How I Write Atul Gawande: How to Write Consistently (While Working Full Time) | How I Write
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Nov 19, 2025 
Atul Gawande, a renowned surgeon and bestselling author known for works like *Being Mortal*, shares insights on the writing process. He discusses how writing energizes him rather than drains him and reveals his disciplined approach of aiming for 30 hours a month. Gawande highlights the importance of storytelling in conveying complex medical truths and emphasizes the value of revision, even counting up to 22 drafts for his New Yorker pieces. He also explores how being active in medicine enriches his writing and keeps his ideas fresh.
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Say Yes Early, Focus Later
- Try many things early in your career to discover what energizes you and then focus on the few things that sustain you.
- Say yes to opportunities before 40, then concentrate and say no after 40 to commit long-term.
Learning To Write Through Slate Diaries
- Atul began writing diaries for an internet magazine (Slate) while in surgical residency and learned by doing.
- Early pieces were rough and improved through heavy editing and rewrites guided by an editor friend.
22 Rewrites For A First New Yorker Piece
- His first New Yorker piece (about 4,000 words) went through 22 back-and-forth drafts and five complete rewrites over nine months.
- The prolonged revision process taught him tolerance for rewriting and improved the work substantially.
