How to write

Purpose of writing

The purpose of writing is to change how both the author and reader think. To achieve that last part, you first need a reader. Which raises the question: Why would someone choose to read something I wrote? People read because they expect to get something valuable from the experience. So the next question becomes: What makes writing valuable? The value isn't what's in the author's head or the words on the page. It's what those words do inside the reader's head. Because people are different and value different things, what you write will only be valuable to a specific group of people. So, who are they?

The target audience. And, as the saying goes, know your audience. A group of strangers whom you know what they like, dislike, want, how they think, how to reach them... The more I think about this, the more impossible it sounds. The only person I know that intimately is me. Therefore I can only nail a piece of writing for one person — me. I am my target audience. I write about things I'm interested in and betting on there are others like me.

“People ask me from time to time, do you make a movie with an audience in mind? And my answer is, yes, I do. But the audience I have in mind isn't some faceless blobs that I'm trying to second guess, right? It's me. I'm the audience. I was betting that there are other people like me out there.”

“I just write what I want. I write what amuses me. It's totally for myself. I never in my wildest dreams expected this popularity.”

Signal vs. noise

Every piece of communication is a mix of signal and noise. Signal is the information the author intends to communicate. Noise is everything else. The more the intended information connects with the viewer, the stronger the signal. The more needless details or hard to understand writing choices, the more noise. Great writing has a strong signal and minimal noise.

What to say

New or existing idea

A post can communicate a new idea, or an existing idea in a new way. Surprisingly, a fresh take on an existing idea can be just as valuable as a new one.

“Ken Burns, one of the most famous documentary film makers of all time. Most of what is in his documentaries is information people already know. You not learning something new. But he is massively successful. Massively popular because he is probably the greatest story teller of our time. So even when you're taking information that they already know, if you could spin a good story about it, you get people lining up and they will knock your door down to listen to you.”

“When creating art, books, stories—anything—don't let the pursuit of originality freeze you. There's something much more important than originality anyway: resonance. And resonance is something you can repeatedly accomplish. Resonance is expressing an idea so truthfully using today's sensibilities that you fixate people on it and make it feel worth remembering. Resonance is relatable storytelling that reveals an uncolored truth about life, and for a brief moment it takes over the reader's mind. Retelling an age-old story with more truth and better narrative is more powerful than originality: after all, you'll rarely change someone's life by telling them something new, but you can reliably affect them by saying something so well that it compels them to lean in. Consider how films like Gladiator and The Shawshank Redemption tell clichéd stories as old as time. But they've resonated above most other films for decades. Why? Great storytelling takes precedence over originality.”

People prefer to consume information filtered through someone's voice. Scott Galaway highlights that most news providers source their content from the same places. They're all saying the same thing. The reason someone chooses one provider over another comes down to how that information is communicated. Their perspective. Their voice.

Raw material

Writing begins before I know what I'm writing about. The internet is an ocean of information and I explore it by following my curiosity. Trawling news websites like Hacker News, falling down YouTube rabbit holes and boldly going beyond the first page of Google search results. Go deep enough and you find treasure like The Bizarre World of Fake Video Games. I collect snippets, videos, images, quotes, statistics, thoughts, … Each tagged and added to my library. Conversations are also good source. Running ideas past people offers different perspectives and can make for interesting conversation. Over time, I build a wealth of information on topics I'm interested in. Raw material ready to be crafted into a signal.

The more time spent exploring, the better. It's hard to make something if you don't start with all the ingredients. Some authors spend 80% of the time gathering and thinking while the remaining 20% is actual writing.

“If I had an hour to solve a problem I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.”

I don't just collect material on what to say, but also on how to say it. If I come across a post that has an effective writing technique, I'll collect it to use as future reference. If a whole post is effective, I'll reverse-engineer it to figure out why.

“Good artists copy, great artists steal.”

Creativity faucet

Before committing to writing about something, I run my ideas through a creativity faucet. Just like turning on a dirty tap, the first flow of water is murky. But if you let it run long enough, the water clears and flows clean. The mind is like the tap. When you first start thinking about ideas, the initial ones may be bad. But if you keep going, eventually, the good ideas come.

Who is saying it

Just as important as what is being said is who is saying it. You're more likely to trust medical advice from a doctor than from an accountant because the doctor is recognized as an expert in the subject. Similarly, a post is considered more valuable when written by someone who has authority in that area.

To be seen as an authority, you need to consistently create content on that area. But which area do you pick? Allows follow genuine interest instead of what's hot right now. Over time a pattern will emerge. Writing about things just because it's trending, without passion for the subject, will show in the writing.

