Joachim Niclasen

4 principles for writing

I continuously think of principles for my writing. Here is the list of principles so far:

  1. Aim to surprise. If a point is obvious, I don't make it (unless it's so obvious that it's easily overlooked).

  2. Use plain language. If I can't explain a topic in plain language, it's a sign that I don't understand the topic myself. Luckily this comes natural to me when writing in English (I don't know how to use all the fancy expressions).

  3. Ideas are open-source. Almost all of the ideas that I explore, mix and otherwise use in my writing come from someone else. Knowing where I got the idea doesn't make it more useful to you.

  4. Only firsthand experiences count. I can't teach anything that I haven't experienced myself. A truth so obvious that it's often overlooked.