# Writing to Be Understood
## Metadata
- Author: [[Anne Janzer]]
- Full Title: Writing to Be Understood
- Category: #books
## Highlights
- masters at explaining complicated topics to non-expert readers. ([Location 58](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=58))
- the same methods and techniques appeared repeatedly: stories, explanatory analogies, skillful use of details, figurative language, repetition, and more. ([Location 68](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=68))
- could we reverse-engineer effective nonfiction writing? ([Location 70](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=70))
- focus beyond the words and topic, on the minds of the readers. ([Location 72](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=72))
- Your success depends on other people’s comprehension. ([Location 74](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=74))
- Skillful writers expand the sweet spot as they write. ([Location 85](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=85))
- what happens during reading. ([Location 87](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=87))
- a lot of questions. ([Location 87](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=87))
- particularly when writing to explain. ([Location 94](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=94))
- How choosing a narrow audience can broaden your reach ([Location 140](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=140))
- Yet when we write, those absent readers become less real to us, ([Location 149](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=149))
- To improve your nonfiction writing, first bring the reader back into the equation. ([Location 151](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=151))
- what you want to write, and what the reader needs to see? ([Location 155](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=155))
- To find the area of overlap, you must understand the reader’s needs and context. ([Location 157](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=157))
- This approach often results in a generic, dull description that interests no one. ([Location 166](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=166))
- No matter how compelling you find your topic, you won’t reach everyone—that’s ([Location 167](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=167))
- The more specific you are in visualizing the target reader, the more effectively you can write. ([Location 167](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=167))
- about the target audience. ([Location 168](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=168))
- Knowing your reader influences the words you choose, the sentences you craft, and even the approach you use to present your ideas. ([Location 170](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=170))
- everyone is no one. ([Location 172](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=172))
- if you want to reach a larger audience, consider concentrating more closely on a specific segment of it. ([Location 179](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=179))
- Guess what? You are now a scientist. ([Location 186](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=186))
- Human beings come with built-in us/them filtering. ([Location 197](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=197))
- people also shift identities and switch between roles quickly: ([Location 202](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=202))
- Our social identities are fluid. ([Location 203](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=203))
- buyer personas, or detailed profiles of buyers and decision-makers. ([Location 216](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=216))
- We don’t write for data or segments—we write for people. ([Location 221](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=221))
- selecting people based on their backgrounds and motivation for reading. ([Location 223](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=223))
- envision a specific individual, ([Location 227](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=227))
- three essential rules for choosing your ideal reading audience: ([Location 233](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=233))
- Writing for everyone pleases no one. ([Location 234](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=234))
- Write for people. ([Location 235](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=235))
- Daniel Pink ([Location 238](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=238))
- Balancing story and data ([Location 256](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=256))
- balance of story, data, and exposition. ([Location 258](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=258))
- writers need cognitive empathy ([Location 266](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=266))
- We need to develop empathy for people who are not present. ([Location 273](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=273))
- Cognitive empathy ([Location 275](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=275))
- the ability to take another person’s perspective. ([Location 275](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=275))
- Affective empathy ([Location 276](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=276))
- the ability to summon the appropriate emotional response ([Location 277](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=277))
- cognitive empathy helps you understand readers’ perspectives: ([Location 281](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=281))
- Sensory systems ([Location 295](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=295))
- Reasoning systems ([Location 296](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=296))
- Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow, ([Location 300](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=300))
- Emotional systems ([Location 301](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=301))
- You are writing for the reader’s entire mind, not just the rational parts. ([Location 309](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=309))
- The most effective writers don’t simply explain things—they make their ideas memorable. ([Location 312](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=312))
- activate cognitive empathy. ([Location 316](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=316))
- the Alda Method™ for Science Communication. ([Location 331](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=331))
- the same things that make you a good speaker make you a good writer. ([Location 343](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=343))
- while our technological devices may be eroding empathy, human conversation can reverse this trend. ([Location 349](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=349))
- Cognitive empathy is a natural response to another person’s perspective. Visualizing readers, talking to people, and taking improv classes are all ways to develop and refine this aptitude. ([Location 351](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=351))
