The day you became a better writer

(15 quick fire writing tips from multiple NY Times Bestselling author @ScottAdamsSays)

You + this [THREAD} = You will write better

# 1 How to know if your topic is good
- It should make your reader FEEL something
- It should be FAMILIAR to your reader

Technique: Imagine you are writing a letter to an invisible friend. Eg Scott imagines he's writing to his brother.

#2 Write for your reader not for you
- Writing non-fiction is not about you or your "passion"
- The idea of writing for yourself is non-sense
- The purpose of non-fiction writing is to persuade your reader

#3 First sentence evokes curiosity
- The purpose of the first sentence is to get the reader to read the second sentence
- Make the first sentence provocative or in any way which evokes curiosity so they want to read on

#4 Pace & Lead the reader
- All writing is persuasion. You want the reader to get an emotional reaction, like you, buy something etc
- pacing & leading is a hypnosis technique:
First you pace the leader by showing that you have something in common
For example

in sales copy, you would start by talking about the reader's pain points.

Then you lead them towards the topic you want to write about

Using the example of sales copy, you would lead them towards the solution aka your product

#5 Use direct sentences
Active sentences (the boy threw the ball) are easier to read than passive sentences (the ball was thrown by the boy)

When you use passive sentences, your reader expends more "thinking reps" and gets "reader fatigue"

Active sentences use less...

"thinking reps" and therefore increase the chances that your reader finishes reading what you wrote.

#6 No jargon, adjectives, adverbs, cliches
All of these increase "thinking reps" as discussed so you want to cut out as much as possible.

Technique: When you edit, imagine you get a $100 reward for each unnecessary word/phrase/sentence you can take out that doesn't...

affect the meaning of your entire piece.

It is all about what your reader REMEMBERS.

The more unnecessary words you use, the less likely they are to remember.

"Tomorrow will be very hot" vs "Tomorrow will be hot"

Very = unnecessary as reader only remembers "tomorrow= hot"

#7 Brevity = Brilliance

If you can explain complex topics in simple terms, your reader will think you are a genius

Case in point: Follow @naval

#8 Sixth grade vocabulary

The simpler you write, the more likely your content will be read.

Best way to test the vocabulary of your writing is to use the @HemingwayApp

DUMB IT DOWN

#9 Musicality, percussion
Sentences have a "musicality" or "rhythm" to them

You have probably heard the saying "it just rolls off your tongue"

Hard to break this step down into a formula. You either get it or you don't.

Example: Make America Great Again has A+ musicality

#10 No ugly words - moist, talc, etc

Words have the power to make you FEEL

and certain words just have an Ugly feeling

Learn to recognise these words and avoid using them in your writing

Examples
moist
talc
putrid
fetid

#11 Consider associations

Certain word associations just don't mix. Don't believe me? Consider this

"I love babies. I also love machine guns"

See how that just makes you feel uncomfortable even if I didn't explicitly say anything with bad intentions?

Also, Pineapple pizza

#12 Visual language

Nothing is more persuasive than Visual stimulus.

This is because visual information is FAR EASIER to process than raw text.

example 1: a meme is easier to remember than a chapter you read from a physics textbook

example 2: youtube "the mcgurk effect"

#13 Violate a norm
- something about your writing should make the reader a little bit uncomfortable.. a little dangerous
- People are drawn to drama so you should tap into this
- Key is to be edgy but don't take it too far

#14 End your piece on some clever or provocative thought
- What's the take away from your writing?
- What do you want the reader to remember when they finish reading your piece?

# 15 Write every day
-Writing is like any other skill. If you don't use it, you'll forget it.
-Inexperienced writers rely on "inspiration"
-Experienced practice their craft. Daily.
-Scott has taken long breaks and claims it takes up to weeks to get back into groove.

If you can't be bothered learning all these rules and you simply want a proven system you can use to create timeless content on repeat,

You'll LOVE @joshualisec's writing system (Scott Adams recommends him!!)

Check it out here (I'm an affiliate) https://bit.ly/2X0Y6Ub 

If you got value out of this thread

please consider liking every tweet and retweeting the first tweet of the thread

Thank you!!

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