From $147 to $1.5M Writing Online | Interview with Ayodeji Awosika

He is proof that making a living off writing is not fiction.

I always wanted to meet freelance writer and bestselling author Ayo!

Thanks to this newsletter and amazing community, I had the pleasure of interviewing top Medium writer and legend

Ayodeji

(Ayo) Awosika (118k+ followers).

We talked about the journey from being an amateur writer to becoming a professional.

Because for Ayo one thing is clear:

“A writer is an amateur who never quit!”

This transition comes with lots of challenges, like talking into the void and still keep going, handling job and side hustle, prioritizing writing, becoming a better writer, and figuring out how to make money from it.

Here are 5 highlights from this week’s YouTube interview:

#1 Medium is undergoing a lot of changes

Ayo and I discussed the recent changes on Medium.

These changes have impacted how much writers can earn.

Now smaller, newish and indie publishers are the once who earn the money.

It’s not the 80/20 rule anymore where 20% of writers made 80% of the earnings.

In fact, I got this wonderful message from a fellow member of “The Online Writing School” and Medium writer Neela just after I hopped off the call with Ayo:

Super!

#2 Ayo also started writing part-time

Did you know that Ayo started writing back in 2015!

He’s been writing for 9 years now. Every. Single. Day.

Plus, he had a 9–5 job.

So Ayo shared his personal story of adjusting his schedule to keep writing while working a nine-to-five job.

You need to prioritize on what makes you successful.

He had to sacrifice some of his free time but managed to keep his writing habit.

He wrote in the morning or in the evening.

Now he’s doing it full time but he’s spending only a few hours “writing” in a coffee shop because he loves the buzz, talking with others, maybe even asking a woman for a date. 😁

He stressed the importance of having a clear plan for monetizing writing to turn it into a successful career.

I couldn’t agree more.

With about 2K followers in 2022 I offered my first cohort.

I started selling online courses, coachings and tripled my income.

This year in January, I added a membership (“The Online Writing School”), my premium newsletter and coachings to the mix.

Plus I have a monetized YouTube channel.

BAM!

#3 No money in the middle

Since Ayo built a cult around his name and writing we talked about building a community which is more than just building relationships.

If you build a community you want people to engage with one another — not only with you.

You feel if someone is serious.

I mentioned

Niharikaa Kaur Sodhi

who took a course from Ayo, then was pretty successful on Medium and now is doing awesome things on LinkedIn, offering courses and cohorts.

There’s no money in the middle.

People can love you or hate you. That’s better than being a “nobody”.

“They love you or hate you. There’s no money in the middle,” a creator friend of mine told me a few weeks back.

Ayo couldn’t agree more.

Dare to be you.

You can never be too much “yourself”.

#4 Your email list is the key to success

You need an audience you own.

80% of Ayo’s business is built on his email list of about 20,000 subscribers.

Both Ayo and I highlighted how important it is to build and nurture an email list.

Best case scneario: from day one.

So if you’re reading this… DO IT!

Email lists help writers connect directly with their readers and can be a key of making money from writing.

Email lists help you get more views, make offers and sell products.

In addition, it’s a bullet-proofed anti-algo tactic!

#5 Hard work and dedication is nice but it’s also important to live your life to the fullest

Transitioning from an amateur to a professional writer involves a lot of hard work and dedication.

I love that Ayo shared that he’s putting a lot of work into this business while also dating women, exercising and caring for his daughter.

He’s not a writer who’s sitting in a dark room for 16 hours per day thinking and writing.

He’s meeting people in the coffee shops he’s writing in and is living his best life.

These were just 5 personal highlights from our interview.

As part of our “Hype Yourself Month”, here’s this week’s inspiring interview for you to spark ideas, grow and make more money writing online.

New VIDEO: Ayo’s Journey From Zero to 7-Figures as a Freelance Writer and Book Author🥳 🚀

✅TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:52 Ayo’s Motto on Not Quitting

00:01:53 How Ayo Balanced Writing from His 9-5

00:03:07 How Writers can Become a Pro (even with a 9 to 5)

00:06:11 Why Ayo Loves Writing in Coffee Shops

00:10:28 Why Many Medium Writers are Quitting

00:15:39 Why Ayo would be Upset if He Made Less than $10k/month

00:19:42 How to Create an Offer and Why Create Them Everyday

00:25:27 Ayo’s History Working with Tim Denning

00:28:32 The Secret to Creating a Loyal Audience

00:31:58 When Did Ayo Start Building his Email List (and how many subscribers he has)

00:32:55 How to Get Published in Practice in Public

00:34:54 Personal Questions for Ayo

Making a living off writing is not fiction!

“There are two types of writers. Those who are curious and those who are serious and willing to do the reps!”

If you say:

“Kristina, I need a community that holds me accountable, that I can learn from and share my stories, successes and failures with!”

… then my “Online Writing School” with my courses and community is for you.

• It opened its doors about 150 days ago and is already filled with 32 hours of video tutorials, interviews, recordings from our LIVE sessions (with Valentin Bunea, Walter Rhein, David Mcllroy, Sarah Fay, Derek Hughes, Maya Sayvanova and many more).

• You also get access to free resources and ebooks all about making money with your words.

• You create this community and video library together with me. Based on your feedback, I create videos and invite guest speakers.

• Plus, you can chat with me and aks your questions.

• New: You can book a coaching session with me, if you’re an annual subscriber.

You want this?

It’s super easy.

Just upgrade and become a paid subscriber to join our exclusive membership community.

I know you don’t let just anyone into your inbox…

Upcoming LIVE event - Q&A session with Ayo

• How to Start Freelancing as a Writer and Make $10k p.m.

• Wednesday, June 19

• 1:00 pm EST

• Register by becoming a paid subscriber. You can add the event with the Zoom link to your calendar.

Don't let hesitation hold you back.

Looking forward to seeing you shine and thrive this month,💫