#4: “Make definite assertions and avoid noncommittal language.” — Amongst both writers and editors, Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style is one of the most cherished and celebrated books on writing. The text’s chapter on style encourages writers to “be clear” whenever they put words to paper (or screen) (1979, p. 79). Here’s what Strunk and White tell…

A proven system to convince startup owners to pay you to write for them — There’s a well-known secret in the world of content marketing, especially within tech: Many, perhaps even most, successful companies and entrepreneurs pay writers to create some, if not all, of their content for them. Billion-dollar companies, early-stage startups, and professionals of all sorts pay people to research and ghostwrite…

A comprehensive examination of how engaging in philosophical analysis will make you a much stronger thinker and writer — In this piece I’m going to argue and demonstrate through the use of various examples that if you’re serious about becoming a stronger writer, you should invest time into the study of philosophy. Engaging with philosophical puzzles and ways of thinking will significantly improve your capacity to think through, make…

#3. How much will you distort the truth? — As a writer, you face a barrage of questions every day. Some have to do with the content of writing: “What should I blog about next?” “Is this topic popular enough for me to address?” Others pertain to writing style and voice: “What’s the most engaging way for me to…

#4: You’re neglecting the marketing side of writing — Whenever you set out to write something that other people will enthusiastically read, engage with, and share with others, you must approach your writing in a different way than you would if you were merely writing for yourself. Creating content that attracts and retains other peoples’ attention requires more than…

Quick and easy changes for better writing — Some aspects of improving your writing require a lot more time and effort to master than others do. Learning how to think critically, organize your ideas, and incorporate the advice of accomplished writers is far more demanding than fixing grammatical errors, removing redundancies, and correcting your use of tricky phrases. …

Four must-follow steps for ultra productive writing — Over the past 15+ years, I’ve experimented with many different strategies for creating the conditions that give rise to an effective writing session. Four methods in particular have proven to be especially useful to me. Each of the practices discussed below will help you feel your best and think as…

A no-fluff overview of where the money came from — Before you roll your eyes, let me unequivocally say this: I, too, hate articles that, despite their window-dressing, are nothing more than efforts to brag about earnings or to slyly promote a product or service. That’s not what this piece is about. Instead, I want to explain how an unemployed…

A friendly pep talk for all my fellow writers — One morning a couple of weeks ago, I sat down and did something for which I’ll soon be paid $5000+. It took me six hours to complete, requiring no physical exertion. It wasn’t risky to my health or safety, and I didn’t have to do anything ethically questionable. I didn’t…