I started listening to David Kadavy’s Love Your Work podcast over the past few weeks. One episode that really struck me was on reading in layers. I am also in the process of tidying up my home so I had a queue of books I wanted to read, but don’t spark joy. Kondo would tell me to donate the books, because if I hadn’t read them I likely won’t.
Instead, what I am going to do is try to quickly read through the queue of books using Kadavy’s method to discover whether any of them spark joy and donate those that do not. I am going to document my efforts for each book here similar to http://sivers.org/book.
The most important tool in the workplace and at home is communication. Strunk and White take the rules of the language and add some pointers for style. As more and more communication moves to digital, written word is key. Take it from 37signals, hire the better writer.
Am I going to read more of it? Yes
Does the book spark joy? Yes
16. Use definite, specific, concrete language.
…deal in particulars and report the details that matter.
17. Omit needless words.
A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences…
…that every word tell.
22. Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end.
III. A Few Matters of Form
IV. Words and Expressions Commonly Misused
2. Write in a way that comes naturally.
3. Work from a suitable design.
This does not mean that you must sit with a blueprint always in front of you, merely that you had best anticipate what you are getting into.
5. Revise and rewrite.
7. Do not overstate.
A single overstatement, wherever or however it occurs, diminishes the whole…
8. Avoid the use of qualifiers.
Rather, very, little, pretty—these are the leeches that infest the pond of prose…
14. Avoid fancy words.
16. Be clear.
Clarity, clarity, clarity. When you become hopelessly mired in a sentence, it is best to start fresh…
But think of the tragedies that are rooted in abiguity; think of that side, and be clear!
19. Do not take shortcuts at the cost of clarity.
…the only truly reliable shortcut in writing is to choose words that are strong and sure-footed to carry the reader on his way.
21. Prefer the standard to the offbeat.