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 —

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Step one is choosing an objective for your post, such as:

1. Open people’s eyes by proving the status quo wrong. Example.


2. Share a solution to a tough problem. Example.


3. Distill an overwhelming topic into something approachable. Example.


4. Tell a suspenseful and emotional story that imparts a lesson. Example.


5. Articulate something everyone’s thinking about but

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