(2018-04-03) Perell Riding The Writing Wave

David Perell: Riding the Writing Wave. Writing doesn’t just communicate ideas; it generates new ones.

When you become a regular writer, you change how you live.

Make writing a daily habit.

Writing has infinite leverage. It creates luck and serendipity, which makes it the most efficient way to network

The 10-Step Writing Process

Mega-Brainstorm

Collect, collect, and then select. Keep adding ideas to your mega-brainstorm until it becomes painful not to write the essay.

Archipelago of Ideas: Organize ideas from the mega-brainstorm and build the archipelago of ideas

Outline

Keep the post in outline form for as long as possible. Outlines force simplicity

The outline should be longer than the final version

The mega-brainstorm, archipelago of ideas, and the outline are elements of production. The purpose of production is to produce. The editing phase comes later.

Editing: Great writers are great editors.

Rewriting Sentences and Organizing Paragraphs:

Generate a New Outline

Write a new, 10-15 sentence outline. Don’t look back at your essay while you are doing this.

Style and Substance

Less is More

Create People and Avatars, not Descriptions

Use Short Paragraphs: Most people read on their smartphones

Style: Aim to produce something of worth, beauty and elegance

Rules:

Avoid Adverbs

Avoid Repetition

Vary Sentence Length

Writing Hacks

Use TK

When in Doubt, Delete It

Context Switch

Banned, Bad & Ugly

Banned Words

A Fresh Perspective