The First Step of the Writing Process
Dec 5, 2022
Writing on the internet allows you to share your interests and skills with a global audience. And by publicly sharing your writing online, you create the potential to connect with like-minded people and generate new opportunities.
Action is a critical first step in creating valuable (and interesting) writing that facilitates these goals.
Exploring, building, conversing, or experimenting in the real world provides you with a unique perspective needed to create great writing. As Brian Armstrong (the founder of Coinbase) says, “Action produces information.”
And this information leads to insights, stories, and lessons that can help you write with a unique perspective.
AI’s impact on writing makes action even more important
The rise of AI writing tools is revealing a scary fact — generic writing is becoming commoditized. With popular AI writing tools, you can create a high-quality summary or analysis article with the click of a button.
So what’s the best way to avoid generic, commoditized writing?
Naval Ravikant gives us a clue with his quote, “No one can compete with you on being you.”
The best way to not produce commoditized writing is to be authentically you. Through action, you can create information that is unique to your own life experience.
Examples of Actions to Take:
Explore: Search for new places (online and offline), ideas, and experiences to help you gain a deeper understanding and perspective that can be reflected in your writing
Build: Create something tangible (online or offline) like a product, a side hustle, or a piece of art that will provide a unique topic or perspective for your writing
Converse: Engage in dialogue with others to learn their stories, perspectives, and insights to add depth and dimension to your writing. This could include conducting interviews, participating in group discussions, or networking
Learn: Pursue educational or skill-building activities in your areas of interest to incorporate knowledge and expertise into your writing. This could include taking courses, attending workshops, or participating in mentorship programs
Experiment with lifestyle changes: Try out different ways of living, eating, or working, and reflect on the impact they have on your mindset, productivity, and overall well-being
After taking these actions, make sure you incorporate as much of your unique, personal experience in the writing as possible.
In Summary
To avoid commoditized, generic writing, focus on taking action in the real world. Focus on being authentically yourself. Focus your writing on actions that you have taken that produce unique information.
Use writing as a tool to interpret these experiences and share the learning. And through your writing, you can build connections, support, and opportunities.