The *secret* to being a prolific Digital Writer: The Lean Writing...
Dickie Bush@dickiebush
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Dec 07, 2023
~3 min read
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The *secret* to being a prolific Digital Writer:
The Lean Writing Framework.
Both Mark Manson & Malcolm Gladwell used it to write their critically acclaimed, bestselling books.
Here's how it works (and how you can use ChatGPT to help you become a prolific writer too):
The Lean Writing Framework.
Both Mark Manson & Malcolm Gladwell used it to write their critically acclaimed, bestselling books.
Here's how it works (and how you can use ChatGPT to help you become a prolific writer too):
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What do Gladwell & Manson's hit books have in common?
They both started as blog posts.
This is the Lean Writing framework in action:
1. Test ideas with short-form content
2. Double down on the ones that work best
3. Expand those ideas into long-form content
Let's dive in!
They both started as blog posts.
This is the Lean Writing framework in action:
1. Test ideas with short-form content
2. Double down on the ones that work best
3. Expand those ideas into long-form content
Let's dive in!
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Step 1: Test ideas in short-form
Start by picking an idea:
• Making your first loaf of bread
• Buying your first rental property
• How to build a daily writing habit
Then, with this one idea, create a mini-headline for yourself:
Start by picking an idea:
• Making your first loaf of bread
• Buying your first rental property
• How to build a daily writing habit
Then, with this one idea, create a mini-headline for yourself:
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Keep this headline simple.
Answer these two questions:
• WHO is this for?
• WHAT will they learn from reading this?
Let's look at an example.
When I wrote this tweet, it was aimed at Digital Writers to help them write a first sentence that hooks their readers:
Answer these two questions:
• WHO is this for?
• WHAT will they learn from reading this?
Let's look at an example.
When I wrote this tweet, it was aimed at Digital Writers to help them write a first sentence that hooks their readers:
Dickie Bush@dickiebush
The goal of your first sentence:
Get the reader to read your next sentence.
So try opening with a:
• Moment in time
• Controversial opinion
• Vulnerable statement
• Strong declarative sentence
• Thought-provoking question
Or, create an open loop.
Just like this tweet.
Get the reader to read your next sentence.
So try opening with a:
• Moment in time
• Controversial opinion
• Vulnerable statement
• Strong declarative sentence
• Thought-provoking question
Or, create an open loop.
Just like this tweet.
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Next, ask yourself:
What am I trying to communicate?
Are these:
• Tips
• Steps
• Traits
• Lessons
• Examples
All writing is just a list of items: Jenga blocks stacked on top of one another.
Look at this tweet again. It's a list of Examples:
What am I trying to communicate?
Are these:
• Tips
• Steps
• Traits
• Lessons
• Examples
All writing is just a list of items: Jenga blocks stacked on top of one another.
Look at this tweet again. It's a list of Examples:
Dickie Bush@dickiebush
The goal of your first sentence:
Get the reader to read your next sentence.
So try opening with a:
• Moment in time
• Controversial opinion
• Vulnerable statement
• Strong declarative sentence
• Thought-provoking question
Or, create an open loop.
Just like this tweet.
Get the reader to read your next sentence.
So try opening with a:
• Moment in time
• Controversial opinion
• Vulnerable statement
• Strong declarative sentence
• Thought-provoking question
Or, create an open loop.
Just like this tweet.
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The mini-headline I used here was:
"Examples Of Opening Sentences To Help Digital Writers Hook Reader Attention"
Now you have your headline, write your short-form content.
And then hit publish.
Then we move on to the next step:
"Examples Of Opening Sentences To Help Digital Writers Hook Reader Attention"
Now you have your headline, write your short-form content.
And then hit publish.
Then we move on to the next step:
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Step 2: Double down on the ones that work best
Publishing your idea created some noise.
Now you're listening for signal:
• Likes
• Impressions
• Comments / Replies
Some ideas people will like, others will fall flat.
Follow the data and then move onto the final step:
Publishing your idea created some noise.
Now you're listening for signal:
• Likes
• Impressions
• Comments / Replies
Some ideas people will like, others will fall flat.
Follow the data and then move onto the final step:
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Step 3: Expand proven ideas into long-form content.
Your initial tweet was an "outline" of a longer piece of content.
Each point in your tweet can be expanded with more tips, stories, stats, etc.
Here's your short-form to long-form expansion toolkit:
Your initial tweet was an "outline" of a longer piece of content.
Each point in your tweet can be expanded with more tips, stories, stats, etc.
Here's your short-form to long-form expansion toolkit:
Dickie Bush@dickiebush
Your "toolkit" to expand ideas:
1. Tips
2. Stats
3. Steps
4. Stories
5. Quotes
6. Benefits
7. Lessons
8. Reasons
9. Mistakes
10. Examples
11. Questions
12. Resources
13. Frameworks
Use this to effortlessly turn short-form content into long-form content.
Works on any platform.
1. Tips
2. Stats
3. Steps
4. Stories
5. Quotes
6. Benefits
7. Lessons
8. Reasons
9. Mistakes
10. Examples
11. Questions
12. Resources
13. Frameworks
Use this to effortlessly turn short-form content into long-form content.
Works on any platform.
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And this thread is a perfect example:
1. I published the Steps of the Lean Writing Framework as a standalone tweet
2. It was a popular tweet, so I wrote this thread about it
3. I expanded each Step in my original tweet with Examples or more Steps to write my long-form
Boom!
1. I published the Steps of the Lean Writing Framework as a standalone tweet
2. It was a popular tweet, so I wrote this thread about it
3. I expanded each Step in my original tweet with Examples or more Steps to write my long-form
Boom!
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This is exactly how Manson and Gladwell wrote their bestsellers:
1. They took a proven piece of short-form content (a blog)
2. They expanded it with stories, examples, etc. into a book
And this is how Ryan Holiday and Morgan Housel write their bestselling books, too.
The key?
1. They took a proven piece of short-form content (a blog)
2. They expanded it with stories, examples, etc. into a book
And this is how Ryan Holiday and Morgan Housel write their bestselling books, too.
The key?
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Keep publishing ideas until you find ones that resonate.
But ramping up your short-form content volume can be tough.
So, I created a ChatGPT prompt to help you—give it a try and let me know what you think!
You can access it here for free here:
vine-perch-730.notion.site/Train-ChatGPT-…
But ramping up your short-form content volume can be tough.
So, I created a ChatGPT prompt to help you—give it a try and let me know what you think!
You can access it here for free here:
vine-perch-730.notion.site/Train-ChatGPT-…
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That's a wrap!
Here's the Lean Writing Framework again:
1. Test ideas with short-form content
2. Double down on the ones that work best
3. Expand those ideas into long-form content
Let me know in the replies what your biggest takeaway was.
Want more ChatGPT prompts?
Here's the Lean Writing Framework again:
1. Test ideas with short-form content
2. Double down on the ones that work best
3. Expand those ideas into long-form content
Let me know in the replies what your biggest takeaway was.
Want more ChatGPT prompts?
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Here's a free 5-day crash course to help you turn AI into your Digital Writing Assistant.
Join 30k other AI-driven writers:
startwritingwithai.com
Join 30k other AI-driven writers:
startwritingwithai.com