Why should I write?
Writing is thinking. To write well is to think clearly. - David McCullough
Your job involves some form of writing. It pays to improve.
Increase your luck surface area by showing your work.
Even if nobody reads a single word you write, you still win.
What should I write about?
Something you already know. Something you learned today. Something you want to learn more about.
Am I qualified?
You don’t need to be an expert. Set the frame. Don’t say “This is the way you should do it”. Say “This is the way I do it”.
Remember when your classmate explained a concept better than the teacher? He used language you understood. Be that classmate for someone else.
Baby steps - Start with an outline
Gather your ideas and only write the outline. No content. Baby steps:
Idea 1
Idea 2
Idea 3
Play around, find the connections amongst ideas. Reorder if needed.
Baby steps - Create the messy draft
Start filling the outline. Spend zero time worrying about the content quality or correctness. Just get the words in.
Sleep on it
Let some time pass. Come back with a fresh eye. You will spot holes in your thought process. New ideas will come.
Editing
Start editing your draft. This is where the real writing happens. Now, it's time to care about quality.
If you lack confidence, aim for short and clear writing. The Hemingway Editor can help with that. Aim for a low grade (<= 6)
Reduce. Remove anything that does not add value. Words, examples, ideas.
When am I done?
When you can’t reduce anymore, you’re done. If that seems vague, add a constraint for yourself. Set a deadline.
Review
Pick a reviewer. Ask him to review the ideas, not just the copy. Any feedback you get, filter through your own lens.
When done run the text through Grammarly (free version will do) to check for spelling and grammar errors. Fix these and you are done.
Publish
Use the easiest platform you can find. Publish.
Credits
Favourite resources on writing:
https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Well-Classic-Guide-Nonfiction/dp/0060891548
https://www.amazon.com/Show-Your-Work-Austin-Kleon/dp/076117897X
https://www.julian.com/guide/write/
https://sive.rs/7
https://sive.rs/1s
https://tim.blog/2024/03/20/seth-godin-3/