- Getting to Know Your Readers ([Location 356](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=356))
- two-pronged approach: ([Location 357](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=357))
- get in front of real people, ([Location 357](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=357))
- ponder their needs when they are absent. ([Location 357](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=357))
- Hold a workshop, ([Location 358](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=358))
- proxy or stand-in for your ideal reader. ([Location 360](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=360))
- This tactic only works if you pay attention to the other person. ([Location 363](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=363))
- When other people aren’t present, imagine their needs, feelings, and context. ([Location 366](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=366))
- How will they feel about the topic? ([Location 368](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=368))
- How much will they trust you as a source? ([Location 369](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=369))
- establish your credibility without sounding self-important. ([Location 371](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=371))
- Will your writing appear within the context of a class? ([Location 372](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=372))
- Will they encounter this piece of writing as one more thing to do in a busy day? ([Location 373](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=373))
- earn their attention—inspire ([Location 374](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=374))
- What’s their motivation for reading? ([Location 375](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=375))
- Do they need a quick answer? ([Location 376](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=376))
- If you’re not sure of the answers, make a guess and move forward. ([Location 379](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=379))
- Write a letter to yourself from your ideal reader, ([Location 382](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=382))
- Your success depends on the reader, ([Location 384](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=384))
- talk to people who resemble your ideal readers. ([Location 384](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=384))
- imagine their needs and situations. ([Location 385](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=385))
- Few of your readers care about what you know, ([Location 390](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=390))
- They care about what they need or want to understand. ([Location 391](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=391))
- right amount of information without either oversimplifying the subject or overloading the reader? ([Location 394](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=394))
- Once we know something, it’s difficult to remember not knowing it. ([Location 404](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=404))
- the curse of knowledge ([Location 410](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=410))
- Get outside your own head. ([Location 416](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=416))
- Answer these three questions. ([Location 417](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=417))
- Breadth: ([Location 418](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=418))
- Depth: ([Location 419](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=419))
- Background: ([Location 419](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=419))
- There’s no easy answer to the question of how broad or deep your treatment should be. ([Location 431](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=431))
- Thoughtful writers who seek to be understood focus on fit and purpose. ([Location 432](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=432))
- Focus on serving your reader. ([Location 433](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=433))
- Simplicity isn’t always the answer. ([Location 437](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=437))
- the KISS mantra shields us from the complexity that we should understand. ([Location 442](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=442))
- When explaining complicated topics, beware of the boundary between simplicity and oversimplification. ([Location 444](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=444))
- when we ignore the true complexity of situations, bad things can happen. ([Location 446](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=446))
- Albert Einstein once said, “Make it as simple as possible, but no simpler.” ([Location 449](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=449))
- journalists covering the field to simplify the message so much that they mislead readers. ([Location 459](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=459))
- physics seem not so complicated ([Location 461](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=461))
- Note: In the case of economics, journalists make it seem so difficult that they must rely on “experts” to explain it to them.
- Deciding What to Include ([Location 466](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=466))
- two dangers to knowing your subject matter well. ([Location 473](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=473))
- you think everyone else knows it already, ([Location 474](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=474))
- you think that nobody knows this stuff, ([Location 474](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=474))
- They need the honesty to say if something is confusing.” ([Location 478](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=478))
- When writing a relatively short article or blog post, you want to get your ideas across quickly and efficiently, before you lose the reader’s attention. ([Location 479](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=479))
- If the audience will only remember two to three things from your talk, what would they be? ([Location 483](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=483))
- In writing for print, please don’t underline your key points. Let the words do that magic instead. ([Location 486](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=486))
- Loss aversion also afflicts us when writing. The more time and effort we have invested in the words, the harder it is to cut them. ([Location 489](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=489))
- companion file called “Stuff that needs a new home.” ([Location 493](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=493))
- having a home for unwanted text reduces the pain of deleting. ([Location 495](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=495))
- increasing the depth of your coverage of a topic will decrease the reach of the audience, ([Location 498](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=498))
