WORK LESS WEDNESDAY

WLW #168

August 20, 2025

👋 Hey Reader!

This is issue #168 of Work Less Wednesday, where I share with you 5 things you should know about, in 5 minutes or less. That leaves you with 10,075 other minutes this week.

✍️ 1. 13 Writing Tips From My Guilty Pleasure, Dan Brown – Article By Bobby Powers

Hate to admit it, but I’m a Dan Brown fan.

I’ve read all his books.

(In fact, he’s got a new book coming out next month.)

Brown recorded a MasterClass on thriller writing in 2018.

This week, I came across this article which summarizes 13 lessons from that MasterClass from the man who has sold over 200 million books.

Here are 3 writing tips I liked:

🤞 1. Make many promises

Brown talks a lot about promises in his MasterClass.

“When you set up the opening of your thriller, it’s critical that you make as many promises to the reader as physically possible,” explains Brown. “They have to be believable, but make as many as you can. Make them as big as you can.”

Each curiosity gap is a promise, such as the following:

  • Dropping a hint that your protagonist has a dark secret in their past
  • Showing that your villain just purchased a high-caliber rifle
  • Creating a romantic spark between two characters

These promises need to be resolved during your story, and Brown says you must withhold delivering on each promise for as long as you can without irritating your reader.

⏰ 2. Protect the process

Brown operates on a relentless writing schedule. He begins writing first thing each morning at 4 a.m., then wraps up around 11 a.m. While many writers operate on a word count goal each day, Brown sets a goal for the number of hours he wants to write that day.

“Writing a novel is about a process,” says Brown. “It is not all about inspiration and craft. It is about making sure that you set aside time every day to do your work…Protect the process and the results will take care of themselves.”

📝 3. Set the table for breakfast

Before he wraps up each day, Brown says he “sets the table for breakfast” the next day by writing the opening paragraph of whatever section he’s planning to kick off the following day.

By doing that, he gives himself a running start the next day because he’s already partway into an idea.

📬 2. This Meme Is Deadly Accurate – The Short Term Delegation Trap

This meme illustrates one of the biggest issues I see with entrepreneurs:

They always think it’s easier/faster to do a task themselves.

In 🏖️How To Work Less, I illustrate this point with the J-Curve:

For example:

You could spend 1 hour to do a task yourself vs. spending 10 hours to train someone and delegate it.

You could spend 15 minutes every day uploading content vs. spending 5 hours once to automate it.

You could spend 1 second to delete an email from a company (for the rest of your life) vs. spending 2 seconds to unsubscribe.

You reach the next level when you realize that your time is your most valuable resource, and when you can spend money or effort to buy it back, you should always take the trade.

🔖 3. New Bookmark Manager I’m Exploring – Raindrop.io

I’ve been struggling to find a good system for saving and resurfacing websites for a long time.

My strategy of “just leave 1,000 tabs open” isn’t doing anything creating a minimalist workspace.

So I did some Googling and came across Raindrop.io.

What I like about it:

  • I actually have no tabs open on my computer.
  • It syncs across all my devices (Chrome plugin, phone, browser, desktop, etc.).
  • It’s free. (at least the plan I’m using is)

​Check it out here.

🎨 4. My Client Is Launching An Art Exhibition – Dear Inner Child by Bryce Evans

Bryce took 🏖️How To Work Less in 2022 and we’ve been working together closely for the last year and a half.

When our work started, I helped Bryce build a super successful consulting business for float centers (one of his passions).

But above all else, Bryce is an artist.

Bryce has been creating healing, interactive experiences with art for over a decade.

His work has been featured by VICE, TEDx, CBC, Global News, Vancouver Sun, and others, reaching millions worldwide.

And today I’m excited to help him launch his next vision.

This week, Bryce is launching his dream project.

A live art installation in downtown Montreal called “Dear Inner Child,” 100% free.

Inside, you’ll experience a guided journey to meet your inner child and remember that you are already whole.

It’s taking place on September 26-28 at the WIP.works gallery in Montreal.

This initial show is just the start.

He’s going to take this vision worldwide.

I donated to the Kickstarter.

Here’s how you can support:

  1. If you’re in Montreal, visit the event (more info here).
  2. If you do social media, follow and share Bryce’s work here.
  3. If you want to support financially, donate to the Kickstarter.

🖐 5. More Things I’m Into This Week…

🪫 New Notion Feature I’m Excited About – Offline Mode​

🎨 The Secret To Making Your Animations Look Sick – Texturing​

💡 What Kind Of Creative Director Are You? – Substack by Elan Miller​

📬 Is Cheap, Fast, And Good The New Reality With AI? – Post by Emmett Shine​

💬 Quote I’m Pondering…

“The Inner Game ‘is played against such obstacles as lapses in concentration, nervousness, self-doubt, and self-condemnation. In short, it is played to overcome all habits of mind which inhibit excellence in performance.”
​From The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Galwey​

🎧 ON THE PODCAST 🎧

Ep. 35 – 10 Lessons From My Retreat For 6 Figure Solopreneurs

On August 1 & 2, I hosted a virtual retreat for my clients, all 6-7 figure creative entrepreneurs.

No one paid less than $12k to be in the room.

The good news? I’m going to give you the secrets for free.

​Watch Here​

​Or listen to audio only here.

How we can work together

When you’re ready, here are 2 free ways I can help you:

  1. 🎧 My Podcast. Listen to or watch my free podcast The Rich Webster Show. It is an unfiltered look behind the scenes at my life and work.
  2. 🛠️ 6-Figure Solopreneur Systems. Free email course. Steal the exact systems I used to run TWO multi-six-figure solo businesses in under 20 hours a week.

And 2 paid engagements:

  1. 🏖 How To Work Less. From 2012-2023, I built a design agency that made me $500k/year, working 10 hours a week. 🏖How To Work Less gives the playbook. Enrolling now. (400+ past students. 5 stars)
  2. 🧪 The Lab. I advise and mentor 6-7 figure Creative Solopreneurs. If you want to work closely with me (i.e. we speak 1-2 times a week), watch this video, the follow the instructions.

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