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How can I share my research writing with others ?
I'm going to college for psychology, and one thing I've been doing on the side is writing. I already write a lot of fiction for my own fun but I also really like writing about my research on substack. I want to know how I could monetize + expand my writing I've done and continue to do on my research, and how did the first couple years of building a writing go? What mistakes did you now experts make that I could maybe avoid? I'm a good writer but a bad marketer if that makes sense, so I want to learn how to share my writing more successfully over a writing platform like substack + medium. #Spring26
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Kevin’s Answer
Hi Reuben,
Very cool question — it’s one I’ve asked myself over the past few years. I’ve also had a Substack and posted content there and on LinkedIn, so I can relate to the challenge of building an audience while trying to write well.
I can’t speak to the fiction side as much, but the psychology/research angle is similar to the financial writing I focus on. The best advice I received was to consistently read and follow other writers, bloggers, and creators in your niche. Even more important: engage with their work thoughtfully. Leave meaningful comments, respond to others, and be part of the conversation in a way that feels ethical, fair, and authentic. Over time, that creates a grassroots marketing effect and helps people start to recognize your name and your perspective.
I’d also recommend linking to your own writing when it’s relevant, and occasionally referencing or linking to other writers you respect. That helps build credibility and makes your work feel connected to the broader conversation rather than isolated.
The other big piece is consistency. If you want to post weekly, make sure you can realistically sustain that cadence. Having a simple content plan helps a lot, because momentum matters more than perfection early on. In the first couple of years, the biggest mistakes many writers make are posting inconsistently, trying to do too many platforms at once, and spending too much time thinking about growth before they’ve built a clear body of work.
If I were starting again, I’d focus on three things: write consistently, engage genuinely with others in the space, and make it easy for readers to find more of your work.
Very cool question — it’s one I’ve asked myself over the past few years. I’ve also had a Substack and posted content there and on LinkedIn, so I can relate to the challenge of building an audience while trying to write well.
I can’t speak to the fiction side as much, but the psychology/research angle is similar to the financial writing I focus on. The best advice I received was to consistently read and follow other writers, bloggers, and creators in your niche. Even more important: engage with their work thoughtfully. Leave meaningful comments, respond to others, and be part of the conversation in a way that feels ethical, fair, and authentic. Over time, that creates a grassroots marketing effect and helps people start to recognize your name and your perspective.
I’d also recommend linking to your own writing when it’s relevant, and occasionally referencing or linking to other writers you respect. That helps build credibility and makes your work feel connected to the broader conversation rather than isolated.
The other big piece is consistency. If you want to post weekly, make sure you can realistically sustain that cadence. Having a simple content plan helps a lot, because momentum matters more than perfection early on. In the first couple of years, the biggest mistakes many writers make are posting inconsistently, trying to do too many platforms at once, and spending too much time thinking about growth before they’ve built a clear body of work.
If I were starting again, I’d focus on three things: write consistently, engage genuinely with others in the space, and make it easy for readers to find more of your work.
I will definitely keep that in mind! I actually recently saw this play out after a person I commented on asked to do a collab with me, so I am planning to ramp up my interaction with other writers in my field.
Thanks for your advice!
Reuben
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
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Chinyere’s Answer
Hi Reuben,
You are in a stronger position than you may think. Many people either enjoy research or enjoy writing, but you already care about both. That combination can create real opportunities, especially in psychology where people are always looking for clear, trustworthy explanations of complex ideas.
The first step is to stop thinking only about “marketing” and start thinking about service. Readers usually come back when writing helps them understand something, solve a problem, or see an issue in a new way. If you focus on being useful and interesting, growth becomes more natural. You do not need to sound like a salesperson. You need to sound like someone worth reading.
Choose a clear lane. Right now, “psychology research writing” is broad. You may grow faster if people quickly understand what they come to you for. That could be topics like habits and motivation, mental health myths, relationships, student psychology, brain science made simple, or research explained for everyday readers. A clear niche helps the right audience find you.
Consistency matters more than intensity. Many new writers disappear after posting heavily for one month. A better model is one strong article each week or every two weeks for a long period. Trust grows when readers know you will keep showing up. Building an audience often looks slow at first, then compounds later.