- Make your best guesses for the following questions: What do the readers already know that is correct? What do they imagine they know about the topic? What do they believe that is wrong or incomplete? ([Location 509](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=509))
- We Think We Know More Than We Do ([Location 513](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=513))
- cognitive scientists Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach describe in their book The Knowledge Illusion: Why We Never Think Alone. ([Location 520](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=520))
- we rely on a community of knowledge. ([Location 523](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=523))
- we often don’t realize how little we understand. ([Location 525](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=525))
- the illusion of explanatory depth. ([Location 534](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=534))
- When we attempt to explain a concept, we run into the limits of our understanding. ([Location 534](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=534))
- When writing to explain, you may need to navigate the reader’s illusion that they already know enough about the topic. ([Location 536](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=536))
- You’ll have to work around their illusion of knowledge, ([Location 537](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=537))
- we’re not always discriminating about our sources. As a result, we accumulate a lot of misinformation. ([Location 539](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=539))
- Lies and BS ([Location 540](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=540))
- Individuals and institutions may knowingly propagate misinformation to manipulate public beliefs ([Location 545](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=545))
- Facebook have made it easier than ever for these stories to spread with the patina of truth and social proof, ([Location 547](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=547))
- We are quick to accept information as truth when it’s presented online, ([Location 549](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=549))
- Complex topics are fertile ground for the weeds of misinformation. ([Location 551](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=551))
- We are not comfortable with uncertainty and complexity, and sometimes would rather believe a simple idea that we can understand. ([Location 553](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=553))
- A Field Guide to Lies, the neuroscientist Daniel Levitin writes: ([Location 555](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=555))
- Liars and deceivers are not the only threat to our understanding. ([Location 559](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=559))
- Bullshitters, according to Frankfurt, misrepresent themselves. ([Location 562](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=562))
- You need to deconstruct a belief that has already taken hold in the reader’s head. ([Location 565](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=565))
- You’ll need to earn trust and lead people to a different perspective, ([Location 566](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=566))
- Survey Existing Knowledge ([Location 570](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=570))
- scope out the extent of misinformation you may face. ([Location 572](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=572))
- Many people prefer a shallow level of understanding.” ([Location 596](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=596))
- When academics write books for the general public, they sometimes overload the work with supporting evidence and citations. ([Location 602](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=602))
- Using story is an important part of writing about abstract topics. ([Location 604](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=604))
- There’s a danger that when you rely on stories, you ignore statistics. I like to buttress the story with data. ([Location 605](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=605))
- How should writers address readers who may suffer from the knowledge illusion, overestimating their existing understanding of the topic? ([Location 608](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=608))
- Telling people that they’re wrong is a great way to antagonize them. ([Location 609](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=609))
- “First, ([Location 611](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=611))
- Second, Sloman suggests that writers focus the discussion on causes and consequences instead of values. ([Location 614](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=614))
- Be concise ([Location 620](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=620))
- When you ignore the audience context, you can lose control of the narrative. ([Location 632](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=632))
- The words didn’t match the context. ([Location 635](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=635))
- What’s your audience primed to feel about your topic? ([Location 636](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=636))
- Reader Resistance ([Location 637](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=637))
- To extend your reach, consider how to approach the tough audience. ([Location 643](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=643))
- three types of potential resistance ([Location 644](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=644))
- cognitive dissonance—the ([Location 669](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=669))
- The Things We Don’t Want to Hear ([Location 672](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=672))
- We all maintain filters for the facts and data we are willing to absorb. ([Location 675](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=675))
- Michele Wucker has willingly taken on with her book The Gray Rhino: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We Ignore. ([Location 678](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=678))
- Entire societies ignore these risks as well, including problems like financial bubbles, growing inequalities, and climate change. ([Location 683](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=683))
- A Gray Rhino is a highly probable, high-impact threat: ([Location 685](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=685))
- Wading into Deeper Values ([Location 692](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=692))
- reason versus belief. ([Location 694](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=694))
- Modern-day writers may not realize when they trespass on deeply held beliefs. ([Location 698](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=698))
- When writing to explain or convince people, recognize if you’re not dealing in the realm of reason alone, ([Location 702](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=702))
