The Language of Leadership

Hey there. Tim here, bringing your weekly dose of Copyblogger. What an exciting couple of weeks we've had in Copyblogger Pro. Brian Clark made his amazing presentation on [Strategic Thought Leadership](=), and then Brian, Sonia Simone, and Stefanie Flaxman did a highly useful (and entertaining) presentation on [using guest posting to tap into other people's audiences](. Thanks to everyone who turned out for the live presentations. I'm excited to see you implement these strategies into your marketing efforts. 1. [No Audience? What's the First Step for New Writers?]() I can still remember the first few weeks of my online business. I had no subscribers, no audience, and no one knew who I was. The blank page was staring at me and each day was a battle to write. This week, Stefanie Flaxman published a great article that teaches new writers the first steps: I love watching squirrels frolic around the greenery outside my home, especially when they climb up palm trees across the street. (I know, there are worse ways to quarantine.) These palm trees are extremely tall and lately I’ve noticed more and more squirrels climbing up the trunks to the highest branches. Of course I can’t speak to whether or not the squirrels are afraid, but they don’t seem like they are. And it doesn’t really matter if they’re confident because … they’re present. Living in the present moment helps them overcome any fear of falling or disappointment, if the tree doesn’t have any nuts. They’re just following their current instincts, and that’s what anyone who wants to write professionally has to do as well. That’s the first step for new writers. In this article you will learn... - Stop second guessing and start writing - Perfectionism wants to keep you safe - Claim your spot as a writer - 7 steps to claim a blog post 2. [How to Read]( Who needs to learn how to read? After all, we all learned how to read fairly early in life, usually in elementary school, right? But do you know how to really read? More importantly, are you really reading? Reading can make you a better writer, as long as you’re paying attention and actually leaving time to write. 3. [Shaan Puri: Exposing the Myths of Media Startup and Success]( Shaan Puri is an entrepreneur, podcaster and investor. Currently, Shaan is the host of "My First Million." With 2M downloads in the first year, My First Million is quickly becoming one of the world's most popular podcast on business and entrepreneurship. Shaan is much more than a media personality or a guru, he is a practitioner. Currently, he is working on a fascinating project where he plans to create a $1M fund, build a $1M e-commerce brand and build a $1M digital product - all within the constraints of 1 year. Best of all, Shaan is documenting his entire journey on [AllAccessPass.io](), where he is sending out daily emails that highlight his successes and failures on his quest to build these companies. In this episode, we talk about... - My favorite guests I’ve interviewed so far - Shaan’s journey from idea to a $20M sale of Bebo - The future of the esports industry - The common myths of entrepreneurship and success 4. [Doing Content Right: A Content Marketing Guide for 2020](=) Last week, Steph Smith published a groundbreaking book on how to create effective content in 2020 and beyond. I'm about halfway through, and every time I start reading Steph's work, I feel more inspired and excited about the opportunities ahead and about the value of writing meaningful content that engages an audience. [Steph documented her writing process through Twitter]() and I was thrilled to see her finally release her book. I give it a 10 out of 10. Anyone who is serious about leveling up their writing skills should buy this book. 5. [Another One Bites the Dust]( This week, Casey Newton made an announcement that he is leaving The Verge to create his own independent brand. Every week, we are seeing more examples of people creating their own small, independent media companies. In last week's newsletter, we spoke about "The Army of One." One person can create a thriving business with great creative writing and the internet as a form of scale and leverage. Just days later, we are seeing another example of "The Killer and the Poet" taking shape. Everyone is a media company. Closing Thoughts - The Language of Leadership Good writing is a form of leadership. When a writer publishes an engaging piece, it sparks an emotional reaction that might lead you to take action. It makes you want to "follow" the writer to wherever it is that he or she is guiding you. When you think of leadership, what do you think of? Do you think of a confident battlefield general? Do you think of an unshakable business executive, unwavering in her decisions? More than likely, a good leader is none of those things. Great leaders are often times vulnerable and slightly insecure. What makes them great leaders is that they are willing to stand up and declare what it is that they believe. What is it that you believe in? What's the one thing that you could talk about every day, and never get sick of? If you can find the courage to express those ideas and create content that will serve others, you will discover the people who are willing to listen and you will attract those who are willing to follow you on your journey. "A leader without followers is simply a person taking a walk." This week, I challenge you to take a stand. Write something that you think is important. Write about an idea that means something to you and that you believe will serve the world. It may be that your leadership will shine through. Tim Stoddart Copyblogger Media [Follow Copyblogger on Twitter](=) P.S. I love to hear from you. Feel free to hit reply and let me know what you think about the newsletter format, or ask a question. 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