Good Writing

Good writing is simple and clear.

Good writing is not big words, proper grammar, or punctuation.

Good writing is clear thinking. It's easy to understand.

I was a bad writer for years because I tried to be smart. Nobody knew what I was saying. So I didn't write.

It took me years to figure it out. Now I write all the time.

This guide is 90% of what you need to know to write good.

Study These 6 Pieces of Writing

I recommend reading Roman Raphaelson's Book on Writing. Read it three times.

How to Write

  1. Write like you talk. Ignore your English class. Don't write like writers, write like you talk.
  2. Be clear, not clever. People like to feel smart, not dumb. Don't make them feel dumb.
  3. Short and sweet. Writing should be interesting first. As interesting as it is long.
  4. Write at a 5th–8th grade level. People need to get what you are writing. Everyone hates looking up words.
  5. Never use jargon words. Don't make someone Google a word, or debate its definition.
  6. Don't use adverbs. Anything that ends in -ly is a waste of space. It complicates the writing.
  7. Subject is first in a sentence. "The boy hit the ball" not "The ball was hit by the boy."
  8. Use visual words as a form of persuasion. Most people visualize everything. Write like people think and talk.
  9. Alliteration is a powerful tool. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Coca-Cola.
  10. Rhyme & repetition. Time after time this will work. Seriously.

Why People Read

People read for any of these 4 reasons. Write for the outcome you want.

  1. Educate. Teach me something (i.e. skill, subject, lesson, history)
  2. Entertain. Make me feel (i.e. music, comedy, drama, romance, action)
  3. Challenge. Make me think (i.e. technical papers, scientific studies, op-eds)
  4. Empathize. Show me you care (i.e. self help, religion, politics)

Pro Habits

No one learns to play guitar by studying a music textbook. They play their favorite song over and over. Ever heard someone play Wonderwall (Oasis) around a campfire?

  1. Copy work. Practice what others have done. Go to "the gym of writing" frequently.
  2. Warm up. Before writing do 5 minutes of copy work.
  3. Amp it up. Get stoked, get motivated, get hyped. However you need to, just do it.
  4. It's not a result. It's a byproduct. Write often, dedicated time, and make sure it's distraction free.

Chris Bertulli