Writing

• If you write simply you cannot hide lack of ideas behind complicated words
  • Concise explanations spread faster because they are easier to read and understand.
• When you write about a subject you see your own gaps in knowledge
  • Confusion or resistance when writing are not inherently bad, they are part of the process

Introductions §

• Show, don’t tell
• Researchers tend to ask many questions at the beginning of a text
• Why am I the right person to tell this story
• Writing is the medium of research

Why write when we can let AI generate text? §

• AI-generated content will flood the internet and will drown out any signal in an onslaught of noise
• Text-generating AI will highlight all the bullshit things we do when we work on computers

Strategies §

• PEEL structure for paragraphs
• Use goals that are within your control to reach
• To create great creative work, focus on process rather than output
• Writer’s block means that you dont have enough material to work with
• Use yourself as a proxy when writing. What you find interesting and weird will likely be entertaining to others too.
• Good writing has a ruthless focus on one specific purpose
• Apply Occam’s razor in writing

References §

Text & Stil

The Common Lies Writers Tell You

Julian Shapiro guidebook on non-fiction writing

On Writing