20 hours ago
- Essays should aim to be useful rather than merely persuasive.
- Useful writing is correct, important, novel, and stated as strongly as possible without being false.
- Precision and correctness require balance; vague statements are correct but useless.
- The Morris technique: only publish what you are sure is worth hearing.
- Write a loose first draft, then carefully revise and delete anything unsatisfactory.
- Importance can be gauged by writing about topics that matter to you, as a proxy for readers.
- Novelty comes from writing about topics you've thought deeply about; insights that surprise you will likely surprise readers.
- Strength involves thinking well and using qualification to match confidence level.
- Simplicity helps ensure correctness and respects the reader.
- Useful writing can provoke anger because novelty challenges cherished beliefs.
- Misinterpretations are common; address honest ones but avoid overprotecting against dishonest ones.
- Practice by narrowing topics or writing without publishing to build skill.
- The internet has made essay writing accessible; many essays and ideas remain undiscovered.