couple of weeks, you’ll learn more detail about each of these seven milestones. I’ll explain what it is and also share the biggest challenge you will face as you try to achieve it. I’ll also give you some examples of people who have built a writing business using this pathway.

Let’s dig into Milestone #1: Clarify a powerful message for a specific audience.

Why it’s important: In order to have a strong business, you need a specific point of view of the world. You need a clear message that is the basis for everything else you do. Every business does this. They have a mission of some kind.

Remember: you are not for everyone. You should have one main thing to say, or one main thing you do, for each business you have. When you have a bunch of conflicting messages, people get confused and they tune out.

Think of Apple products. Now it’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Apple products. If you think of their core value, or their core message, what is it? It’s basically this: we build superior products for an audience who appreciates integration and a great design aesthetic. They have consistently followed that over-arching mission for many years.

You need to do the same thing. It’s important for you to have one single clear message that you are sharing in your writing.

For the Daily Writer Club, my message is: The Daily Writer Club is a supportive and engaged membership community that helps you clarify a powerful message, write books and content to serve your readers, grow your network and online platform, earn an income from your writing and services, and develop habits for wellness and success.

It’s also important to choose a specific type of person you’re serving. Again: you’re not for everyone. Don’t try to write for everyone. Choose one type of person with a specific set of needs or interests. For example, my specific audience is writers who want to build a business with their writing but are looking for community and resources to do that.

Here is the big challenge in choosing one overall message and a specific audience: you will be tempted to expand and try to reach everyone. So be disciplined and focused in your message and audience. Do a deep dive into the needs, desires, problems, and frustrations of that audience and create material specifically for them.

Daily Question: What is your core message, and who is your specific audience?

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Some 4,500 years ago, tens of thousands of Egyptian workers descended upon the Giza Plateau to begin a massive construction project like the world had never seen. They used rudimentary tools to cut limestone and granite blocks from an adjacent quarry, as well as other sites that required them to float blocks down the Nile River. Each stone block weighed an average of 2.5 tons and was transported to the building site with great human effort.

Over a period of twenty years, workers placed 2.3 million blocks of stone with such accuracy that it still confounds scientists today. Known as the Great Pyramid of Giza, it is the only wonder of the ancient world that survives today.

When you consider a project of this scope and magnitude, it seems impossible. Yes, Ancient Egypt had a huge number of works, as well as a detailed plan for how to get the work done. But how did they actually build the pyramids? One block at a time.

You can borrow this principle for your writing, or any type of project, for that matter. You take it piece by piece and keep repeating the work. Pretty soon, you have a finished product.

Success as a writer doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, the very simplicity of writing success is why so many people quit. They can’t handle the focus and discipline that is required to actually finish something.

But you must be different. You must stay the course and commit to finishing what you have started. You can build whatever you want if you just take it one block at a time.

Daily Question: Does the idea of “one block at a time” feel comforting or frustrating? Why?

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One of the most vital questions we can ask in our writing is, “What can I cut out?” This is a great habit to adopt because cutting makes your writing sharper, crisper, and cleaner.

When you write, go back through it and take out all unnecessary adverbs, filler, and padding. Longer does not mean better. Longer usually means the piece is more diluted.

If you can make your paragraphs and sentences shorter without sacrificing the meaning, it will make the piece stronger. This is tough if you have been used to padding reports for school or work.

In writing, less is usually more.

Daily Question: Do you find this idea of cutting unnecessary words to be intimidating, or liberating?

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Writers want lots of things. We want to have successful books. We want to be acknowledged for our creative work. We want to make a difference in people’s lives through our writing. We probably want to make a little money if we can… or even a writing-based business that supports our family.

There is another thing that many writers want, especially the introverts who have a limited amount of emotional energy to go around.

What is it? We want a day where we don’t have to talk to anyone. A day when we can get lost in our thoughts without the distractions of conversations. A day we can devote to making great progress in our current writing project. A day when we can recharge our emotional batteries instead of seeing them drained by the needs of friends, connections, clients, or family.

We love and respect those people, of course. But in our hearts, sometimes we just want a day to ourselves.

Here is how to get it: make a cardinal rule for yourself that one day per week, you don’t do any calls or social media. Now this may be easier said than done depending on your schedule, family situation, and business. But it’s helpful to make a rule that there are certain times of the week that you block out for yourself.

After all, YOU are the first client. You deserve your best time. Without taking care of yourself first, without giving attention to your emotional, mental, and physical energy, you can’t serve anyone else very well.

Personally, I block out Fridays as my “no call” days. I don’t do any calls for connections, clients, or even friends. Now I occasionally break this rule if it’s really needed, but for the most part, I set and keep this rule. When I wake up on Fridays, I can do so with a big smile on my face because I have devoted the whole day to work and writing with no distractions or conversations.

No one is going to set this rule for you. You may not even have a whole day when you can do this. Maybe it’s just a couple of hours. But if you’re an introvert and feel the pressure to constantly connect with people, maybe it’s time for a no-connection rule once a week.

Daily Question:  How would your writing and emotional life benefit from having a set time of “no connection” once each week?

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