Editing it down

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Your writing would be better if it were shorter. In my survey of business writers, the top complaint about what they read is that it’s too long. The top complaint about what they write is also that it is too long. We know we have a wordiness problem. But how do you edit things down? … Continued

Crypto bubble investment strategy

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Never invest in something if you have no idea what it’s worth. That’s what’s going on with cryptocurrencies right now. In the equities market — stocks — every company has a value: its market capitalization. The share price is proportional to that value. There are two things that drive share prices. One is the beauty … Continued

Why you should shun publishers that strip links from your articles

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Links are as much a part of content as punctuation. If you submit an article and the publisher or site removes them, they’re removing substantive content, violating publishing ethics, and behaving arrogantly. Writers should avoid any site that behaves this way. Here’s why I’m talking about this today — it’s what happened when my friend … Continued

Win-win

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You want to win. Is there a better way to be a winner? Earlier in my career I worked for a startup software company. I was in product management. Then, as now, there was a shortage of qualified engineers, so the company paid a generous bounty if they hired someone you referred. Rachel was a … Continued

What? Me, biased?

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My post Friday on Donald Trump’s new site and sort-of social network struck some nerves. One commenter said “As a social commentator, you cover for tyranny.” That seemed a little nasty. Two things are true. First, I am anti-Trump. I did a whole series of posts about it before the election. I’m not trying to … Continued

Why Donald Trump’s “social network” is smarter than it looks

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For months, we’ve heard the rumor that ex-President Trump was starting a social network. It’s up now. It’s called “From the Desk of Donald J. Trump.” As a social network, it sucks. But as a functional equivalent to Trump’s former Twitter account, it’s likely to succeed. How Trump’s new megaphone works Here are the rules … Continued

Your book needs no introduction. So don’t write one.

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Nonfiction books should start with a bang. Introductions are boring. Ergo, don’t start with an introduction. Despite the logic of this, many business and nonfiction writers start their books with an introduction. They either think it’s required, or fall victim to the fallacy that, having created a book, they need to somehow explain it. Why … Continued

The two words that (nearly) always cure writer’s block

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You’re sitting staring and the page. You don’t know what to type. And the deadline is looming. Two words will break your trance: “Look, stupid.” Allow me to explain. What causes writer’s block This advice is for nonfiction writers only. (If you write fiction, you need advice from somebody else.) There are plenty of rational … Continued