I am not a professional writer. I write intuitively. But if I want this space to succeed, I need to understand how effective writing works.
And the book opens with a line that hit me immediately:
“Too many of the communications I get are meaningless. They don’t help me understand what action the writer wants me to take. They waste my time.”
Unfortunately, I am all too familiar with that reality.
Now I am the one generating content, and I want to avoid falling into that same trap. I want my messages to be as clear as they are effective. I don’t want to sound intelligent. I don’t want to write slogans. I don’t want to recommend things I don’t believe in. I want to create content I would enjoy reading myself.
That is why I read this book.
I am convinced that writing is like
thinking twice. It exposes inconsistencies, biases, unsupported beliefs, and the true depth of one’s understanding of a subject. Clear writing reflects clear thinking. While writing is a step toward clarity, it is a challenging and even painful process. But it is worth it.
The book’s main rule is simple: don’t mumble. If you want to say something, say it. Don’t make the reader guess what you are trying to communicate.
For me, the golden rule never to forget is: respect your reader, their time, and their attention. Write when you have something interesting to share, and write it as clearly as possible.
The book adds 18 more rules — I leave them at the end as a reference. With them, you are ready to write good first drafts.
Writing frequently will make you a better writer. But so will reading well-written books. You can feel when you are reading something that works. Find them and read them.
I did not expect to find Warren Buffett cited in a book about writing. But it makes perfect sense. Buffett wrote his letters with his sisters in mind — and for that reason, he explained complex topics in simple terms. Simplicity is the finest expression of understanding.
In the current age of AI, we are exposed daily to enormous amounts of content on any topic. But what is scarce — and what Buffett achieved in his letters — is the combination of depth and simplicity. He could write simply because he understood deeply.
While AI today is useful for accessing a sea of basic knowledge, it is still far from giving you deep insights. At this point in 2026, you can already smell when certain texts have been written by AI. I can even tell whether it was ChatGPT or Claude. Certain structures repeat themselves endlessly: “B is not B, it’s actually C, for reason 1, reason 2, and reason 3.” Or exaggerated but empty adjectives. Or absolutist conclusions with no evidence.
For this reason, I believe that in an ocean of “similar” content, what is authentic, clear, and grounded in common sense will be valued more than ever. At least by the audience I am trying to reach.
I decided to combine these rules with AI in a specific way: by creating an relentless editor. AI can detect, paragraph by paragraph, which rules are being broken or where improvement is needed. The heavy lifting is still mine to do. Because my reputation is on the line. And that work is essentially thinking, reflecting, and interpreting evidence. AI is just a tool that helps me improve my written communication.
If writing is like thinking twice, will writing well help you think better?
Here is the full set of rules, grouped by purpose:
Group 1 — Before you write, clear your mind
These rules define what you are going to say and for whom:
a. Define what you want the reader to do
b. Write down the 3 most important things the reader must understand to take that action
c. Visualize a specific person you are writing to
Only then should you start writing.
Group 2 — While you write
These help you be clear and precise:
a. Use short paragraphs, short sentences, and short words
b. Make your writing active and personal
c. Be specific: avoid generalities and quantify when possible
d. Avoid vague adjectives and adverbs
e. Cut unnecessary words
f. Write the way you talk
g. Understate, don’t overstate
h. Plain English, no jargon
Group 3 — What AI handles on its own
No spelling errors, no punctuation mistakes, no typos. Nothing that unnecessarily distracts the reader.