10 Writing Lessons I've Learned in The Last Ten Years
A Writer's Retrospective
It's hard to believe that I’ve been a professional writer for over ten years now. Five of those years, I was a freelance ghostwriter, so it wasn’t until the last half of the past decade that I actually started posting work online under my name.
Today, I'd like to talk about the journey thus far, and the lessons I’ve learned. Hey, maybe the lessons were the friends we made along the way? Just kidding, I do love my writer friends, but I have actual lessons for you too.
Join me as I reflect maybe wax poetic about the future while I'm at it; we'll see.
10 Lessons I've Learned as a Professional (and Creative) Writer
My writing journey is a weird one, but that’s why I always say that we’re all on our own timelines! You see, I wanted to be writer in second grade. I took home third place in a creative writing contest, and I don’t recall ever wanting to be anything else since that moment.
My first job at 16 was working at Target, then I worked at GameStop for almost ten years, and then I took the plunge into freelance writing.
That last part could be a whole article (hey, maybe it will be!), but my freelance career ended after about five years when I got my current job as a full-time Content Marketing Manager.
I’ve been in that role for six years now, if you can believe it (I can barely believe it myself). In all that time, across all those projects, ghostwritten novels, and more than a few weird requests, I’ve learned a lot!
So, without further delay, let’s talk about the lessons I’ve learned and the tips I think every writer (on Substack or otherwise) should know!
1) Shorter is Better
People's attention spans on the internet are, for lack of a better term, not great. There are plenty of people out there who will happily read chapters and chapters of your work, but maybe not online.
I'm guilty of this as well. As someone who works from home, I like taking a quick break to read a Substack story, but if it's thousands upon thousands of words, I just don't have the time in many cases.
The sweet spot is between 2K and 2.5K words.
Now, I hear you asking, "Surely there's a sweet spot, right?"
Why yes, there is, but don't call me Shirley (sorry I love that joke). The sweet spot in my experience is 2,000 words or less. If you can get it around 1-1.5K words, even better.
That doesn’t mean you can’t publish longer works, though! In fact, some of my pieces on here are longer than the aforementioned length, and they still do pretty well!
It all depends on your audience. That being said, you can always split up longer works into chapters or parts and see how that works! If you do this, consider having a table of contents with links to the other parts of the series.
I did something similar with my 5-part series on here called “Her Voice” if you’d like to see an example.
2) Always Include at Least One Image
Human beings are visual creatures, especially when we’re on the internet. Why do you think Instagram is so big? If you’d like to get into the science of it, this article from the Bonn Institute is a great read.
Science aside, and based on my experience, images are the best way to grab someone’s attention. It will stop people scrolling long enough to check out your work, but more than that, it will set the tone for your piece if you choose something relevant!
I like to have an image up top in every article for this reason, but images can also be used to break up large chunks of text. It helps reduce fatigue on the reader’s eyes and keeps them engaged.
Now, I can hear you saying: “Bradley, I don’t have money for these fancy image subscriptions,” and I hear you. Which is why I’m going to recommend a few totally free resources!
Unsplash.com (this one is my personal favorite)
What’s nice about these sites is that the images are royalty-free, which is VERY important. I know it’s easy to just grab any image off Google or Pinterest, but in some cases, those images are not royalty-free, even if you attribute the source in the caption.
In some cases, simply crediting the artist or photographer is enough when the images come from social media, but as someone who has run into issues before by not properly vetting my images, it’s not something I want any of my fellow writers to deal with.
Resources like the ones above are always a safe bet! Now, before we move on, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: AI-generated images. Should you use them? Are they ethical?
That’s a topic for an entirely separate article, but I’m happy to share my perspective. I personally do not use AI images for any of my work because I’m not a fan of the general style they all tend to have. I also believe that real photography or art that I commissioned from a person is the better approach.
That doesn’t mean I’m condemning anyone who uses AI images, though! That’s a personal choice that you as a writer must make on your own. I simply wanted to share my thought process for anyone who is curious.
3) Go Wild with Your Ideas
When I got started with publishing my work online, I gave myself the freedom to write whatever I wanted. Yes, I specialize in horror. Yes, the novel I'm writing is also horror, but I like Sci-fi! I like Fantasy! I like mixing genres together into a glorious narrative smoothie.
So, I did. From the beginning, I just went wild with ideas. I experimented with unique premises, threw down crazy poems with wild rhyme schemes, and just had fun.
I like mixing genres together into a glorious narrative smoothie.
And isn't that what it's all about? What's the point of being creative if you're just going to box yourself in with arbitrary rules? Have fun, fellow writers. Write the weird thing. We won't judge. Well, maybe some people will, but I won't!
4) Be a Part of The Community
Writers and writing communities are composed of some of the best people you'll ever meet. Seriously, I'm talking top-tier humans doing some of the best work I've ever seen.
Are there bad apples? Yes, but that's the nature of reality. It's very rare, though, so don't be afraid to put yourself out there and get invovled with your fellow Substack authors!
Don't be afraid to put yourself (and your work) out there!
A great way to do that is to do a note (not a post, they’re two different things on here) about the genres you write and like to read! You’ll meet some new people and then you’ll have options for what to read as well.
When you read someone’s piece, try to leave a like, a comment, and then restack the piece with your thoughts. It’s a few steps, but I try to do that with every piece I read so it gets the maximum boost.
Another cool feature on Substack is the way you can highlight text and then click “restack” to create a little graphic using the quote you selected. This is a really cool way to personalize your feedback.
