The Fort

#346 - David Perell - How Writing On The Internet Can Change Your Life

Apr 8, 2024

David Perell, a writer, teacher, and podcaster, discusses his creative processes, the impact of the internet on writers' goals, and concepts like the Jetski Theory. They explore writing vs. Google, the loss of soul in creativity, and why people should start writing. The conversation delves into David's upbringing, the influence of Walt Disney, and the evolution of writing on the internet.

01:28:20

Episode guests

David Perell

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Writing online offers a global audience for sharing ideas freely.

Utilizing technology enhances real estate operations and customer service.

Public speaking camp fosters continuous improvement in communication skills.

Deep dives

The Power of Writing in Clarifying Thoughts

Writing enables the speaker to structure their thoughts effectively by freezing thoughts onto the page. This process frees up mental space for deeper reflection and idea development. Just as mathematicians use paper to offload mental storage, writing externalizes thinking and enhances memory capacity.

Opportunity in Good Design

01:39

Writing Environment Influence on Creativity

00:51

Quality of Information Through Time

01:28

Avoid Catastrophizing and the Illusion of Success

01:23

Introduction

3min

Lessons in Public Speaking and Parental Support

5min

The Inspirational Impact of Walt Disney

17min

Exploration of Writing Process and Evolution from External to Internal Sources

2min

The Power of Writing in Modern Communication

18min

From Atheism to Faith: A Journey of Reflection

17min

Balancing Grace and Truth in Feedback for Stronger Relationships

3min

Embracing Interactions with Different Ages for Personal Growth

20min

Discovering the Central Idea for Effective Writing

3min

David Perell is a writer, teacher, and podcaster. He believes writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. David seeks to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.

More than 1,500 people from more than 70 countries have participated in David’s Write of Passage programs. The five-week bootcamp draws on David’s experience writing online, building an audience, and his interviews with dozens of great writers on his How I Write Podcast.

On this episode, Chris and David discuss:

David's upbringing and influences
David's writing and creative processes
How the Internet has changed the goals of writers
The Jetski Theory, the Never Ending "Now" Theory, and other great takes explained

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Links:

David on X

How I Write Podcast - YouTube, Apple, Spotify

Write of Passage

David's website

The 11 laws of show running

What the hell is going on? By David Perell - https://perell.com/essay/what-the-hell-is-going-on/

Topics

(00:00:00) - Intro

(00:02:32) - David’s upbringing