I write. A lot. If practice made perfect, my writing would be pristine, but it’s a daily struggle. Be more direct, to the point, less fluff.
By knowing how to parse and convey the right information, a good writer can relieve and prevent a slew of headaches. They can herd disjointed efforts, give direction to projects, sell ideas, solidify shared purpose, document processes, and foster knowledge sharing.
Writing is challenging because it’s an attempt to cohere the incoherent. You’re never sure the words are good enough. Does it convey the point you’re trying to make? Is it grounded in truth?
Writing is far from an isolated skill. Rather, it’s a non-linear process of gathering, curating, organizing, creating, and refining ideas and information. Like a factory in which the assembly line loops back on itself until you decide the newest assembly, that one last iteration, is good enough.
Will it be read? Does it matter if it isn’t?
More often than not, I’m writing to prove (usually to myself) that I know what I’ve read. I understand the documents, logs, code, messages, blog posts; they’re all loaded in memory. To write, I have to read, but does it matter if no one else reads mhy words?
I don’t think so.
“Writing a report is important; reading it often is not. Reports are more a medium of self-discipline than a way to communicate information.”
Andy Grove, High Output Management (Book)
I found this post while reading another from the same author about the power of stamina. Sometimes you find gems from a person you never knew (will never know), but their words stick with you. How fascinating.