Building a portfolio of writing businesses to $10M, and sharing my frameworks along the way.

My name is Nicolas Cole, and I am one of the most-read writers on the Internet.

Over the past decade, I have written over 5,000 articles online, and ghostwritten for 300+ Founders, C-level executives, NYT best-selling authors, Grammy-winning musicians, and more. I have also broken records on various digital writing platforms, like becoming the fastest-growing user on Quora in 2014, and becoming the most-read writer on the entire platform (out of 200 million users) in 2015. I have amassed hundreds of millions of views on my writing, and the topics I cover include hard life advice, category design, and digital writing principles.

I have also written over a dozen books, including the best-selling The Art & Business of Online Writing.

I am passionate about paying it forward and sharing what I have learned writing online for more than decade with other writers, creators, and industry leaders.

Here's a quick breakdown of my portfolio of companies, and how to get in touch.

WANT TO GET STARTED WRITING ONLINE?

→ GO HERE: www.ship30for30.com

Ship 30 for 30 is a cohort-based community specifically for people who want to start writing online. In this 4-week program, we help you build your daily writing habit, launch your Social Blog, clarify your niche, and master the fundamentals of digital writing. To date, we have helped more than 3,000 people get started writing online.

WANT TO BECOME A PREMIUM GHOSTWRITER?

→ GO HERE: https://premiumghostwritingacademy.com

Freelance writers charge per word or per hour. As a result, they're underpaid and burned out. Premium Ghostwriters charge per project, work directly with founders, CEOs, and business owners, and are more like "business consultants who happen to know how to write." As a result, they can charge a premium. In PGA, our Premium Ghostwriting Academy, we train writers on how to become Premium Ghostwriters, and learn how to package & price their services in lucrative ways.

WANT TO STAY AT THE FOREFRONT OF WRITING WITH AI?

→ GO HERE: https://writewithai.substack.com

Write With AI is a bi-weekly paid newsletters for writers, giving you strategies and prompts to help you turn ChatGPT into your own personal Digital Writing Assistant. 

WANT TO GET IN TOUCH?

→ GO HERE: www.nicolascole.com

In addition to writing and building my own businesses, I am also an investor & advisor to a handful of media & digital publishing companies. If you'd like to get in touch, please feel free to shoot me an email.

Email: cole@nicolascole.com
Twitter: @Nicolascole77

Nicolas Cole 🚢👻

I did this. 

And I regret it:

Between 23-26, I was broke AF.

Single.

Shredded with 8% body fat.

Had like 2 friends who I only saw at the gym.

Lived in a dumpster box studio apartment that cost $800/mo in Chicago.

Barely dated, and whenever I’d start to build a relationship I’d break it off and say:

“I have to grind.”

Literally.

• Up at 6am to commute an hour to work
• Home at 7pm
• Gym until 9pm
• Worked on my writing (my dream) until midnight

Repeat 5 days per week.

And I also wrote every weekend for 5-8 hours Sat & Sun. 

I never celebrated a holiday.

I went to 1 Halloween party one year, and a music festival one summer for a day. 

And that was pretty much it. 

But then I met my now-wife when I was 26.

And it’s shocking (almost sad) how much more effective I am with her compared to when I was single. 

I became way more disciplined, yet somehow more balanced.

More well-rounded. 

I became more mature, more thoughtful.

Which allowed me to:

• Meet smarter mentors
• Connect with higher-quality people
• Become more successful a lot faster

I became more cultured.

More knowledgeable about the world:

• I traveled
• I tried new foods
• I prioritized new experiences

I became rich in so many more ways than just money (but also including money) by being with her. 

And the same is true for every mega-successful person I know.

They all love their partners because their partners make them better, more capable leaders. 

I don’t have many regrets in life.

But looking back, I do wish I had allowed myself to enjoy my 20s a bit more.

I don’t think 20% more “fun” would have changed my trajectory all that much.

Maybe my ghostwriting agency wouldn't have scaled from $0 to $3,000,000 in less than 18 months.