- Dave Gray ([Location 705](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=705))
- Liminal Thinking: Create the Change You Want by Changing the Way You Think, ([Location 705](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=705))
- Beliefs are unconsciously defended by a bubble of self-sealing logic, ([Location 707](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=707))
- The Moral Taste Buds ([Location 718](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=718))
- The Righteous Mind, ([Location 719](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=719))
- Jonathan Haidt ([Location 719](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=719))
- Haidt suggests that many political divides result from mismatched moral foundations. ([Location 727](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=727))
- You cannot simply reason away a reader’s deeper beliefs. ([Location 730](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=730))
- Moral reasoning is sometimes a post hoc fabrication. ([Location 732](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=732))
- Given those different foundations, people will always disagree about what’s right. ([Location 733](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=733))
- Blindness to the other side’s beliefs deepens our divides. ([Location 735](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=735))
- what doesn’t work. ([Location 744](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=744))
- Data, data, and more data. ([Location 745](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=745))
- “If you give people facts without a story, they will explain it within their existing belief system.” ([Location 750](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=750))
- Lecturing. ([Location 751](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=751))
- Beware of condescension and telling people how to think. Instead, help the reader see through another’s eyes. ([Location 753](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=753))
- Insisting on being right. ([Location 754](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=754))
- To change someone’s mind, guide them as they draw their own conclusions. ([Location 755](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=755))
- first you must understand your own. ([Location 758](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=758))
- stop first to consider what you may be taking for granted. ([Location 760](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=760))
- Emotional self-awareness, then, is the first part of the battle. ([Location 766](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=766))
- “You may want to bifurcate yourself into two personalities—the writer and the editor. ([Location 768](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=768))
- Fortified with a better understanding of your own biases, you’re ready to try to cross the divide. ([Location 770](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=770))
- Anchor the discussion around the beliefs that are important to your audience. ([Location 772](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=772))
- Don’t expect complete success. ([Location 783](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=783))
- “Who is your audience, and what do you want them to do or think differently because they read this piece? ([Location 798](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=798))
- “Write to hope, not just to fear. ([Location 807](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=807))
- Don’t preach. ([Location 811](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=811))
- Don’t bombard people with facts, ([Location 811](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=811))
- Steer clear of anything that sounds like a personal attack; ([Location 812](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=812))
- Don’t use hot-button words ([Location 814](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=814))
- Don’t expect to reach everyone ([Location 815](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=815))
- It’s tough to get people curious about topics in which they have little background knowledge. ([Location 829](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=829))
- Psychologist George Loewenstein defines human curiosity as a desire to fill an unmet need. ([Location 839](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=839))
- intrinsic desire to learn, ([Location 847](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=847))
- satisfying an unmet need to eliminate uncertainty. ([Location 847](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=847))
- knowledge gap as something that is fun to bridge, rather than painful to experience. ([Location 848](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=848))
- induce a knowledge gap: expose contradictions, paradoxes, or puzzles, or pose an intriguing question. ([Location 853](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=853))
- Don’t make the gap too wide. ([Location 854](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=854))
- We tend to be interested when we know quite a bit but feel that there is more to be learned. ([Location 858](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=858))
- Of the nonfiction books intended for a general audience on my bookshelf, a large percentage begin with a story that, at first glance, has nothing to do with the title of the book. ([Location 865](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=865))
- first job is to catch the reader’s attention. ([Location 870](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=870))
- The most effective hooks either pitch a powerful benefit or activate the reader’s curiosity. ([Location 878](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=878))
- For a blog post, the starting promise may be expressed in the title and opening few sentences. ([Location 882](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=882))
- The middle of the story may make the most intriguing starting point. ([Location 885](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=885))
- think like a clickbait writer, then dial it way back. ([Location 899](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=899))
- Novelty: ([Location 907](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=907))
- Unexpectedness: ([Location 908](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=908))
- Personal relevance ([Location 909](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=909))
- battle for the reader’s attention ([Location 914](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=914))
- the title and the introduction. ([Location 915](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=915))
- leading with a benefit or appealing to curiosity. ([Location 924](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=924))
- Find a good starting point, then bring the reader along with you. ([Location 927](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=927))
