Mastering Online Writing: Lessons from Nicolas Cole 🖋️💻 | Reela

Mastering Online Writing: Lessons from Nicolas Cole 🖋️💻

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Use of scripts:“Mastering the Game of Online Writing: Stories of Attention, Value, and Income
What makes a piece of writing go viral? Imagine a struggling writer, uncertain about his career, logging onto Quora late one evening. He answers a seemingly mundane question: “Is it possible to change so much you no longer recognize yourself?” Nicolas Cole, the book’s author, recalls the moment vividly. He uploaded a side-by-side photo: on the left, a frail teenage boy—awkward posture, sunken chest, and hollow eyes; on the right, a shredded, confident adult, sculpted by discipline and willpower. In three short paragraphs, Cole bared his transformation: battling illness, loneliness, and depression to rebuilding his life through weightlifting, writing, and habit mastery.
That night, his life changed. “Dude, you’re on the front page of Reddit!” his roommate shouted, waving his phone in disbelief. Nicolas refreshed his Quora page; it was chaos. Thousands of views became tens of thousands. By the week’s end, the post had reached a million readers, sparking debates, questions, and engagement across the internet. “The post wasn’t a masterpiece,” he later admitted, “but it was relatable. That’s what made people share it. I wrote like I was sharing my diary, not performing for an audience.”
The lesson? To write in a way that spreads, you must strip down to a universal truth. People crave stories that reflect their lives—told with vulnerability and clarity. If you want to “win the game” of online writing, don’t chase perfection; chase resonance. As Cole wrote: “When you write about universal life lessons, your writing will go viral.” A practical tip? After writing, ask yourself, “If I saw this post on my feed, would I share it with my friends?” If the answer’s no, rewrite.
Would you believe that the biggest mistake aspiring writers make is… starting a blog? Picture this: you’ve just published your first blog post. Excitedly, you refresh your website traffic. Zero. An hour later? Still zero. Nicolas Cole faced this reality during his college years when his blog—despite countless late-night writing sessions—failed to attract an audience. Frustrated, he asked a professional gamer friend for advice: “Where should writers write?” The answer shocked him: “Quora.”
Quora, at the time, was a burgeoning question-and-answer site. Its audience was massive, hungry for answers, and primed for engagement. Cole experimented by answering questions like “What’s it like working as an assistant to a CEO?” Drawing from personal experience, he recounted a simple story: volunteering to follow a mentor around the office, typing dictated emails and taking calls. He wrote honestly: “Being close to someone successful rubs off on you in ways no textbook can teach.” That post received thousands of views—and a lesson became clear: platforms like Quora already have audiences. Your job isn’t to “build traffic”; it’s to insert yourself into the traffic that’s already there.
If you want to “beat the game,” stop hiding behind a personal blog and go where readers congregate. Whether it’s Quora, Medium, or LinkedIn, post your writing where people are already scrolling. As Cole advises, “Don’t wait for people to come to you. Go where they’re already gathered.”
What happens when your writing hits millions of views—but still doesn’t pay your bills? That’s the conundrum Nicolas Cole faced after reaching fame on Quora. His viral content brought recognition, yes, but not sustainable income. One afternoon, he received an email from a retired CEO: “I love your style of writing. Can you write for me?” That single question sparked a revelation: executives, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs all wanted to share their knowledge online but lacked the time—or skill—to write effectively.
Cole accepted the CEO’s offer and ghostwrote opinion articles that resonated deeply within the business community. Soon, word spread, and referrals poured in. Within months, Cole had 15 high-profile clients and a lucrative six-figure career. He’d discovered a powerful truth: “Your writing is worth money—if you write for people who need it.”
This story offers a crucial takeaway: if you’re struggling to monetize your writing, look for “pain points” in your niche. Who needs your skills but lacks the time or expertise to write themselves? Whether it’s ghostwriting for executives, crafting newsletters for startups, or creating guides for consultants, your words can solve problems—and problems get paid.
These three stories reveal the evolving art of online writing. First, writing that resonates—stories of vulnerability and relatability—spreads like wildfire. Second, platforms with built-in audiences are your fast track to visibility. Third, writing for value and income doesn’t mean compromising creativity; it means solving real-world needs. Together, these lessons form the modern writer’s playbook.
Finally, share a sentence from the book to end today's reading: “Writing online isn’t just about being heard; it’s about being understood, remembered, and shared.””

Title Usage:“The Art and Business of Online Writing: How to Beat the Game of Capturing and Keeping Attention · ★ From the #1 writer on Quora, 15x Top Writer on Medium, and Top 10 columnist for Inc Magazine ★”

Content in English. Title in English.Bilingual English-Chinese subtitles.
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Characters are portrayed as European and American.

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