Seven key lessons that benefit writers

Pursuing the dream of being a full-time writer is both exciting and scary. How do you begin? What advice is most useful to take you from novice status to a success story?

There are so many places to consume writing guidance, from books to Medium posts and social media content.

I’ll add one more.

Writers can learn a lot from house-flipping shows. As odd as it may sound, several themes overlap these two worlds.

Here are seven key themes from house flipping that can help build your writing career.

1—Beware the over-saturated market.

Making a profit flipping houses has been the rage for years. While the 2008 housing fiasco scared off some investors, many weathered the storm. Some even found themselves on the positive end of the latest housing boom as the COVID-19 pandemic drove prices up and inventory down.

I am not a real estate investor, but I can see how this turn of events enticed investors. The problem? Everyone wanted a piece. As more people jumped in, the availability of flippable properties declined. Now that the housing market is trending downward, the fate of investors who were late to the game is yet to be determined.

Sound familiar? Medium was once the place to be, with many of its top authors boasting six or more figures. Now, as more writers abandon traditional 9-to-5 work and leap into the freelancing market, earnings have declined for many.

Those who join late have a more narrow window of opportunity.

And this concept doesn’t just apply to writing on this platform; it’s also inherent in the way we approach freelancing as a whole. Think about the many income-generating ideas you see online. It doesn’t take long for a topic to gather steam. (Think ChatGPT.) Suddenly, everybody is talking about it. By the time you jump into the fray, the potential for success has likely passed you by.

Instead of chasing the latest thing, be original and forge your own path. The flippers that renovated run-down houses others wouldn’t touch — or those who incorporated higher-end finishes and design — built a reputation by standing apart from the crowd.

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