- Finding his ideal readers ([Location 941](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=941))
- personal curiosity led to the book. I can relate to that. ([Location 944](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=944))
- he uses his own interest levels as a guidepost. “If I’m not curious about the topic, the reader won’t be. ([Location 945](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=945))
- “I take complex ideas and save the reader thousands of hours reading journals and academic publications.” ([Location 947](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=947))
- he treats his readers the way that he, as a reader, hopes to be treated. ([Location 950](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=950))
- four stages: the Trigger, the Action, the Variable Reward, and the Investment. ([Location 952](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=952))
- I want the reader to have an unanswered question in their mind. ([Location 957](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=957))
- Using pictures ([Location 959](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=959))
- the diagram helps him focus on the essentials of the topic. ([Location 962](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=962))
- you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it. Once you can visualize the idea, everything changes.” ([Location 962](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=962))
- what to cover ([Location 963](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=963))
- what to leave out ([Location 964](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=964))
- examples help us remember and understand abstractions ([Location 971](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=971))
- lead with the abstract, then get to the detail ([Location 972](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=972))
- We cannot see or touch these concepts. They exist entirely in the brain’s higher-order, abstract thought processes. ([Location 977](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=977))
- Human beings are adept at abstraction. ([Location 978](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=978))
- The amount of work going on is referred to as cognitive load. ([Location 989](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=989))
- impose too much cognitive load on a reader, there’s a good chance that their attention will wander. ([Location 991](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=991))
- Adding grammatical complexity to subject complexity can overload the reader who is an outsider to your field. ([Location 999](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=999))
- Go through your work and differentiate between the following: ([Location 1004](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1004))
- Necessary vocabulary: ([Location 1005](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1005))
- Unnecessary terminology: ([Location 1006](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1006))
- Illustrating the Abstract with Concrete Examples ([Location 1012](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1012))
- All advanced learning is grounded in the interplay of abstraction and detail. ([Location 1015](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1015))
- one of two traps. ([Location 1016](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1016))
- The conclusion-only approach: ([Location 1017](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1017))
- The linear thinking approach: ([Location 1019](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1019))
- When writing for a general audience, try alternating between theory and example, abstraction and detail. ([Location 1024](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1024))
- So details are important, but when and how should you use them? ([Location 1029](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1029))
- pay careful attention to the cadence of abstraction and detail. ([Location 1030](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1030))
- teachers shouldn’t dive into details unless they have created the context for them. ([Location 1031](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1031))
- you want people to be able to pay attention, don’t start with the details. ([Location 1033](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1033))
- Data is a special kind of concrete detail that both illustrates and supports theories. ([Location 1040](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1040))
- data is an ingredient, not the finished product ([Location 1042](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1042))
- If data doesn’t advance the narrative or illustrate a relevant point, then it belongs in the endnotes, not the body of the text. ([Location 1047](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1047))
- Working with Abstractions ([Location 1050](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1050))
- Make sure the abstract concepts don’t create barriers for readers unfamiliar with your field. ([Location 1052](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1052))
- Notice the abstract terms in your writing. ([Location 1055](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1055))
- Remember, you want the reader to invest their cognitive load on understanding your topic, not decoding the words you use. ([Location 1059](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1059))
- For those necessary abstractions, determine which ones might be unfamiliar to the reader. ([Location 1060](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1060))
- Writers who are expert explainers alternate between detail and theory, ([Location 1071](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1071))
- Tactics to try ([Location 1072](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1072))
- Cassidy teaches the readers about logical reasoning with nonsensical or absurd ([Location 1096](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1096))
- examples, such as pretzels that eat people, or microphones drinking coffee. ([Location 1097](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1097))
- “People think they know stuff and will guess the answers ([Location 1099](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1099))
- “I had to learn not to be afraid to write in my own voice. ([Location 1108](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1108))
- I’d rather be loved by a few.” ([Location 1110](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1110))
- Nonfiction authors stalk analogies the way big-game hunters track elusive prey. ([Location 1118](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1118))
- Analogies are accelerants for the fire of understanding. ([Location 1120](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1120))
- Getting analogies right is tricky. ([Location 1126](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1126))
- Analogies can activate the reader’s curiosity as well as sensory processing and emotions. ([Location 1135](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1135))
