Katie Riegel

Producer, Marketer & Broadway lover. Founder @KRPInteractive. Marketing @GhostlightRcrds. Wife @rypow. Mom. She/her. Allow us to #ImmunizeUnder5s now.

[Dickie Bush 🚢 @dickiebush]

The GODFATHER of Advertising:

David Ogilvy.

Back in 1982, David wrote an internal memo to the employees of his advertising agency titled "How to write."

And in just 10 bullets he put together a masterclass in effective writing.

Here's a breakdown of each one

—

The memo starts with a clear *why*

"The better you write, the higher you will go in Ogilvy & Mather.

People who think well, write well.

Good writing is not a natural gift. You have to learn to write well."

Replace "Ogilvy & Mather" with any company and this holds true.

Now, onto the bullets.

1. Read the Roman-Raphelson book on writing. Read it three times.

Every company on Earth would be a better place if this book was required reading before email permissions were given.

If you are still sending emails with Walls of Text, order this.

2. Write the way you talk. Naturally.

"Finding your writing voice" is a waste of time.

You already have your voice - the one you use every day.

How to start using it in your writing?

• Choose a topic
• Record yourself talking about it

Then, transcribe it and start there.

3. Use short words, short sentences, and short paragraphs.

This one takes practice.

But the easiest way to find when you're being too wordy?

Read everything aloud before you publish it.

When you find yourself getting caught up, it's a sign you need to simplify.

4. Never use jargon words like "reconceptualizes, demassification, attitudinally, judgementally."

Here's how to think about jargon;

When you see someone using it, they're hiding their lack of understanding.

An easy solution: pretend you are writing to an 8th grader.

5. Never write more than two pages on any subject.

99% of books should be blog posts. And 99% of blog posts should be tweets.

I would preface this by saying: never *publish* more than two pages on any subject.

If it can't fit in two pages, it should be simpler.

6. Check your quotations.

This one is simple enough. Misquotes are unforced errors.

7. Never send a letter or memo on the day you write it. Read it aloud the next morning, then edit it.

This is the number one piece of writing advice I can give people.

If you are publishing something important, always, always, give it room to breathe.

And always read it aloud.

8. If it is important, get a colleague to improve it.

This pairs nicely with point number 7. If it's something really important, write it, give it a day, edit it, and then send it to a colleague.

9. Before you send your letter or memo, make sure it is crystal clear what you want the recipient to do.

So simple, but easy to forget.

Put yourself in the reader's shoes and identify exactly the next step they should take after reading.

Then, articulate those steps for them.

10. If you want ACTION, don't write. Go and tell the guy what you want.

Last and most importantly, writing is never a replacement for a targeted conversation.

In fact, most emails and messages should be direct conversations, especially ones that require action.

To summarize these 10 points:

• Never use jargon
• Use shorter words
• Write how you talk
• Check your quotations
• Read "Writing That Works"
• Give your writing time to breathe
• Get edits on important messages
• Never write more than two pages

Staple these on your desktop.

--

Boom—that's it.

Which tip was your favorite?

Hit reply and leave a comment to let me know!

And if you found this post helpful, could you like, bookmark, and share it so others can find it as well? I appreciate it!

--

PS...

If you're looking to start writing online, check the first link in the replies to this tweet for a free 13,000-word Ultimate Guide with everything you need to get started.

[George Mack @george__mack]

The most useful razors and rules I've found:

1. Bragging Razor - If someone brags about their success or happiness, assume it’s half what they claim

If someone downplays their success or happiness, assume it’s double what they claim

2. High Agency Razor - If unsure who to work with, pick the person that has the best chances of breaking you out of a 3rd world prison.

3. The Early-Late Razor - If it's a talking point on Reddit, you might be early. If it's a talking point on LinkedIn, you're definitely late.

4. Luck Razor - If stuck with 2 equal options, pick the one that feels like it will produce the most luck later down the line.

I used this razor to go for drinks with a stranger rather than watch Netflix. In hindsight, it was the highest ROI decision I've ever made.

5. Buffett's Law - "The value of every business is 100% subject to government interest rates" - Warren Buffett

6. The 7-Figure Razor - If someone brags about "7 figures" -- assume it's closer to $1 million than $9 million.

7. Mack's Rule - Break down the investments your parents made in you: Time, Love, Energy, and Money.

If they are still alive, aim to hit a positive ROI (or at least break even.)

8. Instagram Razor - When you see a photo of an influencer looking attractive on Instagram -- assume there are 99 worse variations of that photo you haven't seen.

They just picked the best one.

