I came up with this alphabetical system by picking a string of consecutive letters that sounds good. I landed on LMNOP.

Here they are:

L is for Listen

Pay attention to the things you hear throughout the day. The world is a noisy place, but there are some auditory nuggets. Be ready to take note of them.

Listen…

• to others

• to podcasts

• to conversations

• for headline ideas

M is for Mimic

I mean mimic as a synonym to imitate. Don’t copy something outright, but there’s no shame in replicating successful content, with your own twist.

Mimic…

• winning formulas

• topics that engage

• engaging formats

N is for Notice

To be a writer is to be a professional noticer. Always be on the lookout for things that spark inspiration, which you can grow into a full-fledged inferno.

Notice…

• what makes you uncomfortable

• what people ask your advice on

• how people act/react to situations

O is for Outshine

This could also be “outdo”. Do something better than another person. If they had 7 tips, write 9. If the content shone but the formatting didn't, improve it.

Outshine…

• the number of items on a list

• the quality/depth of an article

• the approach to digital writing

P is for Paraphrase

Take something interesting and restate it to give the meaning in a different form. Like I did for the definition of “paraphrase” from merriam-webster.com.

Paraphrase…

• a conversation/interview and expand upon it

• a well-known story, and add to it

• the content of valuable videos

It’s pronounced “ellem-enno-pee” by the way ;)