- The effectiveness of the analogy depends on two key factors: whether the reader is familiar with the subject of the comparison, and how well it fits the topic being explained. ([Location 1148](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1148))
- background. A foundational analogy doesn’t have to be familiar to the audience at the start, because you can spend time elaborating on it. ([Location 1153](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1153))
- black swans as symbols for the improbable. ([Location 1157](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1157))
- Foundational analogies are particularly tricky. ([Location 1170](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1170))
- What type of analogy do you need? ([Location 1185](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1185))
- Search for the right analogy ([Location 1190](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1190))
- nothing is more frustrating than encountering an analogy that doesn’t make sense. ([Location 1207](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1207))
- images you choose may resonate with readers’ memories and emotions in ways that you don’t anticipate. ([Location 1211](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1211))
- ask yourself the following questions: ([Location 1213](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1213))
- reframed the way I thought about telling stories, ([Location 1229](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1229))
- If you avoid anecdotes altogether, you’ll miss out on a valuable writing tool. ([Location 1233](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1233))
- Stories synchronize our brains. ([Location 1257](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1257))
- To get better at telling tales, practice. Here’s the important point: You can start quite simply. ([Location 1261](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1261))
- A short, one- or two-sentence tale can bring your point to life. ([Location 1265](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1265))
- Scientists create theories and then test them. Every test could be a story. ([Location 1282](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1282))
- Note: Encourage people to test concepts described.
- frame the abstract topic on a relatable, human scale. ([Location 1284](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1284))
- stories do not cloak reality but create it, ([Location 1295](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1295))
- Stories are not just stories; they are the best invention ever created for delivering mental models that drive behavior. ([Location 1297](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1297))
- We think, theorize, and learn in abstractions, grouping and manipulating levels of detail and categories of things or ideas. ([Location 1308](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1308))
- They may look for experiences that either confirm or deny your theory. Why not provide those concrete examples in stories? ([Location 1310](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1310))
- people remember stories, not data. ([Location 1315](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1315))
- The right stories are memorable. ([Location 1325](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1325))
- Dr. Dawn Gross, ([Location 1334](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1334))
- turning experience into expertise. ([Location 1337](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1337))
- Stories are great in the right context, but they aren’t the only way to communicate information. ([Location 1358](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1358))
- Story selection also matters. ([Location 1361](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1361))
- Sometimes, pattern-matching processes happen beyond conscious thought. ([Location 1367](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1367))
- cognitive fallacy called the availability bias, ([Location 1372](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1372))
- Anecdotes can overwhelm the data, so select the tales that most accurately represent the reality. ([Location 1374](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1374))
- Here are a few guidelines. ([Location 1382](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1382))
- Start small ([Location 1382](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1382))
- Mine your personal experience ([Location 1385](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1385))
- Find the naturally occurring stories ([Location 1388](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1388))
- Use stories judiciously ([Location 1397](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1397))
- Don’t take too long to tell your story… ([Location 1400](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1400))
- Three rules for reticent storytellers Start small; consider crafting a short scene rather than a long tale. Mine your own experiences. Shorter is safer. ([Location 1402](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1402))
- The artful use of reiteration can make all the difference in being understood. ([Location 1422](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1422))
- If you want people to learn from your writing, repeat yourself. ([Location 1432](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1432))
- chronobiological pattern ([Location 1440](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1440))
- peak, trough, recovery. ([Location 1441](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1441))
- If you want people to internalize and remember critical ideas, they need to encounter them more than once. ([Location 1445](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1445))
- you need to find ways to repeat that don’t sound like repeating.” ([Location 1455](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1455))
- rephrase when you reiterate—you ([Location 1456](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1456))
- We can build repetition into the format of our work. ([Location 1461](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1461))
- Within a blog post, article, or book, subheadings add structural cues for people who skim, while simultaneously reinforcing key points. ([Location 1464](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1464))
- To conclude (and repeat), reiteration fuels learning and memory. ([Location 1469](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1469))
- get creative about making repetition a valuable part of the text. ([Location 1480](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1480))
- Writers convey personality and tone through the ideas we present, the words we use to encapsulate those ideas, and the sentences and paragraph structures in which we put those words. ([Location 1500](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1500))
