🪄Cut the Fluff: No trauma required


Cut the Fluff is a weekly newsletter that will help you become a more confident writer & editor. If this was sent to you, subscribe here so you don't miss the next lesson.

[Pssssttt...did you see the announcement about Full Stack Solopreneur?]

Hey Reader,

"Post about your failures."

"Share your transformation story."

"Get vulnerable with your audience."

The pressure to bare your soul online is so high right now—and people are confused.

In Slack groups, communities, on networking calls, in the DMs, and publicly, people are asking each other questions like:

"Do I need to share my traumas to grow my personal brand?"

"If I do, how vulnerable am I supposed to get?"

"If I never talk about my personal life, can I still get inbound leads?"

Here's how I see it:

The most memorable people in your life aren't necessarily the ones who shared their deepest struggles with you.

Think about it.

That teacher who made physics fun? That colleague who always had the perfect joke? That friend who tells stories in a way that has everyone hanging on every word?

They're memorable because of WHO they are, not just what they've been through.

Don't get me wrong — sharing struggles can create powerful connections.

But you don't have to bear your soul to be magnetic, likable, and trustworthy.

Personality > Vulnerability

If your content is void of personality, you’ll fail. Harsh but true. You won’t be top of mind, and you won't win mindshare.

But the opposite of "void" is not necessarily "authentic."

The word authentic gets thrown around a lot, so much so that it's entirely up to interpretation.

Some people read authentic as bearing your soul. Others read it as cracking a joke from time to time. Others have no clue what the f*ck it means and feel weird about the whole thing.

This is why I argue for creating personable content above all else.

The way I see it, 3 types of content rule the internet at the moment:

1. Content that's stuck in the void

This is pure information with zero personality.

Think Wikipedia-style content that sounds like it was written by a committee of robots fighting over whether to use Oxford commas.

Here's an example: "Your content marketing strategy involves creating and distributing valuable content to attract and retain a target audience."

Nobody remembers the void.

But people get stuck on this level because this is how we were trained to write. We don't know how to break the habit and we also worry about sounding unprofessional.

If you're stuck in the void, don't worry; it's easy to fall into, and there is a way out. Keep reading.

2. Content that's vulnerable and empowering

This is where people share personal struggles, failures, or transformations.

For example, this is common at the moment: "Three years ago, I was sobbing in my car after another failed client meeting. I had $2.47 in my bank account. Today, I run a 7-figure agency. Here's what changed..."

These stories can be incredibly powerful.

When vulnerability comes naturally to you, or you want to try sharing more online, it can create deep, lasting connections.

Some of my favorite creators are masters at vulnerability. They know exactly when and how to share their stories to help others feel less alone.

But here's the thing: They share because they want to, not because they feel they have to.

If this isn't your vibe, that is ok. You can still grow your business online.

As long as you figure out how to write with personality...

3. Content that's full of personality

This is where you bring YOUR natural voice to your content, whether that includes vulnerability or not.

I personally live here.

While I get vulnerable from time to time, I keep most of my personal life to myself.

And yet, my content is memorable, and my business is thriving.

How'd I get here?

Like most, I started in the void and wrote like a "professional writer" should write (all proper and buttoned up).

Over time, I began to use parentheticals (like this!) because I love breaking the fourth wall. And now, I pepper my writing with casual phrasing like, "But here's the thing" and "You know?" all the damn time.

My big point?

You have a choice.

  • You can share deep personal stories OR keep things light and observational.
  • You can be vulnerable OR be witty.
  • You can share transformations OR share insights.
  • Or you can be all of the above.

But how the hell do you write with personality?

Think of it like developing your speaking style.

When you first start public speaking, you're stiff. Awkward. But over time? You develop quirks. Inside jokes with your audience. A signature way of explaining things.

The same happens with writing.

And you can speed up the process with a great coach đź‘€

Writing with personality isn't just important — it's everything.

But cracking the code to what feels like YOU? That's the hard part.

It takes a lot of experimentation, paying attention with intention, and following the signal.

If I had to start all over again, I'd immediately start paying attention to what makes me stop scrolling and read a post (and, conversely, what makes me roll my eyes and click away).

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Erica

PS. In a few weeks, Full Stack Solopreneur drops đź‘€ (did someone say coach?)

If building a business of one has been harder than you thought. If writing with personality and becoming known for your signature expertise has been a right pain. And if you're struggling to create a legendary niche offer, drive traffic, and close new clients, we built this program for you.

Here's who it's for:

This is the first group coaching program I'm ever launching, and I'm so excited.

You'll get to go through a course, have access to tons of bonus materials, and also hop on monthly group coaching calls with us.

>>> Hop on the waitlist <<<


Check out my 4 courses that 1900+ people have taken, loved, and gotten meaningful results from:

​The Launch Content Playbook: Get a custom AI-generated content plan for your launch, based on proven frameworks, so you can sell to eager fans—without feeling salesy or pushy.

​Hooked on Writing Hooks: Learn how to grab attention without resorting to grimy clickbait. This AI-powered bundle breaks down the principles of attention-grabbing social content that keeps people engaged.

​Long to Short: Turn one long-form piece into a month’s worth of social posts. This step-by-step system (with optional AI workflows) saves you 90% of the effort, without sacrificing quality.

​Content Editing 101: Unlock the techniques top editors use. This is the only course with tools and frameworks to get you thinking like a strategic editor—building your confidence with every word.


What'd you think of today's email? Reply and let me know.

Erica Schneider

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Cut the Fluff

Learn to edit words like a pro. I've edited 3M+ words and each week, I share a lesson and Loom breakdown to teach you what to cut, how to add value, and how to finally feel confident when editing. Every subscriber gets access to my Editing Library, a database of 62 edits broken down by the problem, my take on how to improve it, and my edited version.

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