Maybe if I had more "fun" it would've taken longer.

But I’ll never be that age again.

And one day you won’t either. 

So yes, set big goals and work like an abandoned dog to achieve them. 

AND… soak up being a young adult. 

You’ll blink, and it’ll be over.

When I met my now-wife at 26, I was making $20,000/mo ghostwriting for a handful of clients.

And none of them cared if I only spent 20 hours working per week.

Plenty of money for "fun" and the time to enjoy it.

Which is why I recommend becoming a LinkedIn ghostwriter.

This platform has over 1 billion users who:

• Never post
• Know they should be
• Need help building their personal brand

Want a blueprint to help you start ghostwriting & land high-paying clients?

Get it here (for free): https://lnkd.in/dHePTC4J

I talk about digital writing, ghostwriting, and self-publishing | Co-Founder Ship 30, Typeshare, Write With AI, Premium Ghostwriting Academy | Author of 10 books | DM "👻" if you want to land high-paying writing clients

I want to help 1 million people make a living writing on the internet.

So here's what I'm doing:

For the next 48 hours, I'm giving away my 2 best-selling books for free:

• The Art & Business of Online Writing
• The Art & Business of Ghostwriting

Why?

Because I've spent 10+ years figuring out how to make money as a writer.

(After I was told in college, "Nobody makes a living as a writer!")

And since then, I have generated over $1,000,000 across:

• SaaS ($1m+)
• Agency ($5m+)
• Consulting ($2m+)
• Paid Newsletter ($2m+)
• Self-Published Books ($1m+)
• Cohort-Based Course ($3m+)
• Low-Ticket Digital Products ($2m+)
• High-Ticket Group Coaching ($10m+)

So, yeah...

You can earn a lucrative living as a writer IF you know how.

Which is why I'm giving away my 2 most popular books (so you can start making a living as a writer too!).

Inside these books, I explain:

• Why you shouldn’t start a blog, how to find your voice as a writer, and the exact steps to build a daily writing habit.

• The quickest way to monetize your writing (and get paid to network and learn from industry leaders in your niche).

• The secret to making more money as a writer (so you can escape the freelance writer hamster wheel).

And tons more!

Comment "books" below and I'll DM them to you for free.

If we're not connected, then send me a connection request with the word "books" and I'll send them over.

Everyone says the greatest writers to ever live are:

• Stephen King
• Virginia Woolf
• Henry David Thoreau

But this genius is head and shoulders above them all.

His name is Ernest Hemingway.

And here is the secret technique he used to become a legendary writer:

The Iceberg Theory.

At its core, this is a simple "Show, Don't Tell" technique:

1. Avoid excessive backstory

Hint at characters' pasts through brief flashbacks or dialogue.

2. Use sensory details sparingly

A few vivid descriptions can set the scene.

3. Trim the fat

Cut any:

• Word
• Scene
• Or sentence

That doesn't serve the story.

Simple, but super effective.

—
📌 And if Hemingway were alive today...

He'd (probably) write short stories on LinkedIn—and have a massive audience of readers.

So, I put together a FREE 13,000-word Ultimate Guide + email course with everything you need to:

• Build a daily writing habit
• Generate hundreds of ideas
• Attract followers on LinkedIn

Click here to download a FREE copy for yourself: https://lnkd.in/dgHFBptC

Ernest Hemingway's Secret Writing Technique

I'm 35.

Some advice I wish I'd known in my 20s:

Life moves in seasons.

Some seasons are about work.

Other seasons are about:

• Travel
• Or spirituality
• Or family and friends

And I've learned the worst thing you can do is be in 1 season of your life, but wish for/expect the benefits of a different season.

Don't.

It doesn't work that way. 

Whatever season of life you're in, radically accept it.

Lean into it.

Know it won't last forever, and soak up as much about that particular season as you can. 

Because once it's over, you will miss things about it.

Things you're taking for granted, or complaining about, right now.

For example:

Building my $180,000/month ghostwriting agency was one of the hardest seasons of my life.

(It literally put me in the hospital.)