- Nothing kills the reader’s curiosity or interest as quickly as a lecturing, condescending tone. ([Location 1503](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1503))
- tone as: “style or manner of expression in tone or speaking.” So, tone is style? ([Location 1507](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1507))
- Style belongs to the writer, and tone to the reader. ([Location 1510](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1510))
- Voice: ([Location 1511](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1511))
- Tone: ([Location 1512](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1512))
- Style: ([Location 1514](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1514))
- techniques and methods by which you communicate tone. ([Location 1514](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1514))
- You have the opportunity to change the natural writing voice in revision, through the mechanics of style. ([Location 1519](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1519))
- academic style assumes a committed reader and a trusted writer. ([Location 1525](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1525))
- Identify the tone you want to communicate, and then let that decision guide stylistic decisions. ([Location 1535](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1535))
- conversational tone ([Location 1537](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1537))
- When it comes to mechanics, writing is nothing like speaking. ([Location 1540](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1540))
- Please don’t write exactly as you speak. Readers need more clarity than that. ([Location 1547](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1547))
- unidirectional, one-to-many broadcast of information between individuals who are not present with each other. ([Location 1551](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1551))
- Written words reassemble themselves in the reader’s mind. ([Location 1553](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1553))
- Conversational writing is better, more efficient, and clearer than ordinary speech, but puts the reader at ease as if you were in an informal discussion. ([Location 1556](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1556))
- Start with your desired tone, then make stylistic choices. ([Location 1560](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1560))
- four elements of your writing style: ([Location 1566](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1566))
- jargon can hijack the tone you intend to convey. ([Location 1572](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1572))
- try lightening up on the visual density. ([Location 1596](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1596))
- Briefer sentences communicate more effectively, particularly for people reading online. ([Location 1603](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1603))
- When we read about an image, we visualize it. ([Location 1618](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1618))
- Nonfiction writers can leverage the power of images to connect with their readers’ minds. ([Location 1620](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1620))
- Imagery doesn’t have to be visual; ([Location 1621](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1621))
- A metaphor claims two things are the same when, taken literally, they are not. ([Location 1624](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1624))
- A simile makes the comparison explicit, usually with the words like or as. ([Location 1627](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1627))
- figurative language is one of the most powerful weapons you can wield. ([Location 1632](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1632))
- Level One: ([Location 1637](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1637))
- Reader’s Attention ([Location 1637](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1637))
- Metaphors have the added benefit of the element of surprise. ([Location 1641](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1641))
- One reader’s cliché is another’s fresh insight. ([Location 1660](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1660))
- Level Two: ([Location 1662](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1662))
- Deepening Your Connection ([Location 1662](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1662))
- Level Three: ([Location 1671](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1671))
- Insight ([Location 1671](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1671))
- Don’t wait too long before explaining an unfamiliar metaphor. ([Location 1680](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1680))
- careless application of metaphors and images can have unintended consequences. ([Location 1687](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1687))
- The earlier, emotional systems in our brains don’t differentiate clearly between figurative language and reality. ([Location 1695](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1695))
- Metaphors Can Mislead ([Location 1706](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1706))
- Hossenfelder finds that people seize on those metaphors too literally. ([Location 1708](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1708))
- Science writers should be more careful to point out when we are using metaphors. ([Location 1711](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1711))
- Choose familiar images ([Location 1717](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1717))
- success depends on the reader. ([Location 1721](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1721))
- Watch out for negative or emotionally charged images ([Location 1722](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1722))
- Hidden pictures in idioms and figures of speech ([Location 1725](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1725))
- Negative images: ([Location 1728](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1728))
- Cultural biases: ([Location 1731](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1731))
- Translation troubles: ([Location 1734](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1734))
- Don’t become too attached ([Location 1736](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1736))
- They treat you, the reader, with respect, and themselves with humility. ([Location 1753](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1753))
- Humility disarms the reader and paves the way for deeper connections. ([Location 1754](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1754))
- A linear recitation of activities can bore the reader who is not yet hooked into the topic. ([Location 1767](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1767))
- negative relationship between complexity and judged intelligence.” ([Location 1792](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1792))
- the easier you make it for readers to understand your topic, the smarter they think you are. ([Location 1793](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1793))
