How to Write for a Living

David McIlroy
  • 0.0 (0)
  • HOW TO
  • UPDATED TWICE WEEKLY

Writers should get paid for doing what they love. Let's talk about how to make that happen. thedavidmcilroy.substack.com

  1. 402: Things that passed me by (and why you shouldn't let my next event pass YOU by)

    5 DAYS AGO

    402: Things that passed me by (and why you shouldn't let my next event pass YOU by)

    Season 4, episode 2 is here! This one’s a bit different. No big interview, no deep dive into strategy, just a Saturday morning coffee chat, a new recurring segment, and some thoughts on who the Substack Growth Sessions are actually for. What I covered - The brand new “Things That Passed Me By at the Time” segment makes its debut, starting with a TV show I somehow ignored for decades. - Why ER feels nothing like a typical hospital drama, and what it shares with a certain political series beloved for its fast-talking walk-and-talk scenes. - The Substack Growth Sessions early bird price closes on Monday, raising the $37 ticket up to $50 for the week leading up to the event. - What you actually get across the five days, including live Q&A, downloadable resources, and access to a private community space. - A straight answer on who these sessions are genuinely for and who should probably give them a miss. - Why I’m running this as a week-long event rather than another one-off webinar, and whether I’ll ever do it again. - What comes after the five days for anyone serious about putting the work in. 👉 Ready to join the Substack Growth Sessions? Grab your early bird ticket for $37 bby TOMORROW. Only 50 total spots available in total. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedavidmcilroy.substack.com/subscribe

    28 min
  2. 401: Welcome to Season Four (let's build it together)!

    5 APR

    401: Welcome to Season Four (let's build it together)!

    Welcome to Season Four! This is the first episode of season four, recorded live on Substack for the first time. I explained why I’m experimenting with live podcast episodes, asked for your feedback on what you want to see this season, and broke down the two big things happening in April: the Substack Growth Sessions masterclass and the Catalyst Club accelerator cohort. In this episode: - Why I’m asking for your feedback on podcast segments and guest ideas instead of just deciding everything myself - The three reasons I’m running the Substack Growth Sessions in April - How the masterclass week will show you strategies instead of just telling you about them - The early bird pricing deadline that expires mid-April with only 50 total spots available - Why Catalyst Club members get exclusive pre-sessions before each masterclass day, plus two 60-minute one-to-one strategy calls and access to all future cohorts and events throughout the year - The five-week accelerator that starts immediately after the masterclass where you’ll put everything you learned into practice with a group supporting each other - How I’ve somehow become energised by going live despite being an introvert, and why I think the real-time interaction creates a more visceral connection than pre-recorded content ever could This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedavidmcilroy.substack.com/subscribe

    16 min
  3. 325: The one story every writer needs to stop avoiding (with Amelia O'Loughlin)

    29 MAR

    325: The one story every writer needs to stop avoiding (with Amelia O'Loughlin)

    Season 3, episode 25 is here! Amelia O’Loughlin joined me to talk about her journey from dance to screenwriting, how a chance encounter on South Bank led to representation, and why she’s building Table, a live event and podcast that surfaces exceptional scripts stuck in the graveyard. She shared her approach to character-led writing, why AI concerns her but the offline renaissance gives her hope, and the one story every writer needs to stop avoiding. We covered: - How Amelia chased her literary hero down South Bank with Bill Nighy, convinced him to give her an email address through sheer determination - Why she believes character always comes first in her writing process - The kitchen table origin story of Table, a live event and podcast where actors perform excerpts from unproduced screenplays - Her prediction that consumers will become as concerned about their digital diet as their food intake, and why she thinks the pendulum will swing back toward offline experiences and human-made art once the AI fascination fades - Why hearing your dialogue performed by actors is both gratifying and requires letting go completely - Her concern that the interim period before the pendulum swings could make it even harder for creators without trust funds to break into the arts - Why procrastination for writers often means avoiding the story that’s really a thorn in your side, and why that uncomfortable script is actually your true gift This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedavidmcilroy.substack.com/subscribe

    40 min
  4. 324: Why your early work will suck... and why that's actually perfect (with Angela Hollowell)

    22 MAR

    324: Why your early work will suck... and why that's actually perfect (with Angela Hollowell)

    Season 3, episode 24 is here! Angela Hollowell joined me to talk about her journey from photographer to filmmaker, why she publishes three times a week on her newsletter Please Hustle Responsibly, and what she learned running a documentary through the festival circuit. She shared why Substack is perfect for publishing but lacks the data tools serious businesses need, her approach to in-person podcasting that creates superfans, and the mindset adjustment that removes all the pressure from creating. What we cover: - The coffee mug gift strategy she uses for in-person podcast interviews that creates instant rapport - How she accidentally became a filmmaker after people kept asking if her camera recorded video - Why she wraps up an 18-month film festival run and now plans to write TV shows - Her featured post strategy that most Substack writers completely underutilise - The changeover from paid subscriptions to developing print magazines, in-person dinner parties, and digital products - Why the first things you create will be terrible and that’s completely fine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedavidmcilroy.substack.com/subscribe

    35 min
  5. 323: Why waiting to monetise your Substack is actually costing you money (with Philip Hofmacher)

    15 MAR

    323: Why waiting to monetise your Substack is actually costing you money (with Philip Hofmacher)

