When I was a young whippersnapper, I loved New Year’s resolutions.

Usually, I set goals around losing weight (I was hauling an extra 50 lbs of fat). I’d write my goals, buy new running shoes, and start devouring egg whites with tuna.

But after the initial surge of motivation, the same story would repeat.

I’d miss a day at the gym. I’d binge through a barrel of biscuits. I’d devour a Domino’s.

And before I knew it, my dream of washboard abs would be brushed under the carpet—replaced by a familiar feeling of disappointment.

As you can imagine, this was a frustrating way to live.

When I realised success was about small, consistent efforts over time, I stopped making resolutions. I began focusing on the process instead of dreaming about the destination. It’s been a much more stable, realistic path to getting what you want.

No habit has taught me this more than writing.

I might be biased, but writing is the most beautiful skill in the world. It helps you think clearly. It challenges you creatively. It attracts fantastic opportunities in the form of an audience and authority.

But there is no shortcut to getting good.

You must plonk yourself in front of the computer and… write.

The hardest part is the first few years. You have good taste but don’t communicate it well. And few people are reading, which makes you wonder if posting online is worth it. It’s tough to invest a tonne of time without a promise of reward.

But there is a gap between starting and succeeding.

That gap is a filter for those who are serious and those who are not.

The key is to shrink the window of ‘suck’ so you get the positive feedback you need to continue. This means taking audience-building seriously, but also skill-building.

And the most effective technique to accelerate your skill?

Copywork.

Copywork is where you copy, by hand, great writing.

I scoffed when I first heard it—it sounded slow and boring.

But many great writers swear by the process, and success leaves clues.

So three years ago, I started handcopying every morning before I wrote.

Like going to the gym, you don’t notice progress day-to-day. But keep chipping away and your writing becomes lean and sharp. You feel what it’s like to write like the pros and infuse their style into your own.

And these days, when everyone wants immediate AI-generated results, it’s one of the most overlooked writing methods.

And overlooked means opportunity.

This is why I’m supporting my friend Derek Johansen’s Copyhour course.

When I started copywork, I had no clue about Copyhour. I was mindlessly copying stuff I found online. I wasted my time searching for good copy and wasn’t sure what made a piece work.

Derek solves this.

Over 90 days, he combines copywork with one of the best explanations of copywriting I’ve seen.

Importantly, he backs up each lesson with a great piece of writing, ranging from classics like Ogilvy to moderns like James Clear.

Because of how effective and enjoyable it is, Copyhour is one of the few courses I’ve taken multiple times. And I plan on doing so again this cohort.

If you’d like to join thousands of students, take a read here:

https://portal.copyhour.com/a/2148027147/bFZHG8wY

Otherwise, have a fantastic 2025.

Kieran