I want to get better at writing.
Writing long-form pieces accomplishes a few things:
It sharpens your thinking regarding the topic. You can hide a lot of sloppy thinking in bullet points and presentations. If I need to write a narrative then I am forced to clarify not only the flow of logic, but also fill in the gaps. I need to construct sentences along with supporting evidence instead of hiding it behind the verbal voice-over in the presentation. Pictures are worth a thousand words, but if none of it is articulated then a picture is just a picture. Additionally, writing creates a natural feedback loop about the topic when I read what I write. This elevates the quality of the overall message as I am more able to clearly ensure the every piece of the overall written message contributes well to the narrative.
I am drawn to the famous 6-pager memo format at Amazon, which espouses similar values to why they require a written narrative instead of PowerPoint presentations. I found this post by a former Amazon employee describing the memo structure they used to be enlightening as I struggle with structuring my thoughts.
I also expect writing will improve my own mental acuity and endurance. There is a grind to writing where you go through iterations and edits, and sometimes every word has to be toiled over to find the right message clearly communicated. Like many of the most amazing artifacts in life, there is incredible value created in the countless unseen hours that went into a final result. I believe there is no shortcut to getting better at that journey then walking through it over and again.
