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What& #39;s the secret to compelling writing?
Here& #39;s a compilation of my favourite attempts to answer that question, from fantastic writers like:
@RyanHoliday
@Julian
@anthilemoon
@stephsmithio
@paulg
@david_perell
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧵" title="Thread" aria-label="Emoji: Thread">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten">
Here& #39;s a compilation of my favourite attempts to answer that question, from fantastic writers like:
@RyanHoliday
@Julian
@anthilemoon
@stephsmithio
@paulg
@david_perell
@julian:
Write about what bothers you most in your life today. Work through it in your writing, and find a sound conclusion.
Start your work by posing an intriguing question that would compel YOU to keep reading https://www.julian.com/guide/write/intro">https://www.julian.com/guide/wri...
Write about what bothers you most in your life today. Work through it in your writing, and find a sound conclusion.
Start your work by posing an intriguing question that would compel YOU to keep reading https://www.julian.com/guide/write/intro">https://www.julian.com/guide/wri...
@paulg:
Great writing is not just persuasive, but useful.
It should tell people something true and important, that they didn& #39;t already know.
http://www.paulgraham.com/useful.html ">https://www.paulgraham.com/useful.ht...
Great writing is not just persuasive, but useful.
It should tell people something true and important, that they didn& #39;t already know.
http://www.paulgraham.com/useful.html ">https://www.paulgraham.com/useful.ht...
@stephsmithio:
Fascinating writing comes from the intersection of three things:
- interesting topic
- doesn& #39;t exist in the exact form you had in mind
- something you can uniquely contribute to
She calls this "idea ikigai" https://blog.stephsmith.io/learning-to-write-with-confidence/">https://blog.stephsmith.io/learning-...
Fascinating writing comes from the intersection of three things:
- interesting topic
- doesn& #39;t exist in the exact form you had in mind
- something you can uniquely contribute to
She calls this "idea ikigai" https://blog.stephsmith.io/learning-to-write-with-confidence/">https://blog.stephsmith.io/learning-...
@anthilemoon:
Write down interesting ideas as you encounter them.
Anne-Laure will interrupt people to make a note when they say something she wants to reflect on. (As a bonus, people apparently find this very flattering!) https://nesslabs.com/writing-habit ">https://nesslabs.com/writing-h...
Write down interesting ideas as you encounter them.
Anne-Laure will interrupt people to make a note when they say something she wants to reflect on. (As a bonus, people apparently find this very flattering!) https://nesslabs.com/writing-habit ">https://nesslabs.com/writing-h...
@david_perell:
Build a personal monopoly, a unique intersection of your knowledge, personality, and skills.
Write consistently about the same ideas to build a body of work, becoming better and better at articulating those concepts https://www.perell.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-writing-online">https://www.perell.com/blog/the-...
Build a personal monopoly, a unique intersection of your knowledge, personality, and skills.
Write consistently about the same ideas to build a body of work, becoming better and better at articulating those concepts https://www.perell.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-writing-online">https://www.perell.com/blog/the-...
@paulg:
Write as if you were talking to a friend.
Read your work out loud, and fix everything that doesn& #39;t sound like conversation.
http://www.paulgraham.com/talk.html ">https://www.paulgraham.com/talk.html...
Write as if you were talking to a friend.
Read your work out loud, and fix everything that doesn& #39;t sound like conversation.
http://www.paulgraham.com/talk.html ">https://www.paulgraham.com/talk.html...
@RyanHoliday:
To make a classic work, write about the things that don& #39;t change.
Try to solve timeless problems, while keeping a specific audience in mind. https://www.amazon.com/Perennial-Seller-Ryan-Holiday-audiobook/dp/B0733RT7VL">https://www.amazon.com/Perennial...
To make a classic work, write about the things that don& #39;t change.
Try to solve timeless problems, while keeping a specific audience in mind. https://www.amazon.com/Perennial-Seller-Ryan-Holiday-audiobook/dp/B0733RT7VL">https://www.amazon.com/Perennial...
@VerlynKlinkenborg:
Pay close attention to each sentence.
Refine it until it says what you want it to say, and nothing more.
Favour short sentences.
(My personal favourite book on writing) https://www.amazon.com/Several-Short-Sentences-About-Writing/dp/0307279413">https://www.amazon.com/Several-S...
Pay close attention to each sentence.
Refine it until it says what you want it to say, and nothing more.
Favour short sentences.
(My personal favourite book on writing) https://www.amazon.com/Several-Short-Sentences-About-Writing/dp/0307279413">https://www.amazon.com/Several-S...
@davegirouard:
Focus on strong verbs. Let them do the work.
The verb "to be" almost always has a stronger alternative.
He was crying -> He wept
The stocks are way down -> The market crashed
I am tweeting -> I compose Twittery wisdom https://firstround.com/review/a-founders-guide-to-writing-well/">https://firstround.com/review/a-...
Focus on strong verbs. Let them do the work.
The verb "to be" almost always has a stronger alternative.
He was crying -> He wept
The stocks are way down -> The market crashed
I am tweeting -> I compose Twittery wisdom https://firstround.com/review/a-founders-guide-to-writing-well/">https://firstround.com/review/a-...
@anthilemoon:
Be part of an ecosystem
Celebrate other people& #39;s work, especially if you share an audience
This is the first step to building a community. https://nesslabs.com/50-lessons-50-newsletters">https://nesslabs.com/50-lesson...
Be part of an ecosystem
Celebrate other people& #39;s work, especially if you share an audience
This is the first step to building a community. https://nesslabs.com/50-lessons-50-newsletters">https://nesslabs.com/50-lesson...
@paulg:
An essay shouldn& #39;t just be an argument, an attempt to convince. It should be an attempt to answer a question.
Let your essays wander, as long as they do so in an intriguing way.
An essay is a question in search of a surprising answer.
http://www.paulgraham.com/essay.html ">https://www.paulgraham.com/essay.htm...
An essay shouldn& #39;t just be an argument, an attempt to convince. It should be an attempt to answer a question.
Let your essays wander, as long as they do so in an intriguing way.
An essay is a question in search of a surprising answer.
http://www.paulgraham.com/essay.html ">https://www.paulgraham.com/essay.htm...