Make your writing easier to share. Use strong titles, simple openings, short paragraphs, and practical takeaways. Busy readers decide quickly whether to continue reading. Clear structure is not “watering down” your work; it is respecting attention. To expand your reach, repurpose each article. One research piece can become a short thread, a few social posts, a carousel, a short video script, an email, or a discussion prompt. You do not always need more content. Sometimes you need better distribution.
For monetising, focus first on trust and audience fit. Income usually comes after value has been proven consistently. Later, you might earn through paid subscriptions, freelance writing, editing, research summaries for businesses, workshops, speaking, coaching students on writing, or affiliate partnerships if they fit your ethics. A small loyal audience often outperforms a large passive one.
Mistakes many writers make early include chasing trends instead of building expertise, posting without learning what readers respond to, quitting too soon, writing only for themselves, and ignoring email lists. Another common mistake is waiting for perfection before publishing. Progress usually comes from publishing, learning, refining, and repeating.
Since you said you are a good writer but a weak marketer, I would reframe that. You may not dislike marketing; you may dislike shallow promotion. Good marketing is simply helping the right people discover something valuable. If your writing can genuinely help readers, sharing it is not selfish. It is useful.
Because you are entering psychology, you also have a long runway ahead. Your studies can become future content: book notes, research breakdowns, ethical debates, study guides, trends in mental health, interviews, and reflections from the field. You can grow your voice while building your career capital at the same time.
My practical advice: publish consistently, choose a niche, build an email list early, study what gets engagement, and keep improving your craft. Think in years, not weeks. You do not need to be loud to grow. You need to be clear, helpful, and steady. That combination wins more often than people think.
Best wishes!
You are in a stronger position than you may think. Many people either enjoy research or enjoy writing, but you already care about both. That combination can create real opportunities, especially in psychology where people are always looking for clear, trustworthy explanations of complex ideas.
The first step is to stop thinking only about “marketing” and start thinking about service. Readers usually come back when writing helps them understand something, solve a problem, or see an issue in a new way. If you focus on being useful and interesting, growth becomes more natural. You do not need to sound like a salesperson. You need to sound like someone worth reading.
Choose a clear lane. Right now, “psychology research writing” is broad. You may grow faster if people quickly understand what they come to you for. That could be topics like habits and motivation, mental health myths, relationships, student psychology, brain science made simple, or research explained for everyday readers. A clear niche helps the right audience find you.
Consistency matters more than intensity. Many new writers disappear after posting heavily for one month. A better model is one strong article each week or every two weeks for a long period. Trust grows when readers know you will keep showing up. Building an audience often looks slow at first, then compounds later.
Make your writing easier to share. Use strong titles, simple openings, short paragraphs, and practical takeaways. Busy readers decide quickly whether to continue reading. Clear structure is not “watering down” your work; it is respecting attention. To expand your reach, repurpose each article. One research piece can become a short thread, a few social posts, a carousel, a short video script, an email, or a discussion prompt. You do not always need more content. Sometimes you need better distribution.
For monetising, focus first on trust and audience fit. Income usually comes after value has been proven consistently. Later, you might earn through paid subscriptions, freelance writing, editing, research summaries for businesses, workshops, speaking, coaching students on writing, or affiliate partnerships if they fit your ethics. A small loyal audience often outperforms a large passive one.
Mistakes many writers make early include chasing trends instead of building expertise, posting without learning what readers respond to, quitting too soon, writing only for themselves, and ignoring email lists. Another common mistake is waiting for perfection before publishing. Progress usually comes from publishing, learning, refining, and repeating.
Since you said you are a good writer but a weak marketer, I would reframe that. You may not dislike marketing; you may dislike shallow promotion. Good marketing is simply helping the right people discover something valuable. If your writing can genuinely help readers, sharing it is not selfish. It is useful.
Because you are entering psychology, you also have a long runway ahead. Your studies can become future content: book notes, research breakdowns, ethical debates, study guides, trends in mental health, interviews, and reflections from the field. You can grow your voice while building your career capital at the same time.
My practical advice: publish consistently, choose a niche, build an email list early, study what gets engagement, and keep improving your craft. Think in years, not weeks. You do not need to be loud to grow. You need to be clear, helpful, and steady. That combination wins more often than people think.
Best wishes!