The Formula for Interesting Writing

Summary: Derek Thompson articulates a formula for interesting writing: novelty plus importance. He stresses the need to balance these two elements, avoiding the trap of being merely new without substance or important without originality. Thompson also advocates for writing that connects with readers on a personal level, like a conversation with a knowledgeable friend, rather than striving for overly refined, self-impressive prose.

• 💡 Embrace Novelty and Importance: Strive for the sweet spot where new ideas intersect with meaningful insights, avoiding the pitfalls of trivial novelty or stale importance. Aim to explore fresh angles on topics that genuinely matter to your audience.
• 🧠 Cultivate Intuition for What's Interesting: Develop your taste and understanding of what captures attention and resonates with readers. Sharpen your ability to identify ideas that can pierce through the noise and leave a lasting impact.
• ✍️ Write Like a Friend: Connect with your audience by writing in a relatable and conversational style. Ditch the pressure to appear overly sophisticated or intelligent; instead, aim to be a friend who shares valuable perspectives with a unique twist.
• 👂 Speak at the Level of Your Audience: Focus on crafting sentences that resonate with your audience's self-talk and trigger a sense of recognition. Avoid trying to impress them with complex language or obscure references; instead, aim for clarity and relatability.
• ⚡️ Capture the Shock of Recognition: Strive to create writing that evokes an immediate sense of connection and understanding in your readers, akin to seeing a familiar face in a crowd. Aim for writing that feels authentic and resonates deeply.

Key Takeaway: Write to connect, not to impress; blend novelty with importance, and always strive for the 'shock of recognition' in your readers.

Notable Quotes: > I guess to me, interesting is novel plus important. —Derek Thompson

> People love to be talked to as if it's a friend, as if it's a friend with something else, friend with a twist. —Derek Thompson