Hey, it’s Payton.

There’s a mountain of things you could be doing right now.

But you’re here, reading this. That means something.

What I’m about to share might be the difference between another blank screen and your next great email.

It’s not flashy. It’s not complex. But it’s probably the reason your writing isn’t happening.

In today’s issue:

• What to do when you “don’t have time to write”

• How to use the ✨Platinum Window✨ Method to write daily

• A writing method for the Notes app

This email is for every Christian creator who says, “I want to write more, but I just don’t have the time.”

You do. You just haven’t built your ✨Platinum Window✨ yet.

First time reading? Sign up here. If this email is clipped by Gmail click “Read Online”.

VERY GOOD WRITING

Earlier this week, I shared why you shouldn’t share your most valuable content on social media.

And after dodging a few rocks thrown at my head, I finally received an honest response, “This sounds great, Payton, but I don’t have the time or mental bandwidth to pump out ‘value-based emails’ every week. Let alone repurpose them.”

I read it twice. Looked out the window. Pumped my hands a bit like I do when I get nervous, and then read it again.

Because I’ve said the same thing. Different words, but the same thing.

Feet under the desk, fingers hovering over the keyboard, praying for the Lord (or the algorithm) to toss me an idea from the ether.

Sometimes, it worked. Like lightning, I’d be hit with a wave of inspiration and it’s all I could do to type as fast as my mind spat the thoughts to me.

Most of the time, it didn’t work. And I’d return to scrolling Instagram.

I hated that flashes of inspiration fueled my writing. So I built a rhythm.

Writing isn’t something you do when everything else is done, nor does it require an extraordinary amount of free time, uninterrupted space, or divine inspiration to be done well.

• I’m a dad with two young boys.

• I’ve been married for over a decade.

• I have a full-time job outside my writing.

• I exercise nearly every day, run a ghostwriting business on the side, and have friends.

You lack time because you’re not prioritizing your writing. And your writing, which is a transfer of energy and thoughts, is the foundation of your marketing.

Please don’t throw more rocks at me…hear me out.

If you want to convert online strangers into followers, subscribers, customers, or clients, you really only have two options.

Option 1: You hire someone to write for you.

That’s what people did when they hired me as a ghostwriter.

Still, I get messages from folks who don’t understand why they should pay real money when ChatGPT can “just write the email for me.”

And listen, I get it. AI still feels like a magic trick. But when you read the emails these people send out, you’d more likely use them as toilet paper than content.

Still, I get messages like this nearly every day:

Option 2: The ✨Platinum Window✨ Method

Being completely honest this sounds so much cooler than it actually is, but then again most productive “hacks” are boring.

I didn’t invent the idea, but I gave it a cool name for myself.

A ✨Platinum Window✨ is a set-apart block of time. Not free time. Protected time.

It’s a recurring window in your schedule where no one else gets to make demands.

And when that window closes…The writing doesn’t get pushed to “later.” It gets missed.

That’s the cost.

That’s what gives it weight.

If I let something interrupt my ✨Platinum Window✨, I’m not just sacrificing writing time. I’m sacrificing momentum. Clarity. A piece of future fruit that would’ve come from today’s words.

Here’s how to create your ✨platinum window✨ to crank out content fast, and turn them into more content in a matter of a few hours.

1. Choose a safe time.

Not a perfect time or an ideal time. The only parameter is that it is “safe” from distractions, which usually means a time when the people who depend on you will most likely not need you.

For me, this was early, early morning (4:30am).

• Nobody needs snacks at 4:30am.

• Slack is still snoozing at 4:30am.

• And after a shot of coffee, my brain is at the highest peak of focus.

2. Collect information like your creativity depends on it.

Because it does.

I don’t believe in writer’s block. I believe in idea bankruptcy.

When I’m dry, it’s because I haven’t read or listened to anything worth absorbing. So I read at lunch. I listen during workouts. I pay attention while scrolling.

Wisdom in = writing out.

3. Outline using proven formats.

You don’t need to waste energy guessing what to write.

1) Find the creators in your niche. 2) See what subject lines (titles) they’re using. 3) See what structure their content follows. 4) Adapt the format, not the ideas.

Steal the scaffolding, then build your own content on top of it.

And then create content for every day of the week in your Notes app on your phone.

It will look something like this:

A few reminders before we wrap:

→ Your best emails will likely be under 300 words.

→ Your best chapters will likely be 500 to 800 words.

→ Your best writing will not happen in your best mood. It will happen because you showed up anyway.

When you keep it simple, you keep it possible.

This week, I challenge you to create your ✨Platinum Window✨. Choose a 45-minute slot. Make it non-negotiable. And write: just one email, one idea, or one short post.

Let me know how it goes. I read every reply.

MY BEST FINDS

Here are Payton’s Picks for the week. If you find something worth sharing with the rest of the Lab, reply to this email!

🧙‍♂️ Story

• One of my favorite books covering the life and imagination of Walt Disney (Book)

• Most writers struggle with story structure, not because they lack creativity but because they lack a clear, repeatable framework. This prompt exists to fix that.

📧 Email

• The ultimate guide to your first 1000 email subscribers (YouTube)

• A “new” way to respond when someone says they are not interested (LinkedIn)

✝️ Faith

• How two guys changed Bible education on YouTube (Spotify)

• The Walmart architect’s secret to “Kingdom Currency” (Spotify)

👀 ICYMI

• Why you should STOP posting your most valuable content on social media.

🔦 Spotlight

• My friend Kieran is doing some awesome things with his Bible memorization newsletter, and it’s starting to catch 🔥 (LinkedIn)

Before you go, here are 3 ways I can help:

1. Very Good Email Playbook: If you’re tired of writing “meh” emails that get ignored, I’ll show you how to write ones people actually want to read. It’s free, and it’s packed with everything I’ve learned the hard way.

2. VeryGoodGhost Agency: I handle every aspect of content creation, from research and writing to editing and optimization, so you get scary good results.

3. Reply to Book a Free Call: Want to chat about your story, email strategy, or how to do this whole thing without losing your soul? Reply to this email, tell me what you’re working on, and I’ll send over a calendar link.

Keep writing what matters,

— Payton