This is a special 3 part email series. If you missed the previous you can catch up by reading part 1 and 2 here (they’re a 2 minute read).

Yesterday I promised to tell you how to rise above the noise as a creator in 2023.

Now I’ll be honest.

It’s bloody strange writing this email because, not long ago, I was stuck at the bottom of the creator economy.

My first year was anything but ‘rising above the noise’.

Weeks dragged by where I’d get zero likes. Not for lack of effort. I’d slave away at the keyboard every day.

But I just couldn’t get momentum.

I wasn’t writing to the void.

I was screaming at it - and no one was shouting back.

12 months in I’d scrapped together 1,000 followers. But I’d used stuff like follow-for-a-follow so even that audience wasn’t great.

Then on August 18th 2021, I stumbled across the ‘secret’ to becoming a creator worth paying attention to.

And I’m grateful I did because it completely adjusted my online strategy.

Before that moment, I hadn’t mentioned much about myself.

I didn’t share my personality or quirks.

I most definitely did not share any stories.

I thought nobody cared about who you were - only what you had to say.

Boy oh boy how wrong I was my friend.

My first story went mega-viral. I had no clue when I posted it, but I woke up to triple the amount of followers and hundreds of DMs. More importantly, I realised the truth:

You don’t build an audience.

You attract one.

And attraction is a matter of connection. People follow people. Not some platitude pumping machine who churns out generic crap for impressions.

But real people.

They’re looking for creators who they enjoy to learn from.

This means you have to entertain your audience just as much as educate them by sharing your story, writing with personality, showing your flaws, having a shared purpose and fighting a common enemy.

Because trust me my friend.

There’re thousands of people out there you can help with your ideas.

People 2 steps behind, just like you.

But to attract them, you need to show you’re just like them.

It’s not about shouting the loudest or using the most seductive hooks.

It’s about building relationships with your ideal reader. Turning them from a follower to a fan.

Because with fans, you ain’t worried about noise or competition.

It’s just you and your people out there - and that’s where the real fun begins.

So lean into what makes you unique.

Learn to write well.

And keep putting in the reps.

It’s worth every effort,

Kieran