Great tips Alex, I'd add "use a filter" to stand out. For example, I write about minimalist side hustles, the "minimalist" filter helped me differenciate myself from the thousands of people writing about side hustles. It's helped me focus my writing, and even makes it easy to create content by finding content about side hustles and then rewriting it using my filter.
Thank you (both) for a really helpful post! I inwardly cringed at the suggestion to use plenty of negative space because it's something I tend to fight doing in my own writing (which I have no idea why). Yet if someone else writes long dense paragraphs, I am likely to head out for a "long refective walk" (as you quite rightly predicted.) Thanks for calling attention to my hypocrisy (in the most gentle way possible.) Keep up the great work!
So true! Every point. Little changes can make such a big difference. I always write for one person - many people fight this, but when I finally understood, my writing started to take off. At the end of the day, I’m here for my 1000 true fans, not for an army of acquaintances. Well done, David and Alex. I always read your work on Medium but the commenting there is not the same as here :)
Great tips! Memorable writing is memorable writing regardless of the genre or platform. I especially like the idea of writing to your ideal reader. It's so easy to focus on having a wide appeal, but being too broad can make it harder to find those who actually want to read what you've written. Again, thanks for these pieces of advice!
One thing I need to get better at is to write conversational. I use a lot of profanity and humor with a relaxed tone most of the time. It's been hard to transfer that to my writing
Thank you. This piece was helpful, especially point 2 about thinking counter intuitively yet figuring out how to be right at the same time. I will ponder more on this. It is certainly provocative for sure.
Writing for an audience of one is the one I've been working on the most lately. It's so hard not to edit your work so you won't upset anyone. I know a lot of my family and friends are reading along so I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but on the other hand if you do that too much writing becomes bland and without personality. So I'm trying to write for me, or someone like me.
Appreciate the share, David!
No no, thank you!
Nice one, Gentlemen, every single pertinent point, clearly constructed
Thanks Maurice!
Great tips Alex, I'd add "use a filter" to stand out. For example, I write about minimalist side hustles, the "minimalist" filter helped me differenciate myself from the thousands of people writing about side hustles. It's helped me focus my writing, and even makes it easy to create content by finding content about side hustles and then rewriting it using my filter.
Yeah love that - I've been thinking about how to bring that in to my stuff more recently.
Interesting tips, Alex. Definitely gave me a helpful perspective to improve upon my writing. Thanks for sharing this David.
Thank you Shanjitha!
Thank you (both) for a really helpful post! I inwardly cringed at the suggestion to use plenty of negative space because it's something I tend to fight doing in my own writing (which I have no idea why). Yet if someone else writes long dense paragraphs, I am likely to head out for a "long refective walk" (as you quite rightly predicted.) Thanks for calling attention to my hypocrisy (in the most gentle way possible.) Keep up the great work!
There's no hard rule on this, but I'd say go by how you tend to enjoy your reading!
These are great points; now to put them into practice myself. 🙂✍️
thanks Shell!
So true! Every point. Little changes can make such a big difference. I always write for one person - many people fight this, but when I finally understood, my writing started to take off. At the end of the day, I’m here for my 1000 true fans, not for an army of acquaintances. Well done, David and Alex. I always read your work on Medium but the commenting there is not the same as here :)
Great tips! Memorable writing is memorable writing regardless of the genre or platform. I especially like the idea of writing to your ideal reader. It's so easy to focus on having a wide appeal, but being too broad can make it harder to find those who actually want to read what you've written. Again, thanks for these pieces of advice!
One thing I need to get better at is to write conversational. I use a lot of profanity and humor with a relaxed tone most of the time. It's been hard to transfer that to my writing
Thank you. This piece was helpful, especially point 2 about thinking counter intuitively yet figuring out how to be right at the same time. I will ponder more on this. It is certainly provocative for sure.
Writing for an audience of one is the one I've been working on the most lately. It's so hard not to edit your work so you won't upset anyone. I know a lot of my family and friends are reading along so I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but on the other hand if you do that too much writing becomes bland and without personality. So I'm trying to write for me, or someone like me.
Alex is a genius.
You should interview him. I already know the title of the episode:
How to build a writing empire on listicles.
He somehow manages to always sneak in some golden nugget!