the art of writing
You don’t have writer’s block. You’re just scared to say what you actually think. As my friend Jeremy Giffon says: “The best writing prompt for when I'm stuck is simply ‘be more honest.”
David Perell • 31 Ways to Improve Your Writing
Singing the counter-melody My advice and opinions may sound strange on their own. Do you know what musical counterpoint is? Underneath the main melody, you have a countermelody that goes against it, and together they make harmony. This is different from harmonizing, where someone sings along with the melody at an interval. The counter-melody is a s
... See moreHell_Yeah_or_No • Sivers
Inspiration is not receiving information. Inspiration is applying what you’ve received. People think that if they keep reading articles, browsing books, listening to talks, or meeting people, they’re going to suddenly get inspired. But constantly seeking inspiration is anti-inspiring. You have to pause the input and focus on your output. For every
... See moreHell_Yeah_or_No • Sivers
When people give opinions, add a question mark. If they say, “Immigration is bad,” change it to, “Immigration is bad?” Let the questions drift away, unanswered.
Derek Sivers • How to Live: 27 conflicting answers and one weird conclusion
Many of your friends will be afraid to give you harsh feedback. Remedy that by asking: “What’s the 10% I need to keep, no matter what? A followup question: “What’s the 10% I’ll cut, if I absolutely had to cut?” (Got this from my interview with Tim Ferris
David Perell • 31 Ways to Improve Your Writing
In employing prescriptions, he will approach the non-mechanical in a mechanical way. He will replace the power of his instincts, with manufactured notions of correctness and incorrectness. He will replace his inner voice with the voices of others. And when the prescriptions begin to fail, he will need new ones.
Kapil Gupta • There Is No HOW
While writing, you can follow Nintendo’s methodology. While the rest of the Internet is talking about the latest Netflix show or the new book at the top of the New York Times Bestseller list, you can pull from old and under-valued ideas instead. Find classic movies through the Criterion Collection, classic speeches on YouTube, and classics that are
... See moreDavid Perell • Daily Writing #13 Lateral Thinking With Withered Ideas
Don't wait to start writing until you have something to say. Start writing so you can find out what you have to say.
Your first idea is rarely your best idea. It can take a lot of reps before you discover something worth keeping.
People who are stuck often ask themselves, What am I supposed to do next? That question often comes from a place of paying attention to your thoughts, not your body. You’re too busy being slammed by your feelings to read what they’re telling you.
But how do you pay attention to your body, how do you parse your feelings, how do you reach that sense ... See more
But how do you pay attention to your body, how do you parse your feelings, how do you reach that sense ... See more