How to decommoditize yourself as a writer

Escape the $/h zone and make some bets

Two weeks ago, I promised to write my next newsletter on making money from writing without putting it behind a paywall - I didn’t do any of that lol.

Last week was difficult, full of questions and doubts, but it’s finally over, and I write more than before.

So here we go, how I indirectly monetize my (tech) writing.

Wait, aren’t you a tech writer?

I’m not, and I never wanted to become one. If what I do on my Hashnode blog is tech writing, so be it. I call it: I do stuff, and I write about it.

I’m also not a fan of commodity markets, and tech writing (and other forms of writing) are easily commoditized when you try to get paid 1:1 for what you write (tech writing).

I still remember two years ago when someone reached out to me to do an article for them, but when it came to the money, they said:

We run the numbers and writers in your category go for $2.5 per word

Well, why are you contacting me than why not a writer from that category?

Commodity markets try to be as efficient as possible.

Why would you buy oranges for $3/kg when you can get the same oranges for $2.9/kg?

Commodities are easy to compare; thus, you will most likely buy the cheapest one to get more of a certain commodity.

As a result, earnings are erased to the bottom.

This is why I’m not a tech writer and don’t sell hourly work for clients anymore.

I’d much rather risk giving a low estimate and making less.

Occasionally I estimate good, and that’s when the hourly rate comes to something as it did in the past 31 days, averaging $125/h (the below screenshot doesn’t have a completed job of another $100 after Upwork fees).

What this has to do with my writing?

Proposals.

Winning every single proposal I send in my niche.

I often see on Twitter: Upwork is this and that.

Is it a commodity market? Yes, if you sell hours.

When I send proposals like this, I bid and suggest a higher price - not too greedy, but just enough to add some weight to my offer.

I want to go the tech writer route - how can I decommoditize myself

Read 100M offers from Alex Hormozi. Best thing I’ve read and listened to this year.

Alex himself narrates the audiobook.

FYI below are affiliate links. If you buy through these you help me, it costs the same to you.

$100M Offers - Kindle edition: https://amzn.to/41mpdHZ

$100M Offers - Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3GFKULk

Alex talks through several chapters about the commodity market and what’s the best way to fight it.

Between two sellers who sell identical oranges, you’ll pick the cheapest.

Their offers are identical, oranges are easy to compare, so their prices.

To decommoditize your services, make your offer hard to compare with other offers.

Here are a couple of ideas:

I do tech writing but also create custom illustration

Why this might work: you know the rate for a tech writer with the same experience in your niche, but do they make awesome art?

I do tech writing but also include high-quality demos, not just code snippets

Besides tech writing I offer a free consultation on where you should expand your content.

Separate yourself from the pack by offering something others don’t.

This is it for today! I hope I have compensated you for the lost issue and we all learned something new.

As always, I appreciate the time you spend reading my newsletter.

It means a lot to me.

Until next time,

Akos