If I, a terminal introvert, can do it, then so can you!
5) Don't be Afraid to Promote Your Work
There's a bit of a stigma around the internet when it comes to self-promotion. In some spaces, it's seen as people being desperate or salesy, and here's the thing: it can be.
However, there's something to be said about being proud of your work. If you're dropping links to Substack stories in every thread on every social media platform, yeah, you're going to annoy people.
But if you're conversing with other writers or readers, then dropping a quick link relevant to the conversation is fine! Sometimes, you'll also find threads where people ask to hear about your work.
You have to become your own biggest fan before you can attract an audience.
When you post something new, share it! Drop the link and a little background about why you're proud of it. If you keep things balanced, then you don't need to worry about promoting your work.
There were times in my early years online when I wouldn't get a single read on days where I didn't promote my work around the web.
6) Seek Inspiration Everywhere
If I could bottle inspiration and sell it, I'd never have to work another day in my life. Too bad I haven't figured out the formula yet, but I look for inspiration everywhere in the meantime.
I watch TV shows and movies. I read books. I play (a lot of) video games! There are so many ways to get inspired, so be on the lookout for new ideas everywhere you go.
Be on the lookout for new ideas everywhere you go.
For some people, it's going on a hike. For others, it's listening to music. Some people get inspired by meditating; there's no right or wrong way to do it!
Well, I guess breaking the law is where I'd draw the line, but beyond that, the sky's the limit!
7) Try Hosting a Challenge
Writers love a good challenge, ask me how I know! There are all kinds of ways to have fun with a little contest or group writing activity on Substack. A perfect example is Flash Fiction February. A lot of websites do it, but this year I’m hosting my own version of it!
I have a deck of Freewrite prompt cards that I choose at random each day, and certain days I’ll throw in a “wild card” based on a prompt my girlfriend Sarah wrote (people really like those).
Try hosting your own unique challenge or contest in your subscriber chat!
It’s only February 11th as I’m writing this, and I have seen a ton, and I do mean a TON of new stories in my subscriber chat inspired by these prompts. I also recently hosted a challenge where I asked people to write a story set in my fantasy realm of D’veen.
Several of my stories are set in this fictional realm, the first one being here, but I had almost ten people enter the challenge! The winning author gets a character in my upcoming D’veen series, and you can read their entry here if you’re curious.
So, try something similar with your work! Use a pre-existing challenge like Flash Fiction February, or come up with your own concept and post a note about it. It’s a great way to grow your community and meet new writers!
8) Be Mindful of Your Formatting
The reader's experience is super important, especially when you're asking somebody to stay and read your whole story. I've learned over the years that giant blocks of text are a great way to give your reader a headache, for example.
Notice how all my paragraphs are around 3-5 lines before I start a new one? That's no accident. It helps readers focus on each line without forcing them to sift through your text like it's a crossword puzzle.
Notice how all my paragraphs are 3-5 lines?
The same goes for other things like dialogue and big moments in your story. For dialogue, it's always good to start a new line.
"Like this," Bradley said, absolutely shattering the fourth wall.
I also sometimes like to put a single line on its own so it stands out from the pack. Another style choice of mine is using italics to denote when the characters are thinking something inside their heads. Like so:
Yeah, they'll love that idea.
Now, these things aren't set in stone. They are elements of my style. You can feel free to do what you think is best (and what your readers like), but I've had a lot of success myself with these elements.
9) Start a Podcast Now, Not Later
I love podcasts. I listen to them while doing the dishes, while working, hell sometimes I put them on when I can’t sleep. It’s just nice listening to people talk. It can make me feel less lonely when I’m by myself, and the topics are obviously things I’m interested in.
Now, I don’t know what the landscape for podcasts is like in 2025. For all I know, they are already out of style. I don’t think they are, but I went ahead and started one anyone when I joined Substack.
Podcasts are a great way to get your literal “voice” out there!
I’d been putting it off for years, but now the Saved as Draft podcast has five episodes and almost 1K downloads in just a month! In my show, I discuss my writing projects, new stories, writing tips, and I even do a weekly shout outs for other writers!
Your podcast could follow a similar structure, or it could be audio stories set within your broader universe. I’m doing a separate podcast to this effect for the animated series I’m writing, for example.
This is just another way to get your literal “voice” out there, and all you really need is a microphone. I use a free software called Audacity for all my recording and editing, so it’s not difficult at all to get started!
10) Whatever you do, Keep Writing
This one is perhaps the most important lesson I've learned on platforms like Vocal, Substack, or elsewhere. There are going to be times in life when things are stressful. I know; I wrote a whole article about it.
But whatever you do, please, please, don't give up. Writing is such a beautiful art form, and your art deserves to exist in the world for everyone to read and enjoy.
Your art deserves to exist in the world for everyone to enjoy.
You may not see a lot of momentum at first, but don't let that discourage you. One day, you're going to see those reads flowing into your stats page. Not only that, but you'll have a ton of new writer friends to cheer you on.
Overnight success takes years, remember? Don't compare yourself to other writers, don't get down on yourself, and don't let imposter syndrome get the best of you. Be yourself. Be consistent. Show up and tell your stories. Want to know why?
Because no one else can do it quite like you.
Thanks for reading, and tell me about your Substack journey so far in the comments!
This is full of great info!
Honestly I've been thinking about a podcast but I have no idea what I would talk about 😂
Thank you so much for this! Great insight 👍 I never knew about the highlighting text to share trick, can't wait to try it out!