A 3-Step Formula to Find Money-making Writing Topics
Here’s a question I see a lot in my inbox and comment section:
What topic should I write about to make money online?
And let’s be honest here: You want an easy answer. You want me to reveal a hidden key that will unlock a treasure chest full of gold. You want me to say, “Oh yes, the secret topics to go viral are relationships, health, and finance.”
But as satisfying as that answer would be, it’s wrong.
To make money writing online, you can’t just copy topics that generally make a lot of money. We’d all be drowning in dollar bills if it was that easy. Instead, it’s about finding topics that make you personally the most money.
I want to give you a three-step strategy to find those highly profitable topics. If you run through this strategy, you’re going to come up with a bunch of topics that are unique, easy to write about, and appealing to your audience. That’s the money-making trifecta.
Here are the steps.
1. Brainstorm.
Draw up a three-circle Venn diagram and name the circles “value,” “knowledge,” and “interest.” Then, fill out the diagram with topics corresponding to these categories and their intersections.
My example Venn diagram. In my center are: data science, freelancing, travel, and cats.
Value: something you can write in a way an audience will be highly motivated to read.
Knowledge: something you have personal experience in.
Interest: something you personally care about.
For example, music is in my “interest” circle, but it doesn’t intersect with knowledge or value. I’m not a good singer, can’t read music, and haven’t been to many concerts (= no knowledge). Plus, I couldn’t imagine how my story would entertain, instruct, or be thought-provoking to my readers (= no value). So although music would be a fun topic to write about, it wouldn’t be profitable.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin is in the “value” circle because I know it would be of interest to an audience. But I know nothing about it, and I don’t care to learn.
In “knowledge,” we have “How to get a Massachusets driving license,” sadly something I’ve become an expert in. But I don’t believe I can write about this in a way people will want to click on, nor do I want to.
By contrast, freelancing is a topic that checks all the boxes for me. I’m highly interested in it, have several years of experience, and can provide a ton of value to my readers. That’s why freelancing is at the intersection of all three circles. And as a result, it’s one of the best topics for me personally to write about.
These are the kind of topics you’re looking for.
2. Collect data.
Next, pick three topics at the golden intersection of your diagram. Then, write at least one story about each topic, publish it, and look at the data. You want to look at how many views you got, how much money you earned per view, and what the reception was like from your audience.
Money per view: some topics, like psychology, earn me more money per view than other topics, like writing. I can get 1,000 views in psychology and earn $20, while 1,000 views in writing might earn me just $15.
Don’t just focus on views and feedback, but also how the process made you feel. Maybe you thought you loved writing about cheese, but then you write your first story about Gouda and realize that you’re not as enthusiastic as you thought. Don’t feel bad — this is actually great news because it brings you one step closer to finding better topics.
Use these data points to double down on the topics that resonate most with you and your audience. But remember, this is an iterative process, so the more data points and experiences you collect, the better. Don’t expect a quick fix here. Finding profitable topics is a long game.
3. Repeat.
Finally, do this exercise again — maybe weekly, maybe monthly. And you know what you’ll find? Your Venn diagram will change, and there’s nothing wrong with that! One day you might watch a documentary about woodworking and realize that you could whip out an amazing story about it. The great thing about writing online is that you can find an audience for practically any topic — if you provide value, knowledge, and interest.
I started out writing about cats and switched to psychology, data science, and finally, freelancing. And someday that might change again, who knows!
You don’t have to stick with one topic forever. You’re not a static person. It’s totally okay — and necessary — to reinvent yourself as a creator.
To make money writing, focus on yourself.
There’s no easy answer. There’s no lucrative topic. These topics will help you work out where you can provide the most value to your audience, which will earn you money.
This is an organic process to discover what you love writing about, connect with an audience, and, yes, make money!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. What are your favorite topics? How do you find your ideal topic to write about?
