A Better Way to Think Of Writing As a Writer
Insights from an interview with Jason Fried
I watched a podcast episode by David Perell on his How I Write podcast.
David featured Jason Fried, founder and CEO of 37 signals — the makers of the popular project management software, Basecamp.
It felt weird at first.
What would a software developer know about writing?
Turns out Jason Fried has authored four books, including Rework and It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work.
Great reads.
These books not only have unique perspectives of the business world, but they are also well-written.
Jason writes all over social media too.
He writes what he calls “founder letters” for his products. And shares his learnings on a self-named website.
In short, his writing is good.
At least, I find it interesting.
But how does he approach writing?
In the interview, Jason emphasized writing as communication.
In his words,
“Don’t write. Communicate.”
He views writing as a means to an end, and not the “thing” itself. Writing is a medium to share your thoughts and ideas.
The important feat is sharing your thoughts and ideas in a way that feels right to you.
It’s your thoughts and ideas.
If your message doesn’t sit well with you, it can’t resonate with your reader.
Here are more noteworthy points from the interview:
- Good writing comes from intuition.
- Write from a spark — a motivation. A flow.
- Write how you communicate. Be yourself.
- Writing is the synthesis and clarity of an idea on the page.
- For creative pursuits, work with inspiration, not structure.
- Write when you have something to say.
Writing can be many things — a business, a strategy, or a hobby.
But for creators who enjoy sharing their ideas and knowledge, writing is a medium.
A medium to transform the lives of your readers by communicating an idea.
Thanks for reading 👏🏽
Hi, my name’s Deborah. If you enjoyed this story, check out my profile for more stories. And don’t forget to clap 👏🏼, and share with a friend — sharing is caring 🕊.
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