"16 Actionable Tips To Write Like The Great Entrepreneurs"
(An influential blog post by Babak @Nivi, co-founder of @AngelList.)
🧵 Thread Time: 👇
(An influential blog post by Babak @Nivi, co-founder of @AngelList.)
🧵 Thread Time: 👇
Entrepreneurs are the best business writers in the world.
I don’t know a single great entrepreneur who isn’t a great writer.
Good business writing is clear, compelling and concise. Read Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Warren Buffett.
I don’t know a single great entrepreneur who isn’t a great writer.
Good business writing is clear, compelling and concise. Read Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Warren Buffett.
Here’s what I send my friends when they ask for writing tips: 👇
1. Business writing is a customer service problem.
You’re not the star—the reader is.
Help them get what they want, as quickly and effectively as possible.
They might want to solve a problem. They might want to be persuaded.
Give ’em the goods.
You’re not the star—the reader is.
Help them get what they want, as quickly and effectively as possible.
They might want to solve a problem. They might want to be persuaded.
Give ’em the goods.
2. Pretend you’re sending an email.
Or a Slack message.
It will calm your mind and yield better writing.
Or a Slack message.
It will calm your mind and yield better writing.
3. Sum it up in a tweet. If the tweet isn’t compelling, the rest isn’t compelling.
The ideal tweet absolves the reader from reading further.
Sequoia says, “Summarize the company’s business on the back of a business card.”
The ideal tweet absolves the reader from reading further.
Sequoia says, “Summarize the company’s business on the back of a business card.”
4. Email it to yourself and read it on your phone.
You’ll see the words with fresh eyes, as if someone else wrote them.
This will force you to keep it short and simple.
You’ll see the words with fresh eyes, as if someone else wrote them.
This will force you to keep it short and simple.
5. Don’t write your thought process.
The final draft shouldn’t mimic the path you took to come up with the idea.
Instead, start the piece with a conclusion and make your best case.
The final draft shouldn’t mimic the path you took to come up with the idea.
Instead, start the piece with a conclusion and make your best case.
6. Start with a summary.
A good summary absolves the reader from reading further. But they will still want to.
A good summary absolves the reader from reading further. But they will still want to.
7. Writing is rewriting.
Write down your thoughts in a stream of consciousness.
Don’t get hung up on diction.
Then spend most of your time rewriting and reorganizing—sweat the details.
I’m still rewriting posts days after I’ve published them.
Write down your thoughts in a stream of consciousness.
Don’t get hung up on diction.
Then spend most of your time rewriting and reorganizing—sweat the details.
I’m still rewriting posts days after I’ve published them.
8. Delete half the words.
Say more with less.
That’s good customer service.
“If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.”
Say more with less.
That’s good customer service.
“If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.”
9. Avoid adjectives.
Use numbers instead.
An adjective is an admission that you don’t know the number.
Use numbers instead.
An adjective is an admission that you don’t know the number.
10. Scrutinize every word for bias and rhetoric.
Are they an ‘unruly mob’ or ‘patriots’?
Perhaps neither—just call them by their name.
Argue the other side of every word, at least to yourself. Learn more about bias.
Are they an ‘unruly mob’ or ‘patriots’?
Perhaps neither—just call them by their name.
Argue the other side of every word, at least to yourself. Learn more about bias.
11. Kill your darlings.
Delete beautiful ideas and phrases if they don’t help the customer solve their problem.
Delete beautiful ideas and phrases if they don’t help the customer solve their problem.
12. Don’t apologize.
Don’t qualify, apologize or anticipate arguments.
Just say it.
Some people will never understand that BOCTAOE.
You can always put an FAQ at the end.
Don’t qualify, apologize or anticipate arguments.
Just say it.
Some people will never understand that BOCTAOE.
You can always put an FAQ at the end.
13. Use persuasion checklists like CLASSR and SUCCES.
(Google Them: 🔍
CLASSR: the 6 keys to persuasion
SUCCES: made to stick principles)
(Google Them: 🔍
CLASSR: the 6 keys to persuasion
SUCCES: made to stick principles)
14. Skim "Strunk & White" once in a while.
You don’t need to read the whole book at once.
Also read "The Day You Became a Better Writer" by @ScottAdamsSays:
dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_bl…
You don’t need to read the whole book at once.
Also read "The Day You Became a Better Writer" by @ScottAdamsSays:
dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_bl…
15. Break the rules once you learn the rules.
Write in your authentic voice.
Tell a story.
Use adjectives.
Write poetry.
Learn which word choices unlock action.
But first learn how to write clearly and concisely.
Write in your authentic voice.
Tell a story.
Use adjectives.
Write poetry.
Learn which word choices unlock action.
But first learn how to write clearly and concisely.
16. Writing is a design problem.
Example: never use the idiom of ‘the former or the latter.’ It forces the reader to go back and figure out what you’re referring to.
Learn design by reading "Tufte, A Pattern Language" and "Don’t Make Me Think".
Example: never use the idiom of ‘the former or the latter.’ It forces the reader to go back and figure out what you’re referring to.
Learn design by reading "Tufte, A Pattern Language" and "Don’t Make Me Think".
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