The Problem With Volume

If we all play this game of creating a ton of content, what will happen?

There will be a higher level of online noise, creators burning out and consumers getting sick of being fed with regurgitated or empty content.

It’s already there.

And even from the biggest names such as Dan Koe. He’s writing good things, but they get diluted and at some point, I stopped listening or reading most of his stuff because it’s the same stuff.

Too bad.

So I want to ask you a question: do you want the digital world to be filled with 1000s (or more!) variations of the same idea?

It is not the only way

I am accumulating a growing list of evidence that there is another path to success for a creator.

A path that I’ve seen Michael Simmons formulate clearly in one word: “blockbuster”.

The idea is to create less frequently but higher quality content than everyone else.

And he practices it.

The first time I read one of his articles here, I immediately became a fan. I didn’t need to get 27 tweets from him. one-single-article.

And I see working for other creators.

Everyone trying to grow a YouTube channel is told to published at 100 videos before even thinking to get subscribers.

Yet, there are channels with only a handful of videos and tens of thousands of subscribers.

Because you watch one of their video and you can’t stop watching it and sharing it with everyone.

This is the latest example I found a few days before writing this:

This channel has almost 46k subscribers with only 2 videos!

So yeah, it works.

What should I do?

I am still figuring stuff out myself and I am only sharing my thoughts and observations here.

But I believe that we would all benefit from less content of higher quality.

How to do this?

I’m still to refine the framework I want to create, but here is the rough idea:

1. Get more of better data: live higher personal experiences, take on challenges, read good long-form articles, books, in-depth videos/documentaries, scientific literature…

2. Process the data better to generate higher-quality results/ideas: use smart notes, knowledge management system,…

3. Package the results better: writing technique, design/visuals, videography.

4. Redo it several times: rewrite your article, shoot your video and edit multiple times, until it’s great, not only good. Get feedback if you can.

Following this framework will lead to higher quality and original output.

Your future personal blockbuster, that people will want to consume and share.

Nuances

Before we take parts, I want to bring some nuance to this creator\’s path.

Firstly, this might not work well for all platforms. Medium (blogging in general), and YouTube are great for blockbusters. Twitter/X or TikTok maybe not.

Second, it depends on your niche and the type of content. If you share tips for using a tool, it makes sense to publish a series of short content regularly, rather than a giant piece containing all your tips. Although it could work and it’s easy to do both.

Lastly, going that route may seem the longest and it’s difficult not to take shortcuts. We all want to find success yesterday. So it might be more stressful and counterproductive to try to create a masterpiece right away.

I would suggest doing the reps privately, in small chunks so it’s not too overwhelming. Rewrite the introduction 10 times instead of the whole article.

Only when you have reworked the whole piece, you may go over the whole thing one last time and notice how you feel.

If you feel excited, it’s good. If not, work on it again.

Takeaway

There is too much content out there and with the current philosophy and tools to help you multiply your content, it’s going to be worse.

By focusing on creating GREAT content, you will find yourself standing out from the crowd.

Test the framework I propose, tweak it to your situation, and find what works.

Be great,

Frank