“Find a subject you care about and which you in your heart feel others should care about. It is this genuine caring, and not your games with language, which will be the most compelling and seductive element in your style.”

Outline

When I have enough raw material and a vague idea of what I want to write about, I create an outline—a blueprint of the post.. I start by grouping the raw material based on the ideas they support. The post will revolve around one big idea, broken down into sub-ideas, and sometimes sub-sub-ideas. Each group makes a section. Ideas the headings. All organized in a logical sequence.

For the author, headings provide direction and guardrails for the paragraphs that follow. Helping to keep the content on-topic. Splitting the writing into sections also makes the writing process less intimidating, allowing you to concentrate on one section at a time. Plus I also don't need to write from top to bottom. I can choose whatever section I'm motivated to write about on any given day.

For the reader, sections show structure. Without them, the post would be an overwhelming wall of text. A part of writing is evoking emotions in the reader and starting with dread probably isn't one of them. Structure, on the other hand, gives a sense of calm.

Sections help reduce the amount of context the reader needs to hold in their mind. Each section should be self-contained, making it understandable without relying on what came before or after.

A section should corner off context. Making it understandable without the need to read the section before or after it. When a reader enters a new section, they can let go of the previous context. The less they need to retain, the less mental energy required to decode the page, the less noise.

Sections improve skim-ability. A post is is only valuable to the target audience. The first thing a reader does is skim the post to see if they are the audience and whether to read or not. Sections, with some other things, make this step fast and easy.

• ▪ Title: tells the reader what they will get from reading this post.
• ▪ Intended audience: a broad description of the audience.
• ▪ Table of contents: some readers may only be interested in one section of the post. A table of contents allows them to access it ASAP.
• ▪ The hook: a brief of what the reader is in store for.
• ▪ Highlighted key points: the most valuable pieces of the post. Styled to standout and make easier to see while skimming.

The easier to skim, the better you manage the reader's expectations. This matters because people don't get upset by what they receive; they get upset when it doesn't match their expectations. If I buy a $1 sandwich and it's bad, I won't be upset—I got what I paid for. But, if I buy a $20 sandwich and it's bad, I'll be angry because I expected something better. Good skim-ability means if they choose to read, they know you're taking them where they want to go and will be satisfied at the end.

First draft

The purpose of a first draft is to create something. Every draft after that refines it. I review the outline to load context into my brain, then start writing. Fast. The first draft is a speedrun. The goal is to move everything from my head to the page. I use the creativity faucet again, writing down every idea I have in order to flush out the bad and get to the good. I don't care about quality. I write long, rambling sentences that barely make sense, filled with spelling and grammar errors, tangents, and repetition. If I can't think of how to end one, I just write #ADD SOMETHING HERE# and move on.

This is where I generate ideas and why I only need a vague idea of what I'm writing about for the outline. Because writing is thinking. More on this later.

I write as if I'm journaling. This helps me write exactly what I think, without altering it to fit the expectations of an imaginary audience of strangers. By the end I have a signal. It may be weak and full of noise, but it's there.

How to say it

Great writing is understandable and connects with the reader. There is no one-size-fits-all for how best to communicate. It depends on what is being said and to who.

“The human mind and absorb and process an incredible amount of information if it comes in the right format. The right interface.”

Understandable

A valuable idea loses its value if it can't be communicated in a way people understand. Below are two explanations of the same mathematical rule—how to add fractions with the same denominator—one before mathematical notation existed and one after:

I don't understand the explanation on the left. The idea is valuable but, because it's communicated in a way I don't understand, it becomes worthless. The explanation of the right I understand and therefore the idea retains its value.

Simplifying writing removes noise. It helps gets the content into the reader's head as frictionless as possible.

“The secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components.”

One sentence per line. Displaying each sentence on its own line makes simplifying easier. This is not how it will look when published, only when revising. It:

• ▪ helps you judge each sentence on its own, rather than being hidden within a paragraph,
• ▪ makes it easier to rearrange sentences. Make the first sentence punch and the last linger and
• ▪ makes it easy to see sentence length.

“This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It's like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals-sounds that say listen to this, it is important. So write with a combination of short, meium and long sentences. Create a sound that pleases the ear. Don't just write words. Write music.”

Purpose. For every statement, question what the purpose and effect it will have on the reader. Remove sentences irrelevant to the paragraph's purpose. Remove paragraphs irrelevant to their section's purpose. Remove sections irrelevant to the post's purpose.

