Writing Is Magic

1. Write to Make Sense of Things

You don’t need to start with a point. You just need to start.

This is private writing. Messy, nonlinear, uncool. It’s the kind of writing that happens in the margins of your notebook, in half-sentences, in half-truths you’re still working through.

But this is where your best thinking gets born. This is where vague ide... See more

“I think of writing as externalized thinking. If I have a very hard problem or if I feel a little bit confused about something, I have not found anything better to do than sit down and make myself write it out... it is a super powerful thinking tool.”

One reason clear thinking is important, Sam argues, is because it’s crucial for clear communication... See more

Writing increases your rate of revelation. This is true irrespective of the subject because writing is a process of reflection, assertion, and iteration.

Writing clarifies your own ideas. Writing begets new ideas too. Writing lets you explore ideas in depth even if you won’t have time to act on them all. Writing shows people how you think and lets ... See more