An LxD's Guide to Writing in Public
As learning experience designers, we thrive on creating transformative experiences for others. But what about our learning and growth?
I learn best by building, diving in and getting my hands dirty. When I started writing online, I didn't have a grand plan – just a desire to share my thoughts and experiences. That messy, exploratory process led me to discover my passion for writing about learning.
It’s been 4 years since I’ve been doing this and writing online has been hands down the one thing that has contributed to my learning the most! Here are just a few things it has led to:
Finding my last job
Talking to LxDs from across the globe & learning from them
Getting to audit new courses for free
Finding clients for my business
In this article, I'll look back on my 4 year journey and share the 6 steps I took to learn in public through writing. I’m putting these steps together retrospectively, when I started writing I had no clue what I was doing! These steps are not linear – they're more like a dance, with steps you'll revisit and refine along the way. But by sharing my stumbles and successes, I hope to inspire and equip you to find your voice, connect with your audience, and ultimately, accelerate your growth as an LxD.
#1 Start Writing – Do Lots of It Quickly! ✍🏻
My writing journey started in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. I was doing a staycation at home and decided to revamp my website. One thing led to another and I wrote the very first version of the Learning Nerd’s Diary that week.
In the same year, I took a 30-day writing challenge. The topics were all over the place – reflections on my work, musings on learning theory, and even random thoughts about my dog. This ‘atomic writing’ habit helped me overcome the blank page syndrome and build the muscle of consistent creation. In less than 6 months I went from being a ‘closet writer’ to publishing 50+ pieces.
💡 Pro Tip: Quantity > Quality
Figure out a way for you to do lots of writing quickly. Pick a writing challenge (like the 30-day challenge) or set a daily word count goal. Do not keep this in your drafts! Put it out in the world for others to see. It will seem daunting but worth it.
#2 Find Your Niche’ 🎯
As I wrote more, I became more confident about writing in general. At the time, I had just transitioned from a user researcher to a learning experience designer. I started a series called ‘Learning About Learning’ and focused my writing on learning - hoping that writing about learning will help me understand it better.
Learning About Learning took inspiration from books I was reading, work I was doing and my learning journey. The weekly writing helped me reflect on my work and that weekly synthesis + writing became something I looked forward to every week. My writing also helped me attract people interested in the same topics. I suddenly started talking to people from across the globe! These conversations led me to meet the most interesting friends & collaborators.
💡 Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to narrow down!
Look for topics you're most passionate about or the areas where you have unique expertise. Experiment with different niches until you find one that resonates.
#3 Define Your Why 🤨
When I started writing, my ‘why’ was being able to write & share it with the world. But as I started writing more and getting some early results, I started to get clearer on my ‘why’. I wanted to write to share my passion for learning, connect with other LxDs, and ultimately, help people learn better. This sense of purpose fuelled my writing and gave me a direction.
I took a course on Audience Building in early 2022 and further refined my ‘why’. I knew at some point in life I wanted to start my own business and I was hoping my writing could help me with that as well. My ‘why’ has changed over the years and will continue to evolve as I am on this journey.
💡 Pro Tip: Find your ‘why’ but keep evolving it! Remember that your ‘why’ is a journey and not a destination! To begin with - ask yourself, "Why do I want to write? What impact do I want to have?" Your ‘why’ will evolve, but having a starting point will help you stay motivated.
#4 Find Your Voice 📣
This was a struggle for me for almost the first 2 years of my writing. I would constantly question myself “Does this sound like me?”. When I started I would try to read a lot of people and find people whose writing I liked and felt more ‘like me’. I would try to emulate their writing style. I also was reading a lot to figure out what I like reading - and in turn, my writing took that shape.
I love visualising things so building visuals to support my writing became a very natural extension. But similar to writing, I would question whether this visualisation or these colours was ‘me’.
💡 Pro Tip: Copy, remix & make it your own!
Experiment with different styles and tones until you find one that feels authentic to you. Don't be afraid to remix things that already exist out there till you find what feels like yourself. This will take time, be patient!
#5 Schedule & Structure 🗓️
I started setting goals for my writing – both input (e.g., write every weekend for 3-4 hours) and output (e.g., publish 2 articles a week). My goals have continued to evolve over the years. Now I look at if I was able to publish on time and if I had fun while doing it.
I have also tracked my metrics to see what resonated with my audience. This is not to chase likes but to stay focused and measure my progress. When I started I used to take 4-5 hours every week to send out a newsletter, now it takes me less than 2 hours. I know this because I painfully track how much time it takes me every week to write.
💡 Pro Tip: Set a goal & stay accountable
Create a writing schedule that works for you. Figure out how you will safeguard it against unpredictable things. Calendarise it! Track your progress and come back to it periodically.
#6 Optimise for Fun 🤩
Not everything I wrote was a hit. I learned to let go of ideas that weren't working and experiment with new formats and topics. This iterative process helped me refine my writing and keep things fresh. Earlier this year I discontinued Learning Nuggets - because I realised that it was no longer resonating with people as it once was and was still taking time & effort from my end. I doubled downed on my articles instead.
Above all, I learned that writing should be enjoyable. If you're not having fun, it will show in your work. So find ways to make the process playful and engaging.
💡 Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to iterate or scrap things
Don't be afraid to scrap projects that aren't working. Embrace experimentation and try new things. Your audience will appreciate your willingness to evolve.
In a Nutshell 🌰
Building a personal learning brand through public writing takes time, effort, and a willingness to experiment. Here are the 6 steps I followed:
Start Writing – Do Lots of It Quickly! ✍🏻
Find Your Niche’ 🎯
Define Your Why 🤨
Find Your Voice 📣
Schedule & Structure 🗓️
Optimise for Fun 🤩
If you’ve been thinking about writing - consider this a sign to start!