Simple language. Say what you mean. Use the most effective words that get straight to the point. Don't be tricky or eloquent. Replace complex words with simple ones so even a six-year-old could understand. This prompts you to find a way of explaining complexity in it's simpliest terms. Minimizing assumed knowledge. Reducing noise. Even William Shakespeare, a master of language, used simplicity in his most profound sentence with six simple words. "To be or not to be?"

Reduce word count. The more words you can remove without weakening the signal, the better. Aim to be direct and concise. Avoid needless detail by asking yourself, to fulfil a paragraph's purpose, does a thing need to be described in detail or just mentioned? Avoid repetition. Each sentence should illuminate the subject in a new and useful way. If it doesn't, it is noise and should be removed. Each word takes effort to read. Each word comes at a cost.

Also remove defensive words. In conversation, phrases like "I think" can soften a statement and welcome others who disagree to speak up. For example, "I think the problem is ..." Don't do this in writing. You could argue omitting it means you're claiming what you write is fact rather than opinion. Most writing is opinion. It's better to assume the reader understands this rather than adding noise.

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”

Use other mediums. The goal of writing is to change how the reader thinks, but this doesn't have to be done with words alone. A picture is worth a thousand words and sometimes an image, video, sound, or widget can convey an idea more effectively than text. A web page has multimedia capabilities. Use them.

Examples. When explaining a complex idea, consider using examples. They make abstract concepts more relatable by grounding them in familiar contexts. Increase their effectiveness by using real-world situations. Providing both good and bad examples helps readers spot patterns, effectively showing rather than telling, and reducing the chance of misinterpretation. Since examples can be drawn from almost anything, they also offer an opportunity for subtle humor.

Counterarguments. Everything has pros and cons. Acknowledging and addressing counterarguments shows you've done your homework. It demonstrates that you've considered different perspectives and potential repercussions, yet still believe your idea is the strongest. This adds credibility and weight to your position.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: This section is a work in progress.
Add: analogy, metaphor, quote.

Connect

Writing needs to be understandable, but being understandable alone isn't enough—it must also be memorable to change the reader's thinking. Writing that evokes emotions connects with the reader on a deeper level. Consider a scene from How I Met Your Mother presented in two ways: both identical, but the second version includes somber music and grayscale colors. These reinforce the scene's message by evoking nostalgia, making it more memorable.

Story is another way to connect at a deeper level. Simon Sinek believes nobody wants to be explained to. But people will listen and remember stories. They help people understand what you're trying to say. The explanation, facts and figures can come afterwards. People are interested in things that make them feel something. A story that triggers an emotion gets people emotionally invested. Use a story that's personal. That lets people relate their experiences, their lives to what I'm saying. Then it's no longer about me, my facts and my point of view. It's about us, our shared journey and our collective experience.

Style. Michelangelo didn't try to paint like Michelangelo—he simply aimed to paint well. His style emerged naturally from that goal. Don't chase a specific writing style. Follow what you believe is good and over time, your authentic style will reveal itself. It is how you speak—your tone, humor, quirks, and perspective. The closer your writing aligns with how you naturally talk, the more authentic and relatable it becomes.

The more you grow your style, the more unique your voice, the more you escape competition. There is no competition for your personal voice. If Joe Rogan's podcast disappeared tomorrow, no one could replace him because only Joe Rogan has Joe Rogan's voice.

“Don't try to be original, just try to be good.”

On a weboage, style extends beyond the content to how it's presented. Make your space on the internet uniquely yours—a reflection of your personality. One of a kind. Craftsmanship shows through small details, signaling time and care have gone into creatingthis. That this is something of value.

Revise, revise, revise, ...

The purpose of revising is to close the gap between what you intend and what is actually happening in the reader's head.

Not a straight line. the process of writing is not a straight line. Revision is continually jumping backwards and forwards. Like any creative process, you have more understanding of what you are making near the end compared to the beginning. This removes hesitation to put pen to paper. Nothing is locked-in, everything is a draft that can be revised later. Aim for growth, not perfection. No sentence has to be the best, it just has to be better than before. If the page is blank, anything is better than nothing.

Peak-end rule. People judge an experience largely based on how they felt at its peak (its most intense point) and at the end. Spend twice as much time revising these parts.

