What Has Helped You Write Better? - EA Forum
@tags:: #litâ/đ°ď¸article/highlights
@links:: writing,
@ref:: What Has Helped You Write Better? - EA Forum
@author:: forum.effectivealtruism.org
=this.file.name
Reference
=this.ref
Notes
Readings and notes
Books on writing
On Writing WellAaron Gertler says: âOn Writing Well is much better than The Sense of Style if you just want writing advice.â
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Other resources - misc
Reasoning TransparencySee also How To Write Quickly While Maintaining Epistemic Rigor
- No location available
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Teaching Graduate Students How to Write ClearlyThis was also the basis for a presentation which I found useful and often refer people to the slides from (WritingTips_UE [don't share further].pptx), but which I didnât ask for permission to share
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Notes - misc
You should usually include an actual tl;dr/summary/key takeaways section right near the start - even in most cases where you feel itâs unimportant or inappropriate
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Beware the curse of knowledge
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- [note::Are there good ways to check for understanding that are unlikely to insult the other person?]
You should probably more often use examples. Youâre probably being less clear than you think, and examples can help. In any case, providing concrete examples is an effective way to elucidate abstract concepts.
- No location available
- writing, communication,
Often try to be really clear about what youâre not claiming, whatâs not in-scope, what debates you donât settle, etc.
- No location available
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Much of what youâve said can probably be cut, moved into footnotes, or moved into an appendix
- No location available
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Save the longest part of the sentence/phrase for the endE.g., âghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties and things that go bump in the nightâE.g., âlife, liberty and the pursuit of happinessâ
- No location available
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Aggressive editing, with an eye to intention, is the single biggest tool I use for improving my own writing.
- No location available
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First, I consider the flow of my argument. Does it follow a logical structure, where each step is adequately justified? Is supporting evidence provided at the most advantageous moments?
- No location available
-
Then, I consider my stylistic choices on a number of levels: namely, word choice, sentence type, paragraph-level flow, and work-level flow. My goal is to express my argument in the most concise and persuasive way possible, and I review my stylistic aspects to see if they are supporting that goal.
- No location available
-
Write under the assumption that other people will base important life or spending decisions on your output, or offer you jobs or money contingent on the quality of your writing. Not as a source of pressure, but as an honesty check.
- No location available
- favorite, authenticity, writing,
dg-publish: true
created: 2024-07-01
modified: 2024-07-01
title: What Has Helped You Write Better? - EA Forum
source: hypothesis
@tags:: #litâ/đ°ď¸article/highlights
@links:: writing,
@ref:: What Has Helped You Write Better? - EA Forum
@author:: forum.effectivealtruism.org
=this.file.name
Reference
=this.ref
Notes
Readings and notes
Books on writing
On Writing WellAaron Gertler says: âOn Writing Well is much better than The Sense of Style if you just want writing advice.â
- No location available
-
Other resources - misc
Reasoning TransparencySee also How To Write Quickly While Maintaining Epistemic Rigor
- No location available
-
Teaching Graduate Students How to Write ClearlyThis was also the basis for a presentation which I found useful and often refer people to the slides from (WritingTips_UE [don't share further].pptx), but which I didnât ask for permission to share
- No location available
-
Notes - misc
You should usually include an actual tl;dr/summary/key takeaways section right near the start - even in most cases where you feel itâs unimportant or inappropriate
- No location available
-
Beware the curse of knowledge
- No location available
-
- [note::Are there good ways to check for understanding that are unlikely to insult the other person?]
You should probably more often use examples. Youâre probably being less clear than you think, and examples can help. In any case, providing concrete examples is an effective way to elucidate abstract concepts.
- No location available
- writing, communication,
Often try to be really clear about what youâre not claiming, whatâs not in-scope, what debates you donât settle, etc.
- No location available
-
Much of what youâve said can probably be cut, moved into footnotes, or moved into an appendix
- No location available
-
Save the longest part of the sentence/phrase for the endE.g., âghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties and things that go bump in the nightâE.g., âlife, liberty and the pursuit of happinessâ
- No location available
-
Aggressive editing, with an eye to intention, is the single biggest tool I use for improving my own writing.
- No location available
-
First, I consider the flow of my argument. Does it follow a logical structure, where each step is adequately justified? Is supporting evidence provided at the most advantageous moments?
- No location available
-
Then, I consider my stylistic choices on a number of levels: namely, word choice, sentence type, paragraph-level flow, and work-level flow. My goal is to express my argument in the most concise and persuasive way possible, and I review my stylistic aspects to see if they are supporting that goal.
- No location available
-
Write under the assumption that other people will base important life or spending decisions on your output, or offer you jobs or money contingent on the quality of your writing. Not as a source of pressure, but as an honesty check.
- No location available
- favorite, authenticity, writing,