Why Write?
A few have asked: Why write?
Writing takes effort. Especially good writing. Yet good writing is effortless to read. This may even be the definition of good writing.
A good essay’s easiness to read means we underrate its difficulty to write: As Dolly Parton said: It costs a lot of money to look this cheap.
It’s a worthwhile question to ponder. My stock answer has three parts:
to learn
to persuade, and
to meet like-minded people
To learn
Writing crystalizes vague thoughts. It puts pressure on our thinking because it’s hard to explain things we don’t understand. We don’t appreciate gaps in our knowledge on a topic until we write about it.
We read to learn. Yet we are in a constant state of forgetting. We’ve all gone to tell someone about a great non-fiction book and realized we only remember vague details. Part of this is due to the limits of books as a medium. But writing can be a bulwark.
Writing about what we read allows us to integrate it with our existing knowledge. What ideas are in conflict? What ones provide support? What other areas do they apply to?
Writing helped me identify conflicts between David Deutsch’s worldview and rationalism. It turned a vague unease into an appreciation of the exact points of disagreement1.
Publishing writing online also helps learning. We take more care when others are reading our work. More importantly, there’s the possibility of feedback. And this is how knowledge grows: We make bold guesses and submit them to criticism.
To persuade
There are many cases where we want to stretch our persuasive muscles. We may have noticed a common misconception that has important consequences. We may be taken by a beautiful yet underappreciated idea. We may have simply come across someone being wrong on the internet.
To persuade, we must offer good explanations. This may include linking to useful resources, summarizing ideas, and providing coherent arguments.
Doing so via writing can save time. As Vitalik Buterin tweeted, sometimes we find ourselves making the same argument over an over. If you’ve written an essay that clearly outlines your views, you can simply link to it.
Also: Style matters.
Firstly, good style gains trust. If we’ve put effort into how we’ve laid out our argument, it signals we’ve probably put effort into the argument itself2. This is why the best advice on writing is itself well-written. The most persuasive pieces are paragons of their own advice.
Secondly, good style helps us get our message across. Write simply. If you want to dispel misconceptions, it’s best not to create them. Simple writing allows readers to engage with the substance of ideas. It’s considerate: Readers won’t waste effort parsing through complicated prose.
To meet
The internet’s a big place.
Your favorite topic may be absurdly niche. Chances are others are interested in it. Chances are you’ll get along. Chances are they’ll be willing to read your writing about this absurdly niche topic.
Writing can be valuable in this way even if you have no audience. Think of your essay as an asset. Patrick McKenzie recommends this mindset in the commercial world. But it also applies in a friend catcher context. If a topic comes up on twitter, reddit or discord, you can simply link to that thing you wrote years back.
Meeting smart, friendly people is worth it for its own sake, but it helps with learning too. It can bring reliable feedback and accountability mechanisms.
And remember: that person who sounds really smart on that podcast is just some dude (or dudette). Reach out. Show them your writing3.
How noble of us
If we’re honest, there’s probably another reason we write: As ugly as it sounds, we’re motivated, at least in part, to gain some type of status.
As Robert Trivers has shown: we’re prone to self-deception. All the better to deceive others with. Robin Hanson extends this: Our hidden motives specifically concern our desire to show off or signal loyalty. We have norms against explicitly claiming these motives, so we claim noble ones.
Let’s assume that part of the reason we write is signaling. Does it matter? The thirst for status may be what gets us to the keyboard. Leverage it. If the other motives are at least partly true then there’s still value in writing.
Exercising to look good brings healthiness along for the ride. A well-stocked bookshelf gets read eventually (at least somewhat).
Signaling can have positive externalities too. A well-kept lawn improves the street. Increasing the amount of good writing can benefit others. I don’t know about you, but I’m pleased when I find a good new writer. In fact, it’s literally one of my favorite things in the world.
If our desire for status is unavoidable, let’s make sure it's accompanied by a desire to be worthy of status. Fortunately, it's normal to want to feel deserved: As Adam Smith said in The Theory of Moral Sentiments: we desire to both be loved and be lovely. He didn’t mean lovely in a romantic sense. Rather, we want to be praised and praiseworthy. When praise comes from the wrong people it feels hollow. When it’s based on our lies it leaves us unnourished.
Write what is interesting. Write what is true. Write what others see but have yet to clear away the fog.
Not all of them, alas. More writing to do.
This is merely a heuristic. Indeed, sometimes it’s a trap to watch out for. Malcolm Gladwell weaves gold with his writing but also shows sloppy thinking at times (e.g. Igon Values).
One technique for engagement may be to write in response to what someone else has written. Although it can be tough to do so in a way that is true to your values and isn’t annoying for them or their audience.