Derek Siddoway

Find me on Substack these days.
Story consultant & ghostwriter. Internationally bestselling author w/18 books. Talking about bingeworthy writing.

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

A lot of people struggle to write for an audience because in the beginning you have no feedback loops.

The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference.

Nobody bothers replying with a “meh…”

You can slave away at the keyboard, throwing words at the wall to see what sticks…

Or you can learn the fundamentals of what I call bingeworthy writing: techniques that make your stories, posts, and emails unputdownable.

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

@WriteWithKush LinkedIn is where the real dawgs are at.

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

@jaypidgescribes The chains of consistency we build are the ones that set us free.

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

@BjornFalken Don't get buried in the details when you just need to get it done.

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

Reminder: There is no tariff on writing online.

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

In light of Amazon's recent changes regarding ebook ownership, if you purchased any of my books on Amazon or Audible and want the actual files please shoot me a message with your email. I'll happily provide you a Bookfunnel link to download them. No proof of purchase necessary.

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

That's it!

Sanderson’s empire building strategies can help any writer or entrepreneur:

1. Break through the noise
2. Explore alternative income streams/repurpose content
3. Err on the side of what’s awesome
4. Self-development is your greatest asset

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

- Escape velocity of attention

We live in a world where people tend to pay attention to what they already love and ignore everything else. If you don’t want your brand or project to crash and burn, you’ve got to break through the noise.

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

- personal growth > the end product

If you’re developing a skill, the experience you gain matters more than what you make

“the piece of art is not necessarily just the story you’re creating... you are the piece of art. The time you spend writing is improving you as a writer and that is the most important thing.”

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

Today, Sanderson is a No. 1 New York Times Bestselling Author, earns an average of $10 million/year and has raised over $92 million via crowdfunding.

Here’s a breakdown of his best advice on building a writing empire:

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

This nerdy millionaire from Utah is the book world’s Taylor Swift.

Forget George R.R. Martin or J.K. Rowling, Brandon Sanderson is the Lord Ruler of publishing.

And he revealed the secrets behind selling 40 million books in a 3+ hour interview with @tferriss:

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

Most authors would have looked for a day job. But Sanderson went to his publisher and convinced them to release a mass-market paperback version of Mistborn with a new cover.

It sold out in a week. And he never looked back.

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

After all those years of work, he finally sold his first book (Elantris) for $10,000 (paid out over 3 years).

Instead of a sequel, Sanderson chucked conventional wisdom and wrote book one (Mistborn) in a new series.

Mistborn sold worse than Elantris. Brandon's career hit what he called a “death spiral.”

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

At 28, Sanderson had written 13 books & spent 8 years getting rejected by publishers.

"I wrote 13 novels before I sold one. Book number 12 and I’m like, What am I doing? Maybe I’m really bad at this."

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

You can get people to read through a lot of average writing if you snag them with a great hook first.

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

@jaypidgescribes I tried pole vaulting once. Had my back hand upside down and almost broke my wrist/got ejected into the stratosphere. I stuck with sprints and long jump after that.

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

@nickjmuscolino Not enough businesses spend time actually asking clients/customers what they want and need. Take the guesswork out!

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

@BjornFalken Systems and automation make or break a business in the long run.

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

The power of writing and storytelling isn't limited to words on a screen or page.

Writing, in all its many forms, surrounds us. It's behind every video you watch, and every podcast you listen to.

Writing and storytelling—and the people who master them—are more important and influential than ever.

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

Every single Super Bowl commercial you'll see today has one thing in common.

(And it's not just their ridiculous budgets.)

[Derek Siddoway @D_Sidd]

Aside from the massive cost, how are they all alike?

Before the special effects and celebrity filming, every Super Bowl ad was a script created by a writer or team of writers.