What My Hamster Taught Me About The Business of Writing
Why Naming Your Method is the Key to Making Your Words Worth Buying
When I was six, we bought home my first hamster from the local pet shop in the back of our battered old Ford Cortina.
It was hot, but I was so excited I managed to overlook the scorching blue vinyl of the back seat burning my legs.
My favourite book at the time was Clive King's magical Stig of the Dump (I still love it), about the rough-and-ready cave boy who made treasure from other people’s junk in an abandoned quarry.
So, naturally, when my hamster burst its cartoon teeth through the cardboard box, I named him Stig.
Tiny as he was, Stig had an attitude. Midway down Bulmer Road near our house, he chewed a perfect escape hole, and sank his sharp little teeth into my finger as I tried to hold him.
He then stared me down like he owned the back seat, and I loved him for it instantly.
When Stig passed on to the little hamster wheel in the sky — I decided to get another one, naming him with no hesitation Stig 2.
Yep, I was that kid.
So Why Does This Hamster’s T̶a̶i̶l̶ Tale Matter for Your Writing Business?
Well you see, most writers I know spend years tinkering with random ideas.
But the ones who break through? They do what I didn’t do with my hamster names — they name their systems properly.
Because when you name a system — when you wrap your method in a story — you create something people can buy into.
I didn’t just call my process daily writing. I branded it the Writing Reps Framework™.
My story system? The SALT Formula™.
You can do the same.
Your signature system is your Stig — your rough little treasure that can bite through the noise and keep your readers hooked.
Shape your process, give it a name, and build your product around it.
That’s how you stop selling just words, and start selling your way.
So, what's yours called?
If you say 'The Stig System' then I'm leaving Substack forever! 😂
BTW: Mine's Called 'Weekday Writer'
👉 If you’re ready to turn your daily writing into a simple system that actually works — join us inside Weekday Writer and build your writing business in under 30 minutes a day:
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Need content that sounds like you & grows your business (without writing it yourself)?
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📧 loz@contentchampion.com