How to become an online influencer if you are above 50

She discovered a masterstroke, a way to make money.

‘Charlene’ not her real name had just celebrated her thirtieth birthday. She was enjoying her new status, as an Influencer, a status that was earning her a comfortable living.

She didn’t want to use her real name though, because her employer wouldn’t have approved blogging as a side gig

Her weekly paycheck, or its meagerness, was the reason she had taken this path, a journey of self-discovery.

That, was two years ago, her constant emotional epiphanies, writing online, were earning her an honest buck, something unimagined two years before.

In those two years, she had written almost incessantly, published almost daily, built a following and an audience created a weekly newsletter and a healthy subscription.

And now she was getting paid, telling newbies how to succeed in writing online.

I met ‘Charlene’ online, and instantly fell in love with her writing, her story not unlike thousands of others, is inspiring, to millions of Generation Zer(s) and Alphas.

But what of older Generations — Boomers and Xers? people in their fifties or sixties can they be influencers still?

The answer is Yes! And they don’t have to dance on TikTok or post copious photos on Instagram, all they need is a drive and a passion to write.

Back in the day, before online writing was a thing, successful writers were journalists, or lawyers, because their craft demanded that they write. Not anymore.

Today anyone, and I mean absolutely anyone can succeed as a writer. You don’t have to be a Pulitzer prize winner to make money writing online.

But you have to give it your all, 150%, and nothing less. Successful online writers, write full-time and take no BS when it comes to getting their name out there.

Here are some of the ways to succeed as an online writer if you are a Boomer or a Generation X, and have never written before.

Before you can get started, you need to take your writing seriously, it shouldn’t be something you do when you feel inspired or motivated — inspiration and motivation are fickle.

Build a writing habit.

Develop a writing routine. A daily writing routine that becomes a habit.

Habits help you to grow in small increments. A writing habit, to write a minimum of five hundred words every day, soon grows on you. It won’t matter where you are, the habit will push you to get those five hundred words in.

Soon you will be writing unconsciously because habits developed over time become who you are. They will push you to consciously write even when you do not feel like it.

There will be days when you won’t feel like writing, but if you’ve developed a habit of seating at your desk then you will write because your habits would push you to.

Build a daily writing habit

There will be days when words will vanish, but seating and staring at that blank screen is still writing. There will be moments when you suffer from writer’s block, or your writing will sound gibberish. My advice to you is to keep on writing.

Online writing is demanding. It demands that you show up every day, to build an audience and a following. Your audience the people you intend to influence will trust you more when you show up consistently

Here is how to beat writer’s block, Start somewhere, anywhere. Write a few lines. Don’t think about it, just write. Besides your writing doesn’t have to be perfect; it just needs to be written.

Write for the joy of writing, type a few words. They don’t have to be good (all first drafts suck). It just has to be written. Then you have will have something to work on. You can tweak from there.

If you do this, you’ll get past the hump. The difference between successful online writers and amateurs is this: Both encounter blocks, but one pushes through while the other gets paralyzed.

It doesn’t matter what you write, just do it every day.

Rewrite every day

Second to writing is rewriting, rewrite every day.

Writing is a form of art. First, you have a block of stone, then you make a sculpture, then you chisel and fine-tune until you have a work of art.

Written masterpieces are born from rewrites. Be comfortable cutting out words that don’t say what you want to say.

Lastly, Read your finished piece aloud. Something happens when you read aloud, you can hear nuances that don’t seat right and words that drag your narrative.

Join an Online Blogging Community

Writing is lonely and may feel sterile if you are starting without an audience. Joining an online writing community takes away the sting of loneliness, gives you a ready audience, and most importantly, you get honest feedback from fellow writers.

You can join online communities like Medium, Reddit, Scribophile, The Next Big Writer, or Quora. Start blogging, guest posting, answering questions, and responding to comments. You will be surprised how quickly you build an audience.

If you are unsure of where and how to blog, start by practicing on a site like Quora, which is a question-and-answer site that also hosts blogs.

Answer questions on the platform and see what gets upvoted and what doesn’t. This way you can improve your skills. You can start taking some of your best answers and turning them into a blog. Then start guest posting on other sites.

The secret to blogging is not building an audience for the platform but building an audience for yourself. Create content that connects with your readers at a personal level.

Write sponsored content and Advertorials

Monetize your blog through advertorials. Offer sponsored content. Write adverts as paid-for articles that promote brands you believe in and that are in line with products and services you find useful

For example, Nike may be promoting a new sports gear if you’re an established blog they can offer to pay for an article about their product range.

Write guest blog posts for media outlets

Occasionally, members of the press or brands may reach out to you if you’re an authority on a certain topic, asking you to make an appearance on their website.

If you’re particularly knowledgeable on a subject, publications may get in touch and ask you to contribute some of your authorial opinion to their magazine.

Alternatively, pitch your ideas to publications it’s a great way of getting your blog’s name and your name out there.

Sell Your Newsletters subscription

As an authority offering highly valued content, you can choose to have paid subscription for some of your premium content in a weekly Newsletter platform like substack. You however need to build a decent email list to do this.

Here is one last thing Before you go:

Pursuing your passion in the twilight of your life may be the most exciting thing you will ever do.

Don’t get old and rusty. Write and share years of experience. Become an influencer and change the lives of millions.

This Article was first published Here: Anyone above 50 Can Be an Online Influencer (Here is How)