Grammar and spelling. Ignore until the final drafts. Fixing an earlier is be a waste of time because sentences are in a constant state of change. A downside is ignoring grammar and spelling mistakes for so long that it becomes hard to see them by the final drafts. Some ways to overcome this:

• ▪ read the post out loud
• ▪ Hemingway Editor
• ▪ Grammarly

My feedback. Before getting feedback from others, get it from yourself. Step away from your work to get fresh eyes. Stephen King leaves his drafts alone for six weeks to defamiliarize himself. You want others' feedback to focus on what you missed, not what you could have caught on your own.

Their feedback. Once you've addressed your own, it's time to ask others for feedback. It's best to ask people similiar to you, because they represent the target audience. Instead of asking questions with non-actionable answers, like is it good?, ask:

• ▪ what did you take away from this?
• ▪ what would your add, remove or modify and why?
• ▪ is there a part you want to know more about?

“If you aren't trying to get real feedback from people who know you, you're cooking without tasting. This is, like, the lowest hanging fruit for self-improvement.”

When to stop revising. Some author's push out content quickly, while others, like Paul graham, spend two weeks on an essay and re-write drafts 50 times. Should you aim for quantity or quality? Quantity allows for faster output, more experimentation, and quicker feedback. You will be more motivated to start a new post if the previous took only a couple of days compared to months. However, rushing risks producing half-baked work, offering little value. We pollute the internet posting content with little thought behind it. You won't learn as much compared to slowing down and really putting the time into what you're doing. Jame Joyce, author of Ulysses, the greatest novel of the 20^th century, wrote at a rate of 100 words a day for seven years. T. S. Eliot averaged half a page a month for 25 years.

“It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.”

Rewards of writing

Reduce what you think you know to what you actually know. Have you ever been to a lecture, understood everything, then attempted to solve a problem based on the content and been unable to? This is because thoughts are signals surrounded by noise. You may think you understand, but when you use your thoughts, like attempting to solve a problem (or write about something), that the noise gets filtered out and the signal exposed. Revealing how strong or weak — how well or how little you understand. Exposing knowledge gaps, poor logic and biases.

Get better at thinking. I used to think writing was simply copying my thoughts onto paper — it's not. It's also a way to dedicate time to intentional thinking. Thinking, being a skill, only gets better the more you use it.

“No skill is more valuable or harder to come by than the ability to critically think. Thinking better than others means you'll have more free time and fewer problems. If you can't think well, you'll spend a lot of time fixing avoidable mistakes. If you stop thinking when most people stop thinking, you'll come to the same conclusions most people come to. Thinking is hard, so it's natural that most people stop as soon as possible. We get the gist of something and move on to the next problem.”

You choose what to think about. When I take a walk, my mind drifts — thinking about random things. When I write, I'm thinking about something specific. Something I chose because it will move me closer to my goals. Choosing what to think about is powerful because we become what we think about. Earl Nightingale explains:

Opens new opportunities. A public blog broadcasts what you're thinking about and your goals. "Writing is a bat signal for your tribe" - Julian Shapiro. This can open up opportunities.

References

• 35 Lessons from 35 Years of Newsletter Publishing
• 7 Writing Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
• Ask HN: How to get better at writing?
• Dan Harmon - story circle technique
• Don't think to write, write to think
• Finding Fulfillment
• George Orwell's Six Rules for Writing
• Harvard expert shares the No. 1 lesson to learn from Warren Buffett's career: "You can't be really successful" without it
• How I learned to stop worrying and structure all writing as a list
• How To Edit Your Own Lousy Writing
• How to be a tech influencer.
• How to write with style
• NONFICTION WRITING ADVICE
• Nobody cares about your blog.
• Putting Ideas into Words
• Speed matters: Why working quickly is more important than it seems
• Story structure - the hidden framework that hangs your story together
• The Need to Read
• The Savings Expert: “Do Not Buy A House!” Do THIS Instead! - Morgan Housel
• The Skill You've Never Been Taught: How to Think Better
• The Surprising Reason Writing Remains Essential in an AI-Driven World
• These clips are two of the best pieces of writing advice you will ever get about writing on the internet.
• Tips for making writing more fun
• Video Games and the Future of Education
• We Become What We Think About
• What I Did Not Learn About Writing In School
• What to read to become a better writer
• Why Engineers Need To Write
• Why I Blog
• Why Write?
• Why You Should Create Content in 2024 [Naval Ravikant, Chamath Palihapitiya, MrBeast]
• Why You Should Start a Blog Right Now
• Why and how to write things on the Internet
• Write about what you learn. It pushes you to understand topics better.
• Write like you code
• Writing Better
• Writing one sentence per line
• Writing summaries is more important than reading more books

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