Hello again! New podcast episode with Derek Hughes is live.
I’ve been loving Derek’s no fluff writing advice for a while. He’s genuinely writing useful stuff unlike many creators that shall not be named. And his ability to gain 10,000 newsletter subscribers while working a full time job is inspiring as hell.
So when he agreed to bring his dry British humor on the podcast, I couldn’t help but prepare a hot cup of Earl Grey (just kidding, I don’t usually drink tea).
This episode went in a different direction than expected. And if I had to guess, you’ll be happy it did…
Btw, Black Friday deal alert.
My paid newsletter is 25% off for this week only. You can lock in your deal here before it ends:
My 3 Big Take Aways
You don’t need to write for 4 hours a day. You just need to write for 90 minutes each morning. But you also need to do so for at least 12 months. As someone who’s built a writing business off the back of working long hours, this broke my brain a little.
Not everyone wants or needs to be a full time creator. Derek earns part time revenue from writing on Substack. Enough that he is able to work only a few days a week at his job and spend the rest of his time creating. No pressure to scale his business. But also no stress from working too much at a job he doesn’t enjoy. I personally love this insight. And predict we’ll see many more part time creators pop up in 2026.
The only way to learn fast is to learn one micro skill at a time. Derek’s approach to improving one tiny part of his writing each day is genius. First structure, then hooks, then stories, etc… It’s a good reminder that you don’t need to be overwhelmed trying to learn how to write newsletters. You just need to learn one tiny step at a time. I’ll remember this next time I’m feeling overwhelmed.
Chapters
00:00 Derek’s Journey to 30,000 Followers While Working a Full Time Job
02:43 The Importance of Consistency in Writing
05:58 Mental Strategies for Sustaining Motivation
08:49 Derek’s Tactical Approach to Writing
11:39 Sustaining a Consistent Writing Practice
14:53 Navigating Overwhelm and Creative Energy
17:37 Balancing Energy and Productivity
20:39 The Long Game: Persistence Over Perfection
23:33 Output and Efficiency in Writing
28:59 Balancing Quality and Quantity in Writing
35:35 The Role of AI in Derek’s Writing Process
49:32 Transitioning from Full-Time to Part-Time Writing
