Writing
What have you written that changed how someone thinks?
Writing solidifies; conversation dissolves. Speaking helps who's in the room. Writing helps everyone — including people who couldn't make it, future employees, and your future self.
| Without Writing Skill | With Writing Skill |
|---|---|
| Ideas evaporate | Ideas compound |
| Meetings repeat | Decisions documented |
| Onboarding takes months | Knowledge transfers fast |
| "What did we decide?" | "Here's the doc" |
AI drafts at speed and scale. Humans bring clarity of thought, voice, and judgment about what's worth saying. The thinking must come from you. The drafting doesn't have to.
Purpose & Audience
Before writing a word, answer three questions:
- What do I want the reader to think, feel, or do after reading this?
- Is every section clearly relevant to that purpose and this specific audience?
- Is the main point obvious in the first screen?
If you can't answer all three, you're not ready to write. You're ready to think.
Structure & Flow
- Does the piece have a clear beginning, middle, and end?
- Does each paragraph focus on one idea, with a topic sentence?
- Is the order of ideas logical, with smooth transitions between paragraphs?
The test: read just the first sentence of every paragraph. Does the argument still make sense?
Clarity & Simplicity
| Cut This | Write This |
|---|---|
| "in order to" | "to" |
| "due to the fact that" | "because" |
| "at this point in time" | "now" |
| "it is important that" | (delete) |
| "basically" | (delete) |
- Sentences short on average — under 20 words, one main thing each
- Concrete, specific language over vague abstractions
- Simple words over fancy ones unless jargon is truly needed and explained
- Cut needless words, repetitions, and filler on every pass
Three questions from Hemingway: What are you trying to say? Have you said it? Can you say it more simply?
Voice & Tone
- Does it sound like a real person speaking, not a corporate memo or academic robot?
- Is the tone appropriate for the reader — expert, friend, executive, newcomer?
- Where it fits, do you speak directly using "you" and clear calls to action?
The read-aloud test catches what the eye misses. If you wouldn't say it to someone's face, rewrite it.
Sentence Craft
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| "The feature was shipped by team" | "The team shipped it" |
| "Made a decision to proceed" | "Decided" |
| "Is very important" | "Matters" |
| "Seems to basically indicate" | "Shows" |
- Active voice over passive — the subject does the thing
- Vary sentence openings and lengths to avoid monotony
- Strong, specific verbs — not weak ones propped up by adverbs
- Related words kept close together so the sentence parses easily
Evidence & Examples
- For each key claim, give a concrete example, image, or evidence
- Show rather than tell — "Revenue dropped 40%" not "things went badly"
- Anticipate and briefly address obvious questions a smart reader would have
Claims without evidence are opinions. Opinions without authority are noise.
Polish
- Grammar, spelling, and punctuation clean enough that nothing distracts
- Technical terms used correctly and consistently throughout
- Others' ideas clearly distinguished and credited
- Final pass: cut at least a few more words that don't earn their keep
Core Patterns
- Rewriting is writing — First drafts capture. Rewrites clarify. The only kind of writing is rewriting.
- Headlines carry weight — 80 cents in the dollar are in the headline. Specific, value-driven, compelling.
- Timing — Now is often wrong. Sleep on it before sending. Let it filter through the sieve of time.
- Publish before perfect — Feedback teaches more than revision. Ship, learn, rewrite.
The Shadow
Perfectionism. Writing as procrastination. Polishing instead of publishing. Mistaking eloquence for clarity. The best writing is the writing that ships.
By Archetype
| Archetype | Writing Style |
|---|---|
| Philosopher | Writes to think — clarity emerges through the act |
| Engineer | Writes to document and scale — systems over stories |
| Dreamer | Writes to inspire — vision into words |
| Coach | Writes to unlock — questions that open doors |
Context
- Storytelling — Writing with narrative arc
- Reading — The input side of writing
- Presenting — Writing for the spoken word
- Async Communication — Where writing discipline lives
- Writing Tools — AI amplification at 70%