Writing When You Might Be Wrong
I get asked for blogging tips a lot by other investors or entrepreneurs, most of whom aren’t writing consistently and imagine they should be. “Time” is usually the blocker that everyone identifies but when you press on what exactly that means, it’s less about nothing having a spare 30 minutes and more so about the ridiculously long time it takes them to write something. What’s the culprit behind this cumbersome burden? Not dislike of writing, not desire for perfect grammar, not even lack of topics. No, the issue is often the need to be right. To feel 100% confident in what you’re putting out there and aggrandize the post to encompass the whole history, theory and current state of some topic. Wow, what a mindfuck. My advice is to not worry so much. Instead of writing the definitive post, just pick one aspect and riff a bit. Share what you know, what you think and see what happens.
So what does happen? Sometimes nothing. But other times something awesome: people bring you knowledge in return. They’ll tell you why you’re right or wrong. Add their data to you hypothesis. Like when we put Homebrew’s WhatIfs out there (list of ideas we’d like to discuss startups around), it’s not because we’re telling everyone that we’ve figured it but instead hoping to attract people who just might have. Take for example, a post I wrote interviewing a local art studio owner.
It caught the eye of an awesome artist/technologist/founder who met me for coffee this morning and got me a whole lot smarter about the problems she sees in the art market. And how she’s working to solve them. Great 30 minute chat that made me think more/differently about a topic I had briefly considered. Love it.
So don’t write only because you know you’re right and have it all figured it out. Write because it attracts other people who can help test your arguments, augment your data or teach you something new.
M&A Technology Integration Executive | IT Due Diligence & Post-merger Integration Expert | Former CIO & VP IT making change happen! | Credit Union Board Member
10 年Great advice, especially for 'fledgling' writers
Administrative Assistant / Sales Support / Customer Care Representative
10 年you are the best.
General Partner Agriculture Syndication
10 年Right on point, Paula.
Mindset Alchemist. Preparing Your Business to Prosper Today & Tomorrow. Meatball maker, yes really.
10 年Three am is usually when the 'call' comes to get up and scribe an article. During slumber, the left brain literally sleeps giving the right brain a chance to speak. I guarantee you will not hear that snarky voice saying, 'this is dumb, you can't write, no one will read this.' Rather there is a power that overtakes your hands and allows the words to write you not you them. Just as a singer sings from his/her soul there's a transference of energy ... massage received. Writing is the same. Logical, linear text is like trying to eat Styrofoam. Ever have a newspaper editor kick back a piece because it was too 'dry.' Been there done that. As for folks reading your work, return the favor and make what you've written worth their time. People are disturbed by too much information these days .. rather than not enough. Interested in a non-conventional writing methodology where your work won't fall into the 'white noise' category? Check out The Call of the Writers Craft by Tom Bird. Time won't matter and content well ... it has and always will be king. It isn't what you say it's how you say it and if no one reads it ... what's the point?
Community Manager
10 年Good read!