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Confession time: I’ve started (and abandoned) more writing projects than I care to admit. Each time thinking, “This is it! This is the one that’ll grow my audience!” Only to burn out three posts in… 🙈

Sound familiar? If you’ve ever felt the pull to share your expertise through writing but struggled to gain traction, you’re not alone, amiga. I recently watched a game-changing video from Nicolas Cole about growing an audience through writing, and it clicked in a way nothing else has before.

Let me save you the “try everything and see what sticks” phase by sharing what I learned.

The Magic Triangle Your Content Needs

Here’s the first big revelation: successful content creators don’t just write about one topic. They strategically blend three different dimensions:

1. Your Niche Topic (the specialized expertise)
2. A Universal Topic (something everyone relates to)
3. Your Personal Angle (what makes YOUR take unique)

Think of it as a three-ingredient recipe. If you only use the niche ingredient, your content becomes too technical and limited in appeal. Use only the universal ingredient, and you’re competing with everyone on the internet. And if you use only personal stories… well, you need to be a Kardashian for that to work on its own!

The magic happens at the intersection of all three.

Real-World Example

Let’s say you’re a bookkeeper (niche topic). Instead of just writing about “10 Bookkeeping Tips,” you could write:

• “How Organizing Your Finances Creates Mental Space for Creativity” (connecting bookkeeping to the universal topic of personal development)
• “Why My Abuela’s Kitchen Budget System Still Guides My Financial Consulting Today” (adding your personal angle)

See how much more interesting that becomes? It’s specific enough to showcase your expertise but broad enough to attract people who might not think they care about bookkeeping.

10 Magical Words to Unlock Endless Content Ideas

One of the most practical tips I learned was using these 10 “magical” words to generate content ideas that resonate. These prompt words help you explore your topic from different angles:

1. Tips – Practical, actionable advice
2. Stats – Numbers and data that surprise or inform
3. Steps – Process breakdowns
4. Lessons – What you’ve learned (often from mistakes)
5. Benefits – How something improves life/business
6. Reasons – Explaining the “why” behind concepts
7. Mistakes – Common errors and how to avoid them
8. Examples – Real-world applications
9. Questions – Addressing common concerns
10. Personal Stories – Your unique experiences

Try this: Take your three-ingredient topic blend and combine it with each prompt word. For example:

• “5 Steps to Organize Your Business Finances While Honoring Your Cultural Money Values”
• “3 Mistakes I Made Managing My Business Money That My Abuela Would Have Called Me Out On”
• “The Surprising Benefits of Weekly Financial Check-ins for Your Mental Clarity”

With this simple formula, you’ve just generated 10 content ideas that blend expertise, universal appeal, and your unique perspective!

Where to Publish (Hint: Not Your Blog… Yet)

No tiene que ser complicado, amiga. One of the biggest mistakes new content creators make is building a beautiful website… that nobody visits.

Instead, Cole recommends focusing on established platforms where audiences already exist:

• X (formerly Twitter) – Great for short-form thoughts and building relationships
• LinkedIn – Perfect for professional topics and B2B connections
• Medium – Ideal for longer, more thoughtful pieces
• Quora – Excellent for establishing expertise by answering specific questions

The key is to go where your potential audience already hangs out rather than expecting them to discover your standalone blog.

My recommendation: Pick ONE platform to start. Master it before adding another. Consistency on one platform beats sporadic posting across many.

How to Know If You’ve Found a Topic You Can Stick With

We’ve all been there—excited about a topic for two weeks before completely losing interest. Here’s a simple test:

Can you come up with content for your topic using all 10 magical words?

If you struggle to generate ideas with a few of these prompts, you might not have enough depth or passion for that subject long-term.

The topics that will sustain your interest (and your audience’s) typically:

• Connect to something you genuinely care about
• Allow for both technical and emotional exploration
• Have enough depth to evolve as you grow
• Feel energizing rather than draining when you think about them

A Personal Note on Finding Your Rhythm

Here’s something I’m still figuring out myself: writing isn’t just about what you write, but how your unique voice comes through.

Nicolas Cole mentions how he thinks about writing like a video game because he grew up loving games. This personal connection makes the sometimes challenging process of creating content feel more natural and enjoyable for him.

I’m still discovering my own analogy (maybe something about cooking with my family?), but I know that when I find it, writing will feel less like a chore and more like a natural extension of how I already think.

Your Tiny Next Step

If you’ve been wanting to grow your audience through writing but feeling overwhelmed, here’s your manageable first action:

1. Grab a piece of paper
2. Write down:
   • One niche topic you know well
   • One universal theme you connect with
   • One personal angle that makes your perspective unique
3. Now use the 10 magical words to create 10 potential content ideas
4. Circle the THREE that feel most exciting to you

Those three circled ideas? That’s your content plan for the next three weeks. One piece per week, published consistently on your platform of choice.

Remember: Growing an audience is a marathon, not a sprint. The magic happens in the consistency, not in going viral once.

Have you tried content creation before? What’s been your biggest challenge in finding your writing sweet spot? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear your experience!

With clarity and simplicity, Gaby

P.S. Want to see the video that inspired these insights? Check out Nicolas Cole’s “The Best Digital Writing Platforms To Build An Audience in 2024” – it’s only 8 minutes but packed with practical wisdom!