In July 2025, I was in Barcelona, journaling in a cafe nestled in a cobbled side street.

I should’ve been ecstatic.

I’d just made $88,000. I was writing my book and travelling in Europe. The only way life could be better was if Mila Kunis woke me every morning with a steaming cup of Yorkshire Tea.

But instead, I wrestled with an issue:

I didn’t like my writing.

I couldn’t work out why. It’s been 5 years since I started, and I feel like I’m getting pretty good. But I couldn’t ignore the voice whispering that something wasn’t quite right.

As I spent the summer mulling it over, the answer became glaringly obvious:

I was suffering from a lack of depth.

Perhaps you can relate.

In today's online world, we are constantly incentivised to skim the surface. Social media posts die within a day. Emails feel like a battleground for business. Making money is getting harder, so we end up stuck in a web of surface-level marketing.

But the point of writing is to create emotion.

And it has never been more important.

Because in today’s world, information is abundant. It’s the connection that’s scarce.

Connection requires depth. I don't necessarily mean big posts, but how those posts make you feel. People bond over stories, vulnerability, and insights that change how they think.

These are exciting, to both read and write.

And yet when I try to venture toward these lands, resistance blows me toward safer shores.

“It’s never the right time. Never the smart move.” I tell myself.

Last week, I talked through my concerns with my best friend.

Well caffeinated and walking (how all good conversation should occur), the words poured out of me:

• Who am I to write about deeper topics?
• What if I look silly for trying harder?
• What if I screw up my business by stepping outside my niche?

As I fumbled through my excuses, I realized how ridiculous I sounded.

The truth is that fear does not survive a magnifying glass.

So let’s peer into the problem together.

1. You don’t need permission

The beauty of the internet is that you do NOT need to be an expert to have something worth saying.

You need empathy in a problem worth solving.

The question is not, “Who am I to do this thing?” It is, “Who will I become as a result?”

It’s not about writing because you’re an expert. It’s about writing to become one.

2. Effort is not embarrassing

As a recovering people pleaser, I've spent my life living in the shadow of other people's opinions. I cared more about what people thought of me than I thought of myself.

But that’s no way to live. It’s just a way to slowly die.

Growth happens at the edge of your comfort zone.

If you want to improve as a writer, you can't be complacent. And sure, at first, some people might judge. But get good and they admire.

3. You are not a niche

Contrary to what social media gurus say, you are not a list of topics.

You are a living, breathing, evolving creature.

And the best way to create a connection is to share your story as it unfolds. You must give yourself permission to play, to explore, to brush off limiting labels like cobwebs.

My bet is that as AI pushes itself onto the scene, the reward for authenticity will skyrocket. People will want to work with real people—not someone who can regurgitate the same old advice.

Ironically, my best-performing emails have always been my most personal.

They’ve just been harder to write.

The key is to share ideas you love and tie them into the transformation you provide. This creative link will set you apart. Which leads me to the final point.

Depth is a different game.

There's a common marketing expression that when the world zigs, you zag. Well, the internet is zigging towards a car crash of generic content.

Which is a great advantage for those who love to write.

Because few people have the patience to wrestle with their thoughts and birth new ideas into existence.

But the entrepreneurs with the best ideas will win.

Great ideas don’t need to be grandiose. They need to be different. A combination of unique, useful, and undeniable. Which is why personal perspective is so powerful: nobody can compete with you at being you.

So I’d like to invite you to a challenge.

Every week, I plan on sharing an email that pushes me to go deeper. And sure, it's hard to balance the dance between artist and entrepreneur. I’m spending most of my time writing my first book, Magnetic Writing—which is challenging enough (you can join XF people on the waitlist here).

But art is what will set you apart.

Depth might be a different game, but the rewards make it worth playing.

So I’d love to see you dive deeper with me.

Be it on social media, Substack, or your newsletter.

You may find that not much happens at first, but every word adds up. Followers will become fans, subscribers will become customers, and more importantly, you will become the writer you want to be.

To your freedom,

Kieran