But since then, I've generated over $1,000,000 across 7 different business models:

• SaaS ($1m+)
• Consulting ($2m+)
• Paid Newsletter ($2m+)
• Self-Published Books ($1m+)
• Cohort-Based Course ($3m+)
• Low-Ticket Digital Products ($2m+)
• High-Ticket Group Coaching ($10m+)

Which is how I know the easiest way to make 6+ figures per year as a writer is by ghostwriting.

And I recommend getting started on LinkedIn.

Want to start landing high-paying clients in 2026?

I wrote this free, 5-day email course to help you get started.

Click here to get instant access (for free!): https://lnkd.in/d5dCm2YP

Last week, this writer landed 3 clients:

1. LinkedIn Ghostwriting $4,800/month
2. LinkedIn Ghostwriting $1,800/month
3. LinkedIn + X Ghostwriting $3,000/month

In other words:

$9,600/month in brand-new revenue.

Now, Stefan didn't get lucky.

He's been putting in the work for a long time.

Which is how Stefan was able to quit his job—and go all-in on his ghostwriting business 5 months ago.

But it also helps that he had a proven technique to land new, high-paying clients every month.

And safe to say it works.

(It's how he landed $9,600/month worth of ghostwriting deals in just 1 week!)

Want to follow the same FREE blueprint Stefan used to get started?

Click "Visit my website" at the top of this post to get instant access.

Making money as a ghostwriter is *about* to get even easier.

Why?

Because LinkedIn is the fastest-growing social media platform in 2026.

And thanks to this Wall Street Journal article, every:

• Founder
• Executive
• Industry leader

Is finally waking up to a harsh truth:

They need to build a personal brand on LinkedIn.

And the WSJ is read by some of the smartest (& wealthiest) people in the world.

But they don't have the time to write.

So, they need someone like you ghostwriting for them.

It doesn't matter what niche they're in.
LinkedIn has over 1 billion users.
Their niche is here.

So, the question you have to ask yourself is:

"Do you have the skills to capitalize on this trend before it's gone?"

Luckily, I put together a 5-day blueprint to teach you how to:

• Charge premium prices
• Create your irresistible offer
• Find your lucrative ghostwriting niche
• Land new, high-paying clients every month

In other words...

Everything you need to get started in the next 5 days!

Want to start landing high-paying clients as a ghostwriter?

Click here to get instant access to my proven blueprint (for FREE): https://lnkd.in/gsKZbtwK

My college writing professor told me I'd never make $1M as a writer.

And I believed him!

Until I learned about Neil Strauss.

He's a New York Times best-selling author who ghostwrote for:

• Kevin Hart
• Rick Rubin
• Mötley Crüe

And his net worth is over $4,000,000.

Here's his story (with 1 huge lesson for writers everywhere):

Neil started in journalism:

• He got his start at The Village Voice
• Then landed a column at The New York Times
• Then became a contributing editor at Rolling Stone

It was here he wrote a major cover on Marilyn Manson.

This created a new (and overlooked) opportunity for Strauss—ghostwriting books for world-famous celebrities.

Over the years, he co-wrote these bestsellers:

• "The Long Hard Road Out of Hell" for Manson
• "I Can’t Make This Up" for Kevin Hart
• "The Dirt" for Mötley Crüe

Meanwhile, the journalism industry collapsed.

But Neil used ghostwriting to master:

• Storytelling frameworks that hook readers
• New skills no journalism job could offer
• How to structure New York Times bestselling books

And more.

In 2005, Strauss used his skills to write his next book:

"The Game."

This book about pickup artists became a New York Times bestseller.

Today, Strauss ranks among the highest-paid ghostwriters in the world.

You've probably read his latest work: 

Rick Rubin's "The Creative Act." 

And top ghostwriters like Strauss earn between $250,000 and $2,000,000 per book.

So here's the big takeaway for writers:

Strauss used ghostwriting to master the skills he needed to create his own successful writing career.