9. Narcissism Razor - If worried about people's opinions, remember they are too busy worrying about other people's opinions of them. 99% of the time you're an extra in someone else's movie

10. Everyday Razor - If you go from doing a task weekly to daily, you achieve 7 years of output in 1 year. If you apply a 1% compound interest each time, you achieve 54 years of output in 1 year.

11. Bezos Razor - If unsure what action to pick, let your 90-year-old self on death bed choose it.

12. Creativity Razor - If struggling to think creatively about a subject, transform it:

• Turn a thought into a written idea.
• A written idea into a drawing.
• A drawing into an equation.
• An equation into a conversation.

In the process of transforming it, you begin to spot new creative connections.

13. The Roman Empire Razor - Historians now recognize the Roman Empire fell in 476 - but it wasn't acknowledged by Roman society until many generations later.

If you wait for the media to inform you, you'll either be wrong or too late.

14. Physics Razor - If it doesn't deny the law of physics, then assume it's possible. Do not confuse society's current lack of knowledge -- with this knowledge being impossible to attain.

E.g. The smartphone seems impossible to someone from the 1800s -- but it was possible, they just had a lack of knowledge.

15. Skinner's Law - If procrastinating, you have 2 ways to solve it:

• Make the pain of inaction > Pain of action
• Make the pleasure of action > Pleasure of inaction

16. Network Razor - If you have 2 quality people that would benefit from an intro to one another, always do it.

Networks don't divide as you share them, they multiply.

17. Gell-Mann Razor - Assume every media article contains a % of false information.

Sandbox the article from your worldview until you've:

• Seen primary sources
• Spoken to 3 domain experts

18. Taleb's Surgeon - If presented with two equal candidates for a role, pick the one with the least amount of charisma.

The uncharismatic one has got there despite their lack of charisma. The charismatic one has got there with the aid of their charisma.

[Bernie Sanders @BernieSanders]

It's time for us to move to a 32-hour work week with no loss in pay. Technology and worker productivity has exploded in recent years. That transformation should benefit all, not just the few. It should create more time for friends, for family, for rest, and for relaxation.

[beca grimm @becagrimm]

I know pregnant people get hate for talking about pregnancy a lot, but I promise you we stay pretty damn quiet for how absolutely unhinged and alien the experience is—despite being a fairly universal one

[Naomi Fisher @naomicfisher]

What would happen if we saw school related distress as feedback on the system? As a psychologist, I meet many children who are distressed by school. Usually I’m being asked to change that. Can I make them less anxious? Can I make them attend without protest? 1/

[Katie Riegel @rieglet]

@clhubes My almost 5-year-old is a Valentine's Day baby. I like that I can focus on him that day. Fair warning, though, that my induction started at 1am on the 13th.

[Ragen Chastain (she/her) @danceswithfat]

You can't "ruin" food by adding fat to it. Dressing doesn't ruin the salad, you're still eating vegetables. Sour cream doesn't ruin a potato. The nutrients are all still there (some absorb better when eaten w/ fat!) "Ruining nutritious food" by adding fat is a diet culture lie.

[Katie Riegel @rieglet]

@Scamandalous I have horrible fear of getting stuck in an elevator underground and would probably choose to carry my stroller down the stairs. Sorry to everyone. 😞

[Katie Riegel @rieglet]

@Lawmamabear1 I'm so confused as to how to actually go about enrolling or switching to this new study. Do you contact the locations directly?

[Mallie @therealmallie_]

Our first Christmas as parents (2020): Yes we're trying to minimize consumerism and screen time, so please stick to wooden toys without batteries

Our second Christmas with two kids (2022): Yeah they like anything related to Paw Patrol, which we watch 12 hours a day

[Katie Riegel @rieglet]

@MamaWeasleyy @Lawmamabear1 DC Meridian site says they start in January, but don't have an exact date. They're putting interested families on a list if you call.

[Katie Riegel @rieglet]

This is fascinating and makes a lot of sense to me.

[Eric Topol @EricTopol]

Vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA), 3-4 minute bursts per day, associated with ~40% reduction of all-cause mortality, cancer and cardiovascular mortality https://t.co/BoGmigjqWl @NatureMedicine @ma_hamer @M_Stamatakis

[Katie Riegel @rieglet]

GO CUZ!

[Eden Riegel @edenriegel]

Heading to the Children and Family Emmys! Wish me luck!!!

[Holland Taylor @HollandTaylor]

For all home testing with Binax, other antigen tests: Omicron lives in the saliva & all mouth surfaces, swab should include roof, inner cheeks, throat-Then swab the nose for 10 seconds deep in each nostril. This is really important, people depend on these tests to be with others!