People hate my writing
According to comments on my LinkedIn posts, at least.
One guy said I should “start using paragraphs and stop using emojis” (um hello, lists do not belong in paragraph form)
Another said, “Must be nice to be a LinkedIn influencer. Enjoy it while it lasts.” (sir I am a serious girl boss, and also it's pronounced LinkedInfluencer)
And another person — this is my favorite — told me I need to “go talk to a psychologist” (I told her my therapist said hi)
Like any people-pleasing overthinker, these comments stuck in my head for a while.
But my following continued to grow. My engagement kept going up. My client feedback got even better.
And I’m still connecting with awesome new people every single day.
So I’ve embraced the classic mantra: “F*ck the haters.”
… and instead, keep writing to your people.
Accurate gif depiction of my husband consoling me when I get bad feedback from weirdos online
So why do my LinkedIn burns matter to you?
Well first of all, I hope they're entertaining.
But more importantly: If people hate your content, it means you’re doing something right.
It’s impossible to please everyone. And when you try to appeal to the masses, you sound boring. Vanilla. Bleh.
But the more people you piss off, the easier it'll be to find and connect with your real audience. The people who share your values, love who you are, and genuinely want to hear what you think.
The people you don’t please along the way? They’re not your target audience anyways.
But they’ll do wonders for your engagement.
How to piss people off the right way
Of course, we don’t want to run amok spewing negativity and upsetting everyone. (Unless that’s your brand — in that case, do you.)
So here’s what I recommend:
✨ Review your content like a reader, not a writer.
If it was from one of your favorite writers, influencers, or newsletters… would it rub you the wrong way? Or would you think, “YES, this person gets it”?
✨ Focus on the positive feedback, too.
I know, it’s so easy to fixate on the negative stuff. But that positive feedback will help you pinpoint who your content does resonate with — and show you how to connect with them even more.
✨ Use your haters to your advantage.
Treat negative responses as new content for your intended audience. When someone burns you in the DMs, take a screenshot and share it. When you get a rude comment, leave an on-brand response that’ll thrill your best followers.
Take control of the narrative. Laugh at yourself. People will eat it up.
This article was originally shared in my embarrassing, brutally-honest newsletter: Sloppy Copy.
If you want to get totally-transparent copywriting lessons like this every week, pop in your email to join the party. 👇