And for writers today, ghostwriting makes more sense than ever:

• Most companies need content
• Most founders want personal brands
• Most experts have wisdom but no time to write

And it's how I went from minimum wage to $20,000/month in just 60 days.

It's how I generated my first $3M as a writer.

Ghostwriting is the fastest way to make money on LinkedIn.

I wrote a free, 5-day email course showing you how.

Get instant access here: https://lnkd.in/dj7GjXbu

I'm a pro writer.

Over the last 10 years, I have:

• Written 1 novel
• 10 non-fiction books
• 2,000+ thought-leadership articles

And more.

All this taught me 1 very important lesson:

Great writing doesn't come from "natural-born talent."

It comes from simple, repeatable techniques.

Use these 6 tiny (but powerful) tips to write great sentences:

1. Make the last word the most impactful

Here's an example:

"Do you know who the president is?"

This is a weak sentence because it ends with an insignificant word (is).

A more powerful sentence would be:

"Do you know the name of the president?"

2. Be economical with your words

Here's an example:

"Seven ways you can start to make more money your first year out of college by starting to write online."

This sentence has a lot of inefficiencies.

Multiple words are saying the same thing.

A more economical version would be:

"Seven ways to make money writing online as a new college graduate."

Same message, half the time.

3. Vary repeated words

You can repeat an idea without sounding repetitive by changing the word.

Here's an example:

"We pulled into the parking lot of the ice arena. I said it's been forever since I stepped foot in an ice arena."

You're saying "ice arena" twice.

Which sounds redundant.

A better version would be:

"We pulled into the parking lot of the ice arena. I said it's been forever since I stepped foot in a rink."

Just by changing the word, it immediately sounds stronger.

4. Only use one advanced word per sentence

Most people read at a 4th grade reading level.

So, when you're using a word most people don't know, it feels like a fun challenge.

But if every word is advanced, your writing becomes unreadable.

Here's an example:

"With all those weird clothes on, he looked crazy, like he'd lost his mind."

You can make this more interesting by swapping out one word:

"With all those weird clothes on, he looked preposterous."

Just like that, your writing is more fun & engaging.

(Without being inaccessible.)

5. Two comma max per sentence

Most sentences should only have a maximum of two commas.

The "valley of death" is when a sentence has three to six commas.

Anything above two means you're rambling.

And you (probably) don't know what you're actually trying to say.

6. Cut the adverbs

Hemingway always adverbs "lazy writing."

Now, using an adverb here or there is perfectly fine.

The problem?

Using too many.

Because the function of an adverb is usually saying the same thing you're already saying, just "more" or "a little bit better."

So, your writing would be much cleaner (and more succinct) without them.

—
📌 Want more actionable tactics to:

• Become a prolific writer?
• Build a LinkedIn audience?
• Unlock endless opportunities online?

I put together a FREE crash course with everything you need to start writing online.

Click here to get started: https://lnkd.in/dNP8EqHW

It's just hours. 

And I hate to tell you this:

But anything you want in life, unless constrained by biology, is a fixed number of hours away. 

The problem is:

1. The number is unknown

2. And it's usually much higher than you want it to be

But when you start tackling tasks to reach your goal, you face a new set of problems:

The tasks aren't hard, they're just tedious.

The tasks don't take "hours," they take minutes (if not seconds). 

The tasks aren't confusing, they just require you to think for 1 whole minute.

So, stop distracting yourself, focus, and get to work.

By the way, I got PAID to practice my writing for hours on end as a ghostwriter.

Ghostwriting is a lucrative writing career:

• Land high-paying clients
• Get paid to practice your craft
• Build your network with industry leaders

Get started with this free, 5-day email course: https://lnkd.in/drEfA42H

In 2025, my 100% remote company hit $8,000,000.

But in 2026, we have a bigger goal:

To hit $1,000,000 for 3 consecutive months.

And I'm always asked how to create a championship-winning culture.

Here are 7 ways:

1. Create custom emojis, each one tied to a different company core value.

We use these emojis in Slack to reinforce positive attributes people exemplify on the team. 

