Thread by @Mattrud

How to write better: a thread

Start writing with a question to explore, not an answer to explain. (h/t @MichaelJGelb)

Look for stories first, ideas later. Good storytelling beats good ideas.

Take notes, but don't hoard them. Kill them by turning them into creations. (h/t @fortelabs)

Don’t fill every spare minute with a podcast or Instagram scroll. To get ideas, make time for non-doing. (h/t @kellyjstocker)

When struggling for ideas, call people out on their bullshit. (h/t @nntaleb)

There’s no such thing as an original idea, just an original perspective or expression. (h/t @jaltucher)

Bad ideas are like toilet paper. If you obsess over any one particular piece because it stinks, you’re insane.

The prerequisite to a good idea is lots of bad ideas. Run with every Idea Seed.

Whenever you have a big idea, find a small way to test it. Like a twitter thread ;) (h/t @austinkleon and @RyanHoliday)

Only analyze your ideas after you’ve shared them in some small way.

If an idea is stuck in your head — even if it seems trivial — write about it. Your subconscious is telling you it’s important. (h/t @StephenKing)

Only write about things that fire you up. (h/t @briankoppelman)

Good ideas are crazy at first, then obvious.

Good ideas start with *huh* and end with *duh.* (h/t @richienorton)

Don't be a critic or a spectator. Be a participant.

You only fail if you stop writing or publishing.

The best way to succeed is to make as many bets as possible. In writing, lottery tickets are (mostly) free. (h/t @neilhimself)

The best way to find your voice is to write hundreds of thousands of words and look back on what emerged. (h/t @IAmMarkManson)

Read your writing aloud, or literally speak what you want to write and transcribe it.

Does it sound like you?

Write how you speak. Edit out the fluff and meandering. Add hot sauce. (h/t @FranksRedHot)

Write like you've had two glasses of wine and are writing an email to one of your best friends. (h/t @tferriss)

Good writing creates a movie in the reader’s mind. Show, don’t tell isn’t cliche; it’s essential.

Every piece of writing needs a beginning (hook), middle (build) and end (payoff). Even a Tweet. (h/t @SPressfield)

Good writing INTERRUPTS YOUR gOShDaarn ROOTEENS

(without the gimmicks)

Every piece of writing should have one key thesis, concept or theme.

Ask yourself: What’s the one thing readers will remember after reading this?

"Storytelling is all about making the reader ask: What happens next?" - @BrianGrazer, A Curious Mind

Good writing makes assertions.

Grammar is a tool, not a rule.

Don't use "correct grammar." Use grammar to write good shit.

First drafts aren't permanent. Get it down, then filter out the fluff.

Even published drafts aren't permanent. You can always update or delete them later.

Don’t edit while you write. You can’t create and analyze at the same time. (h/t @abmarkman)

Cut everything you write by at least a third.

Don’t “kill your darlings.” Let them rest in a “deleted scenes” folder so you don’t feel like a murderer.

20 minutes of focused writing beats hours of distracted “writing.”

Don’t rely on inspiration to write. Create a unique writing habit that guarantees you write regularly.

When you’re stuck mentally, move your body. (h/t @masoncurrey)

When you’re stuck for ideas, free associate. (h/t Keith Johnstone, Impro)

Creativity is the art of relaxing. The harder it feels to write, the more unaligned you are.

Before you write, get in a good mood. (h/t @bjnovak)

Separate ideation, outlining and writing. They’re three different modes of thinking, and you can’t do them all at once. (h/t @MichaelJGelb)

You don’t need a degree or certificate. You need a public body of work.

You also need the courage to publish your ideas before you're completely ready.

That said, the first sign that you’re a writer is that you’re worried you’re not one.

If you're not a little scared, you're a sociopath.

The journey to a thousand books starts with a tweet. Publish small things en route to big things.

Get momentum and ride it.

(h/t @austinkleon)

You don’t need to be the world’s foremost expert to write about your passions. You just need to be honest and helpful.

If you stay silent because *this might not work,* you either missed an opportunity to connect, or to learn. (h/t @SethGodinBlog & @MindsetWorks)

It’s better to have 1,000 raving fans and 10,000 haters than 50,000 lukewarm readers. (h/t @kevin2kelly)

The more you publish, the easier it is to publish. The ability to publish is a muscle.

A writing habit is nothing without a publishing habit.

And an outreach/connection habit.

The more you follow through, the more likely you are to keep it up. Get past the friction of starting ASAP.

How to "get noticed"

1) BREAK PATTTERNZZZZZNZNZNZNZNZNZN
2) Get attention from strangers
3) Retain it through trust

(h/t Chip and Dan Heath)

For long-term success, you need to build and own an asset. For most writers, this is an email list. (h/t @RyanHoliday and @KevinHart4real)

You work doesn’t speak for itself. You need to explain the story behind it. (h/t @austinkleon)

If you want your ideas to stick, wrap them up in a sticky package. Create new words and codify phenomena. (h/t Chip and Dan Heath)

Create fictional characters, even in nonfiction. (h/t @nateliason)

Reading is like a meal, and people aren’t always starving. Make snacks, appetiizers, fast-casual lunches, fancy dinners and everything in between. (h/t @rohitbhargava)

Create both stock and flow. (h/t @robinsloan)

Turn the best of your flow into stock like evergreen posts, books and online courses.

Treat your writing like a business. But don’t forget that you’re an artist.

Don’t write what the data tells you to write. Write what your intuition tells you, then use data and “marketing” to maximize its reach and effect. (h/t @IAmMarkManson)

Better to publish too much and have some of it be ignored, than to publish too little.

Balance sharing and creating. Both are essential.

Published ideas are magnetic. Get your ideas out there and you'll attract your natural readers. (h/t @david_perell)

There's no such thing as Writing Rules, just Writing Tools. Use tools to create your own rules. Then break them. (h/t @RoyPeterClark)

If you’re afraid of the reaction to a particular piece, start working on your next project immediately.

HOW TO WRITE BETTER: the definitive guide

peep all 281 tips here

rudbits.com/blog/how-to-wr…

shout-out to @Backlinko for the "Really Long List" strategy, this was a fun one to write