    ➡️ Learn the exact system used by Write • Build • Scale to build, launch, and automate your first mini-course so you can build your own passive income stream. Get it here. Season 3, episode 23 is here! My pal Philip Hofmacher from Write • Build • Scale joined me for a conversation about monetising on Substack without needing thousands of subscribers first. We talked about why mini courses outperform massive flagship programs, the exact price points that convert best, and how to promote your products without feeling spammy. What we covered: - Why some Substack creators make six figures from day one while others build to 30,000 subscribers before monetising - The story of how Jari Roomer’s full course overwhelmed people and failed to deliver results, then how he turned it into a two-hour procrastination mini course that sold like wildfire and created a natural upsell path - Why mini courses solve one specific problem instead of trying to be a fit for everything, and how that narrow focus actually makes them easier to recommend because everyone knows someone struggling with that exact issue - The sweet spot pricing range for mini courses based on testing hundreds of offers, and why charging $47 instead of $27 doesn’t actually hurt conversions but significantly increases revenue - How to promote your products organically through live streams, DMs, and value-first conversations rather than shouty upsells, including the exact sequence from commenting on a note to becoming a paying customer - Why bundling mini courses with coaching, communities, and group settings creates multiple entry points for different types of customers, and how the same content can be packaged differently from free posts to thousand-dollar coaching This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedavidmcilroy.substack.com/subscribe

    39 min
  6. 322: Your big writing questions answered

    22 FEB

    322: Your big writing questions answered

    Season 3, episode 22 is here! I threw together this episode to answer questions from my Substack chat thread, where writers shared what’s actually slowing them down right now. As it turns out, the struggles are universal: too many platforms, not enough time, and the back-of-the-mind realisation that writing often isn’t enough - you have to market yourself too. What I covered: - When it’s okay to ruthlessly cut platforms that aren’t working) - The 80/20 rule for your first few months on Substack that nobody talks about - How to structure your day when you’re balancing soul-satisfying creative work with contracts that actually pay the bills - The broken expectation every writer hits: you can’t just write anymore, you have to be your own marketing executive too (and how to make that less painful) - Why you shouldn’t box yourself into a theme at the start - The TikTok strategy for finding ARC readers when you don’t know 50 people willing to review your book - Finding your value offer as a writer by asking yourself: what could you talk about on a soapbox for 30 minutes straight, and what would light you up seeing someone else achieve? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedavidmcilroy.substack.com/subscribe

    28 min
  7. 321: Why doing things the hard way matters more than ever (with Dani Zacarias)

    15 FEB

    321: Why doing things the hard way matters more than ever (with Dani Zacarias)

    Season 3, episode 21 is here! Dani Zacarias joined me to talk about her journey from criminology student to creator economy veteran, working at Wattpad, Skillshare, and now Sendowl. She shared a harrowing story about crossing a closed border with boulders exploding around her, why the pressure from VCs often misses what actually matters in content creation, and how writers can build sustainable businesses around their work. What we covered: - How Dani’s path from wanting to be a lawyer led her through international nonprofits and into the creator economy, including the moment in Uganda when a reader cried because he finally saw Ugandan names in a book for the first time - Why Silicon Valley and VC-funded companies trivialise art and creation by pushing data over taste, and how she learned to fight for what she believed in even when billions of dollars were telling her she was wrong - The border crossing in Peru where protesters closed the route with tripwires designed to decapitate motorcyclists, pits filled with glass, and boulders rolling down hills, and how she and her now-husband made it through by going completely silent and focused - Brandon Sanderson’s keynote argument that art isn’t about consumption or making money but about reflecting on who you are as a person, and why the creator economy’s obsession with content volume is dangerous for durability and meaning - What she learned from working at Wattpad by analysing massive amounts of data on reader behavior, discovering that people forgive bad writing but never forgive bad plot - Why Sendowl exists for creators who want total ownership of their audience and customer lists without platform algorithms changing the rules, offering unlimited products and storage that scales with your business instead of eating 10% of every sale - Her advice to think holistically beyond just the story itself, building an ecosystem with merchandise, short stories, and IP that fantasy and sci-fi fans want to engage with because that’s where the sustainable money actually lives ➡️ Interested in Sendowl? Email Dani at dani@sendowl.com and mention this podcast for a potential discount. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedavidmcilroy.substack.com/subscribe

    51 min
  8. 320: Write that damn book! (with Neera Mahajan)

    1 FEB

    320: Write that damn book! (with Neera Mahajan)

    Season 3, episode 20 is here! Neera Mahajan joined me to talk about writing books fast, building authority, and turning a single book into a scalable business. She shared why most writers never finish their books, the difference between vanity projects and strategic assets, and how she helps creators write their books in 30 days through implementation over information. This one’s a must-listen for anyone struggling to finish their book! In this episode: - Why Neera started writing not because she was good at it but because she was bad, and how quitting her job to write full-time led to publishing 14 books that now serve as the foundation of her entire business model - The moment she realised three years of articles gave her nothing to show for the effort, and how one voice in her head telling her to write that damn book changed everything about her authority and income overnight - Why most writers fail to finish their books because they make them too big and drift in and out of the work, and the strict framework of 13 chapters maximum with 2,000 words each that actually gets books done in 30 days - The difference between vanity projects and strategic authority assets, including how a strategic book needs a clear audience, addresses one specific problem, and launches your tiered offer at the end instead of just existing on a shelf - Her four-level productivity system for writers that starts with calendar management and email inbox zero, and why she now surrounds herself with notebooks that travel from room to room capturing ideas before they disappear - Why her cohort focuses on implementation and daily accountability rather than piling on more information, requiring participants to write 500-1,000 words daily toward their book while working in a group setting Check out all of Neera’s books here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedavidmcilroy.substack.com/subscribe

    45 min
See All (66)

About

Writers should get paid for doing what they love. Let's talk about how to make that happen. thedavidmcilroy.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    David McIlroy
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    66
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © David McIlroy
  • Show Website
    How to Write for a Living

You Might Also Like