2. Full team all-hands 1x per month.

In these meetings we:

• Share high-level priorities
• Recap past month's performance across all departments
• Leave time for team members to give "shout outs" to other team members

These "shout outs" are for, again, embodying 1 of our core values as a company (public reinforcement).

3. Transparency around numbers.

On our all-hands, we share the total business revenue and revenue by vertical.

We also share overhead costs & ad spend.

This allows us to celebrate new department or company-wide revenue milestones together.

This fosters a culture of realizing "money doesn't grow on trees" and that each person needs to perform for the biz to be healthy.

4. Default no meetings.

Departments can decide how often they want to meet, otherwise:

• First, clear culture of communicating with clearly written Slack text
• Second, Loom video communication
• Third, live calls (as needed)

5. Give team members access to different department's Slack channels.

So even if they're not involved, they can follow along and see what other people are working on.

6. In-person event once per year.

This was easier when the team was smaller (<10 people).

Harder now with 30+ people, but 1x per year we try to get everyone together in-person for a 2-3 day event.

We don't do any "digital happy hours" or have a "memes channel" in Slack.

Not that these things are bad or anything, I've just found these types of things don't actually make people fulfilled.

7. Flexible working

• We give people unlimited vacation/sick days (within reason)
• We're understanding if someone with kids needs to log off early for the day

The only metric we care about is that people get their work done, and do it at a world-class level.

📌 People just care about 3 things:

• Doing great work
• Acquiring new skills & self-improvement
• Having the freedom to live their own lives

And the easiest way to unlock these for yourself?

Start ghostwriting.

As a ghostwriter, I hit $20,000/mo while only working for a handful of clients. None of them cared if I only spent 20 hours working per week.

And right now, ghostwriting is the easiest way to make money on LinkedIn.

But only IF you have a proven blueprint to land high-paying clients.

I share this inside my free, 5-day email course on Premium Ghostwriting.

Click here to get instant access: https://lnkd.in/dDped8XA

I don't believe I was born a talented writer.

But that didn't stop me from writing:

• 11 non-fiction books
• My 1st fiction novel
• 3,000+ ghostwritten articles

Instead, my superpower is my work ethic.

I know how to practice.

More importantly, I know how to:

• Isolate a skill to improve
• Create constraints to ease output
• Stay consistent despite wanting to quit

Put simply, I’ve learned how to love monotony and trust the process.

And a skill I want to improve significantly in 2026 is writing fiction.

But that’s actually not "just" one skill.

It's a collection of different skills.

Some that come to mind are:

• Story Seed: The “elevator pitch” and premise of the story
• Outlining: The beat-by-beat arc of the story
• Worldbuilding: The world in which the story is set
• Character Development: The main characters of the story
• Pacing: The story’s rate of revelation
• Narrative Voice: The tone and style of the narrator
• Word Choice: The nuances of the story’s literary style

So, I built an exercise to help myself (and other aspiring fiction writers) practice writing story seeds.

Plus, I also built an AI Prompt to help myself learn this skill 10x faster.

Want access?

Join my paid newsletter Commercial Fiction Club.

It's where I'm documenting my entire journey from $0 to $1,000,000 as a fiction writer.

Join Commercial Fiction Club here: https://lnkd.in/dnC3Qdmj

I also walk through this exercise on my YouTube channel.

Just search for "How To Practice Writing Fiction (And Write Stories With AI)" on YouTube to check it out.

I'm a ghostwriter.

And I have written for:

• Crypto billionaires
• Silicon Valley founders
• New York Times best-selling authors

And 300+ other industry leaders.

There was 1 writing skill that allowed me to work with so many experts (and generate $3M+ in the process):

Client Voice-Matching.

So many of my clients were terrified I wouldn't be able to write (or sound) like them.

But I quickly discovered that nobody's voice is "special."

It's just a handful of variables.

And once you learn how to assemble a client's voice, you can ghostwrite anything for anyone:

• No endless revisions
• No awkward feedback calls
• No "this doesn't sound like me" red pen all over your drafts

Which means you can confidently write for high-paying clients, delight them, and then get referrals from their network.

