People read nonfiction to learn and to feel. My framework for ensuring a blog post accomplishes both is to start with a first draft that focuses on "novel" ideas.A novel idea is one that's not just new to the reader, but also significant and not easily intuited. Think of it as new and worthwhile. I've identified five categories:Counter-intuitive — "Oh, I never realized the world worked that way."Counter-narrative — "Wow, that's not how I was told the world worked!"Shock and awe — "That's crazy. I would have never believed it."Elegant articulations — "Beautiful. I couldn't have said it better myself."Make someone feel seen — "Yes! That's exactly how I feel!"Novelty is what gives readers dopamine hits. You find novel ideas by pursuing your curiosity and noting what interests and surprises you along the way. If it intrigues you, it'll likely intrigue your readers too.