- “It’s not a safe, easy world. To do the things that matter, we have to step into the hard things that may happen. That doesn’t mean we step in naively, or without strategy or intention.” ([Location 1811](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1811))
- The word credible means believable. To be believed, you must first be understood. ([Location 1814](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1814))
- When you’re writing about complicated or abstract topics, bring a person into view, even if that person is yourself. ([Location 1817](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1817))
- Nearly every topic has a human angle. ([Location 1825](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1825))
- If you are excited or enthusiastic about your subject, let it show in the writing. ([Location 1830](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1830))
- Readers will have varying degrees of tolerance for personal information. ([Location 1833](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1833))
- add a dash of humility as well. ([Location 1835](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1835))
- Humility in writing is not false modesty, ([Location 1836](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1836))
- Admitting to human foibles ([Location 1838](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1838))
- Respecting the reader ([Location 1838](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1838))
- Humility, done right, enhances credibility. ([Location 1839](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1839))
- the spill didn’t make the smart, ([Location 1858](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1858))
- It did, however, make them more human. ([Location 1859](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1859))
- When you respect the reader’s intelligence and motives, you won’t stray into lecturing or condescension. ([Location 1861](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1861))
- When you think of the reader as your equal—perhaps not in subject matter expertise, but in other ways—you escape the curse of condescension. ([Location 1863](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1863))
- Treat humanity and humility like spices in cooking: a little goes a long way. ([Location 1868](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1868))
- Put your credentials in your author biography, outside of the main flow of the work. ([Location 1874](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1874))
- Offer your readers ways to connect with you personally, ([Location 1878](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1878))
- Humility is about narrowing the distance between yourself and the reader, ([Location 1884](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1884))
- Humanity and humility in your writing can reinforce, not erode, your credibility and effectiveness. ([Location 1888](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1888))
- Credibility is granted by the reader, ([Location 1889](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1889))
- give them a glimpse of yourself as a real person. ([Location 1891](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1891))
- small amount of vulnerability ([Location 1891](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1891))
- earn the reader’s attention or trust. ([Location 1891](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1891))
- “John Oliver Effect” and demonstrate the power of humor when dealing with complex issues. ([Location 1904](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1904))
- to be funny, a joke must 1) violate a subjective expectation, and 2) still represent a normal situation. ([Location 1913](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1913))
- humor is subjective. ([Location 1916](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1916))
- The Humor Code ([Location 1925](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1925))
- Peter McGraw and journalist Joel Warner. ([Location 1926](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1926))
- Humor helps us make sense of unexpected situations. ([Location 1929](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1929))
- Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, ([Location 1932](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1932))
- “benign violation” theory of humor? ([Location 1939](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1939))
- humor offers a humanizing dimension in healthcare that is too valuable to be overlooked. ([Location 1943](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1943))
- Self-deprecating humor can have a similar effect. A small dose makes you seem more human. ([Location 1945](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1945))
- you poke fun at yourself, others are less likely to take offense. ([Location 1947](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1947))
- focus on having fun rather than being funny. ([Location 1957](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1957))
- Timing is critical. ([Location 1966](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1966))
- Vary perspectives. ([Location 1969](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1969))
- In writing, you can create “guest star” appearances through quotes or stories. ([Location 1970](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1970))
- Use an upbeat ending. ([Location 1970](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1970))
- Aim for a smile rather than a guffaw. ([Location 1974](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1974))
- Deploy humor in service of the content, not the other way around. ([Location 1974](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1974))
- “Imagine yourself sitting and talking with friends or colleagues explaining your topic. ([Location 1991](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=1991))
- take steps to broaden the impact of your message. ([Location 2015](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=2015))
- finding a balance that suits your audience and becomes your personal style. ([Location 2017](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=2017))
- These formulas are like training wheels. ([Location 2026](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=2026))
- In seeking to be understood, we face the wide variations of the human condition. ([Location 2031](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=2031))
- I’ve always relied a great deal on my gut instincts when writing. ([Location 2054](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=2054))
- The best authors balance intentional craft with compassion for the reader and insight into what works for them. ([Location 2055](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=2055))
- Select a few methods from this book and adopt them in your writing. ([Location 2060](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07G3JT7K4&location=2060))