Style is a small part of writing well. Most of writing is thinking clearly.
If you can think clearly, you can find something to say.
You see, this guide is a ruse: its secondary goal is teaching you critical thinking.
By thinking critically, you navigate contradictions and connect the dots others aren’t seeing. You challenge the status quo. You contribute insights. Sometimes, you make people feel.
That’s what it means to have something to say.
To write well is to think well.
There are many reasons to write. My favorite is leverage.
If you have something important to say and you say it well, you send strangers down paths they badly needed.
That's why it’s a disservice to humanity to keep your great thoughts to yourself. Especially when you consider the scale of writing: articles reach thousands.
Writing is the most radical thing you can do without money. Skilled writers change the world from their couch.
That’s leverage.
Writing is mostly thinking, which means becoming a better writer makes you a better thinker. You learn to communicate more clearly and persuasively.
Brilliant writers became brilliant by writing. It's how they realized their potential.
Together, we'll get to the bottom of a topic you've always wanted to write about. And you'll learn to rewrite your thoughts so they leave an impact on readers.
I’ll provide a cheat sheet at the end, but I recommend taking notes. Reading without note-taking is like exploring new territory without drawing a map.
This handbook is for:
In 30 minutes, I can help you become a remarkably better writer.
I'm Julian. I write handbooks on mastering complex topics. They’ve been read by a few million people. I also write a monthly marketing column for TechCrunch, and I've authored a boring programming book for Pearson Education.
You can learn more about me here.