Morgan Housel, author of 'The Psychology of Money' and prolific writer, discusses his writing journey and shares insights on storytelling, staying true to your style, writing with brevity, and the power of memorable sentences. He also explores the challenges of editing and the social nature of writing. The chapter titles highlight topics such as breaking down the book writing process, exploring versatile data tools, and the impact of a few exceptional attempts. Overall, the podcast provides valuable advice for captivating readers with engaging and concise writing.
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Quick takeaways
Good writing goes beyond the message, focusing on how it is delivered.
Embrace your own writing style and strengths instead of trying to mimic others.
Allow ideas to develop naturally and seek feedback for improvement.
Analyze influential writers for insights to develop your unique voice.
Storytelling and engaging the audience are key factors in successful writing.
Deep dives
Writing Style and the Impact of Sentences
The importance of writing style and the impact of individual sentences are discussed. Good writing goes beyond the message, focusing on how it is delivered. The best stories capture people's attention and engage them. When writing, it is important to prioritize concise and impactful language by pretending that every word costs a hundred dollars. The lesson learned is that everything works, but one needs to be exceptionally good at their craft.
Owning Your Writing Style
The podcast explores the idea of embracing one's own writing style and not trying to be someone else. It is advised to focus on what one is good at and not to pretend to be a different kind of writer. Many successful authors have honed their expertise in specific formats, such as blogging or writing magazine articles, which directly influenced their book formats. The key is to recognize one's strengths and embrace them rather than trying to mimic others.
Writing Process and Developing Ideas
The podcast discusses the process of idea generation and how writing evolves from initial thoughts to a polished piece. The speaker shares insights into their writing process, which involves walks or runs where they send themselves emails with ideas. The key is to allow ideas to develop naturally and not force creativity. Additionally, receiving feedback is invaluable in fine-tuning writing and understanding what works and what doesn't.
Learning from Influential Writers and Interviews
The podcast emphasizes the importance of studying influential writers and their writing styles. By analyzing their approaches, one can develop their own unique voice and style. Interviews and conversations with successful individuals offer valuable insights that can be passed on to readers. Additionally, incorporating quotes from credible sources adds credibility and depth to written pieces.
Writing style and process
The speaker discusses their unique writing style and process, emphasizing the importance of self-focused writing and the significance of good sentences in creating impactful writing.
The power of storytelling
The importance of storytelling in writing is explored, with examples given from renowned storytellers like Ken Burns and Warren Buffett. The ability to tell a compelling story and engage the audience is highlighted as a significant factor in successful writing.
The challenge of editing
The speaker shares their approach to editing, which involves constant revision and fine-tuning of each sentence as they write. The focus is on creating high-density writing, filled with memorable and impactful sentences.
The joy and frustration of writing
The speaker discusses the emotional aspects of writing, including the frustration and challenges of the process, as well as the joy and satisfaction of creating a well-crafted sentence or piece of writing.
Importance of Writing About Familiar Topics
Many writers struggle with the idea of writing about topics that have already been covered extensively. However, it is essential to recognize that there is nothing truly new to write about, and everything has been said before. The key lies in presenting familiar topics in a unique and compelling way. By telling a good story or offering a fresh perspective on well-known subjects, writers can capture the interest of readers and provide value even in well-trodden territory.
Crafting Engaging Conclusions and Varying Sentence Length
The conclusion of an article or book chapter holds significant importance. The first and last sentences are particularly crucial in leaving a lasting impression on readers. It is essential to think deliberately about crafting compelling concluding statements that resonate and evoke an emotional response. Moreover, writers should also consider the impact of sentence length and paragraph structure. Varying sentence length and breaking up paragraphs can greatly enhance readability, making the content more approachable and engaging for readers.
When people ask me what good online writing looks like, I point them to Morgan Housel. Why? He takes dry financial concepts and breathes life into them with captivating stories.
And he’s been doing it for a decade and a half. Before Morgan wrote “The Psychology of Money” — one of the world’s most popular finance books that’s now sold over 4 million copies — he spent years as a prolific writer. He wrote 2-4 articles a day when he worked at Motley Fool (3,500 in total). Then, he wrote a bunch more articles for Collaborative Fund and The Wall Street Journal.
Morgan didn’t “explode onto the scene” as a newbie. He put in years of early mornings and behind-the-scenes work. The result? His voice is clear, concise, and narrative. His ideas excavate the relationship between money and human psychology. His creative process is uniquely lazy — a bold contradiction to the productivity advice of today.
Morgan is a master of two things: storytelling and brevity. And the aliveness of his writing has made him one of the most successful writers on the Internet.
In this episode, you’ll learn how Morgan captivates millions of readers with his writing. We cover topics like selfish writing; ruthless self-editing; writing with brevity; and making dry ideas come alive on the page.
