How I Write Michael Mauboussin: How To Find Your Edge As A Writer
Michael Mauboussin, an investing expert with extensive Wall Street experience, shares his unique approach to writing. He emphasizes finding inspiration in unexpected places and subverting the 'Curse of Knowledge' to engage readers. Michael advocates for clarity, accessibility, and storytelling in communicating complex ideas. He discusses the synthesis of ideas, the evolving meanings of words, and encourages writers to incorporate personal experiences for a stronger narrative. Learn how to merge passion with expertise to create compelling content.
01:07:56
Classic Style Writing
- Write with classic style, envisioning yourself arm-in-arm with the reader, exploring the world together.
- Make your writing concrete and interesting, using specific examples to illustrate your points.
DeChambeau's Golf Approach
- Bryson DeChambeau's analytical practice and intuitive performance in golf illustrate effective skill acquisition.
- Practice analytically, then perform intuitively.
Inefficient Information Markets
- The information market is inefficient; much like financial markets, there are always undiscovered insights.
- Writers can capitalize on others' ignorance by researching deeply and sharing unique perspectives.
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Intro
00:00 • 3min
Mastering Clarity in Complex Writing
02:31 • 11min
The Wisdom of Crowds in Market Theory
13:38 • 6min
Reviving Old Ideas: Innovation in Writing
19:52 • 12min
The Evolution of Words: From Innovation to Inspiration
31:42 • 3min
The Art of Synthesis in Writing
34:24 • 22min
Evolving Through Writing
56:38 • 11min
On the Impossibility of Informationally Efficient Markets
On the Impossibility of Informationally Efficient Markets
Sanford J. Grossman
Joseph Stiglitz
This paper by Grossman and Stiglitz challenges the Efficient Market Hypothesis by demonstrating that markets cannot be informationally efficient because acquiring information is costly. If markets were perfectly efficient, there would be no incentive for individuals to gather information, as they would not benefit from it. The authors highlight the conflict between the efficiency of information dissemination and the incentives to acquire information.
The Sense of Style
Steven Pinker
In 'The Sense of Style', Steven Pinker offers a practical and entertaining guide to writing, emphasizing the importance of clarity, empathy, and coherence. He challenges traditional usage guides by applying insights from linguistics and cognitive science to improve writing skills. The book is filled with examples of effective and ineffective prose, providing readers with tools to enhance their writing style.
The Wisdom of Crowds
Joe Abercrombie
In this conclusion to the Age of Madness trilogy, Joe Abercrombie depicts a world in the midst of the Great Change, where the Breakers and Burners have seized power, and the old order is being torn down. The story follows characters like Citizen Brock, Citizeness Savine, King Orso, and Rikke as they navigate the chaos, destruction, and political upheaval. The book explores themes of governance, survival, and the complexities of human behavior during times of revolution and societal collapse. Known for his vivid characterizations, dark humor, and intense action sequences, Abercrombie delivers a morally complex and gripping conclusion to the trilogy.
Understanding media
The Extensions of Man
Marshall McLuhan
In 'Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man', Marshall McLuhan explores how different media forms influence human society and perception. He introduces the concept that 'the medium is the message', suggesting that the characteristics of the medium, rather than its content, are what truly impact society. McLuhan categorizes media into 'hot' and 'cool' types, based on the degree of audience participation required. He also discusses how media extend human senses and alter human consciousness, leading to significant social and psychic consequences. The book is a comprehensive analysis of various media, including print, radio, television, and more, and their effects on human interaction and culture[1][3][4].
Full House
The Spread of Excellence from Plato to Darwin
Stephen Jay Gould
In 'Full House', Stephen Jay Gould explores how misconceptions about statistics can lead to misunderstandings of trends in complex systems. He uses baseball and evolutionary biology to illustrate how focusing on averages or extreme values can distort our view of reality. Gould argues that evolution does not inherently drive towards complexity, but rather, complexity is one end of a distribution where most life remains simple, like bacteria.
Think twice
harnessing the power of counterintuition
Michael J. Mauboussin
On Writing
A Memoir of the Craft
Stephen King
This book is both a memoir and a writing guide. It details Stephen King's life, from his childhood and early writing endeavors to his struggles with addiction and his near-fatal accident in 1999. The book is divided into sections that cover King's life ('C.V.'), the nature of writing ('What Writing Is'), writing mechanics ('Toolbox'), his advice on the craft ('On Writing'), and his recovery from the accident ('On Living: A Postscript'). King offers practical tips on writing, including the importance of vocabulary, grammar, and style, as well as the need for consistent writing routines and ruthless editing. He emphasizes that good writing comes from within, driven by curiosity, wonder, and emotional honesty rather than commercial motives.
Deep Survival
Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why
Laurence Gonzales
Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why is a 2003 book by Laurence Gonzales that examines how people survive life-threatening events. The book is divided into two main sections: the first explores how accidents occur, often due to bad habits and the brain's tendency to rely on past experiences rather than current conditions. The second section focuses on survival strategies, emphasizing the importance of clear and decisive action in chaotic situations. Gonzales uses real-life stories, including his father's experiences as a World War II pilot, to illustrate key survival principles such as adaptability, mental resilience, and the ability to manage fear and pain. He also discusses the physiological and psychological effects of stress and how these impact decision-making in critical situations[2][3][6].
Elements of Style
E. B. White
Strunk, William, Jr.
Roger Angell
Originally written by William Strunk Jr. in 1918, 'The Elements of Style' is a comprehensive guide to writing in English. The book was later revised and expanded by E.B. White in 1959. It covers elementary rules of usage, principles of composition, matters of form, and commonly misused words and expressions. The guide is renowned for its emphasis on clear, concise, and vigorous writing, advising writers to omit needless words, use the active voice, and employ parallelism appropriately. The book has become a staple in U.S. high school and university composition classes and is widely regarded as one of the most influential non-fiction books written in English since 1923.
Blood Meridian
Or, The Evening Redness in the West
Cormac McCarthy
Blood Meridian is a historical novel that depicts the brutal reality of the American West in the mid-19th century. The story follows a 14-year-old runaway from Tennessee, known as 'the kid', who joins the Glanton gang, a historical group of scalp hunters. The gang, led by John Joel Glanton and the enigmatic Judge Holden, is contracted to kill and scalp Native Americans but soon devolves into indiscriminate violence against various groups. The novel explores themes of brutality, the loss of innocence, and the harsh realities of human nature, with Judge Holden serving as a central figure embodying philosophical and sadistic elements. The book is known for its unflinching portrayal of violence and its allegorical exploration of human existence[2][3][5].
Perhaps the best-kept secret of any writer is the ability to find inspiration in unconventional places. And that’s Michael Mauboussin in a nutshell. Investing, business, reading, writing, luck, skill — name a topic he’s passionate about, and he’s found a way to make money from it in his writing.
How? By subverting “The Curse of Knowledge.”
With his decades-long career on Wall Street, you’d think that reading Michael’s work would be like trying to learn Latin on the fly. But the opposite is true.
“I put my arm around the reader, and we gaze off into the world and say, “Let’s talk about what we see. Let’s make this concrete and interesting.”
No stuffy professionalism. No robotic jargon. While many of us writers see the ignorance of a reader as a handicap, Michael sees it as an opportunity. And as a result, he’s become a billboard for how to build a career around who you truly are and what you’re actually interested in.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to do the same. Come learn tactical writing and life instruction from one of Wall Street’s best and brightest.
SPEAKER LINKS:
Website: https://www.michaelmauboussin.com/
Books: https://www.michaelmauboussin.com/books
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjmauboussin
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