To be a writer, you must first become an influencer

Part of Beginner writer growth log Collection

Documenting my journey from zero to writer, including building a blog, managing social media, finding my voice, and all the struggles and growth along the way.

4 min read
#Writing

Recently, I wanted to write a book about player mindset. While researching indie publishing, I discovered I had to face a question I least wanted to face: should I use social media?

Kevin Kelly, who wrote the “1000 True Fans” concept, mentioned in his recent indie publishing guide that publishers now typically ask two questions:

  1. What is this book about?
  2. How many followers do you have?

The second question is the key. Publishers won’t touch a book without an audience—because they need to borrow your audience to sell the book.

Even someone as famous as Kevin Kelly needs to use various different methods to sell his new books.

Think about it. Just look at the bestseller lists:

  • James Clear (Atomic Habits): Wrote a newsletter for 6 years before publishing, millions of subscribers
  • Ali Abdaal (Feel-Good Productivity): 5 million YouTube subscribers
  • Sahil Bloom (The 5 Types of Wealth): 800K newsletter subscribers
  • Anne-Laure Le Cunff (Tiny Experiments): 80K newsletter subscribers

Successful authors are mostly already famous YouTubers, podcasters, or influencers.

These people aren’t famous because they published books. They published books because they’re famous.

The modern writer’s job description

Writers in the past: Write → Submit → Publish → Done

Modern writers: Blog, post on Twitter/Threads, run a newsletter, appear on podcasts (or host your own), make YouTube videos, reply to comments, study SEO, track analytics, build connections… and then, finally, write the book.

Look at this job description. To be a bestselling writer, you must first become a full-time influencer.

Writing the book becomes the final step—not the starting point, but the finish line. It’s the harvest after you’ve built your audience.

This is like building products. Making a good product is just the first step; marketing is what matters. With an audience, books sell naturally. Without one? You’ll be buried in bookstore corners or lost in Amazon’s data ocean.

Of course, you can insist on writing the book first, but without managing social media it’s hard to be discovered, and without building a personal brand no one will care about your book. There are so many books in this world—why should readers waste their precious time reading yours? Reality is that cruel.

What’s even more brutal? Books barely make any money. Not only is the unit price low, but after bookstore and publisher cuts, you get very little. YouTube ad revenue, sponsorships, selling courses, membership fees—these are the real income sources. The book is just a business card; the audience is the asset.

In the end, the book is just one tool. What matters is owning your own audience.

If I want to write a book that actually sells, not one I self-print to give away, then I really need to start using social media.

Skip social media and just write for fun?

I deleted social media three years ago.

After leaving the world’s largest social media company, I deleted my former employer’s Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. I’d seen how algorithms manipulate people’s minds and irritate them. I’d had enough.

These three years have been quiet. No feed, no notification badges, no comparing myself to others.

I originally wanted to be a hermit, write a little book for myself. After all, my app got a million downloads without using any social media.

But a quote from Paul Millerd in The Pathless Path woke me up:

“Writing is an act of ego, and you might as well admit it.”

He’s right.

I think my ideas are great. I want readers. I want resonance. I want to know if what I write is useful.

When someone shares my article, I secretly do a little dance. But I don’t have the ability to share it myself—I’ve given all the control to others.

Even Derek Sivers, whom I admire most, sells his books on Amazon, which he hates.

Who am I to think I don’t need to play this game?

Being a modern writer

Since I’ve decided to write a book, I should admit I want to be seen.

This is ego, nothing to hide.

A writer who wants to be seen can’t just hide in a castle writing.

You must go to the square to sell, even if it’s noisy as hell.

This is the price of being a writer in the modern age.

So, I’ve fallen.

These are the social media accounts I’m starting from zero:

I can already feel the unrest in my heart.

It might not succeed or change anything, but at least I have to TRY.

Welcome to subscribe, like, and hit that notification bell :)

Share this post:

Email me your thoughts

Further Reading