Paul Graham: Good Writing
a day ago
- #ideas
- #writing
- #creativity
- Good writing has two aspects: sounding good and having correct ideas.
- Writing that sounds good is more likely to be right because improving flow helps refine ideas.
- Rewriting awkward passages often leads to better ideas, similar to shaking a bin to pack objects more tightly.
- Sounding good makes writing easier to read, helping the writer spot and fix mistakes more effectively.
- The rhythm of good writing matches the natural flow of ideas, acting as a heuristic for correctness.
- Beautiful writing is more likely to be internally consistent, which aligns with truth if the writer is honest.
- Clumsy writing often indicates flawed ideas, showing the interconnectedness of sound and correctness.
- The connection between sounding good and being right is strongest when writing is used to develop ideas.