This writing skill will help you make more money as a writer.

And I'm going to show you how on next Tuesday's free, live Masterclass:

How To Ghostwrite Anything For Anyone: 5 Client Voice Archetypes.

Register for free in the LinkedIn event:

Uta Bellin, Graham Chalfant and 5 other connections attending

View event: How To Ghostwrite Anything For Anyone: 5 Client Voice Archetypes

How To Ghostwrite Anything For Anyone: 5 Client Voice Archetypes

I feel better at 35 than I did at 25.

Here's what I changed:

• Prioritized sleep & health > money 
• Stopped chasing short-term revenue
• Only invested in compounding skills/vehicles
• Non-negotiable gym session 4 days per week

These ALSO made me more money too.

So, I'm going to conntinue to optimize for the long game.

Because I don't need to be the most successful creator/writer in any given week/month/year.

I can "win" simply by playing the game the longest.

And that's what I love so much about writing.

It's a game:

• I can play solo
• I can play until I'm dead
• That only requires a laptop
• That benefits from age/time
• That combines art & business

If you aren't already writing online, highly recommend getting started.

📌 And if you need some help, I put together a FREE crash course with everything you need to:

• Go viral with ease on LinkedIn
• Generate endless content ideas
• Build a massive audience on this platform

In JUST 5 days.

Click here to get started (for free!): https://lnkd.in/d7D56jj2

Only a few hours left to grab your ticket for tomorrow's Masterclass!

In this free live session, I'll cover:

🗣️ The 5 Archetypes of Client Voices

This is how you spot your client's voice profile before they even know it themselves—giving you the edge to deliver drafts that sound exactly like them.

✍️ Little-known writing tricks to nail the client's voice the first time

Don’t get bogged down with endless client edits (I'll show you the exact techniques I used at my $3m ghostwriting agency).

🎙️ How to work from recorded calls and transcripts to extract your client's best insights

Turn raw conversation into polished, high-quality content they can’t wait to share (I call this my “Transcript-To-Gold System”).

And tons more!

This is everything you need to write for ANY ghostwriting client—so you can land higher-paying clients and build a reputation that brings clients to you on autopilot.

Get your ticket (for free!) below:

Dopamine Detox Coach & Accountability Partner

Translator

Business Coach

Lionbridge

Iyuno•SDI Group

Lingual Consultancy Services

Sunkost 

Salesperson

Hamar kommune

Childcare Worker

Accountability partner | I can help you become more focused and productive with a dopamine detox | English to Norwegian translator within marketing, subtitling and albinism

Come for the content. Stay for the wicked banter.

Are you struggling with motivation, drive and focus?
A dopamine detox might be what you need.

I'll help you find more focus and productivity through a dopamine detox where you'll remove your habits of cheap dopamine and replace them with more sustainable habits of the deep kind.

As your detox guide I'll:
- Help you identify your habits of cheap dopamine
- Teach you how to add sustainable habits
- Be there to hold you accountable. 
- Help you get through the first week by calling every day. 
- After the first week, I'll check in once weekly.  
- Be available by email and DM if you need to talk. 
- Give you the tools needed to stay focused and productive even after the program is over.

I’ve spent what feels like a lifetime chasing productivity. 

“How can I make the most out of the time I’ve got?” I’ve found, and tried, A LOT of tips, tricks and hacks over the years. Some worked great for me, some worked great for others.

The ultimate trick to being productive is to know, and be honest with yourself. Play your strengths and make sure what you’re doing aligns with what you’re good at.

I’m Cecilie and I help people become more productive and focused by adding and creating sustainable habits they can actually stick to.

I’ve collected ALL my tricks and secret hacks to get more focused and productive. 
Use it as a way to find new ideas on how you can stay productive and find your focus.

Pick and choose what resonates with you, and then leave the rest be. Some of these ways to stay productive are contradictory and can’t be combined, that’s because we’re all different and what works for me might not work for you. 

DM for details on "The Road to Productivity"

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