The Ladder of Trust, Writing To Solve a Problem, Consistency With Purpose & More

こんにちは Doctors & Writers,

Welcome to the 11th edition of the newsletter.

Here are 5 simple strategies to take your writing to the next level this week.

But before we get started, here’s a quick message (and exclusive invitation) just for you:

Today at a Glance:

Question: Does Your Writing Solve a Problem?

Quote: On Connecting With Readers

Framework: The Ladder of Trust

Idea: Consistency With Purpose

Video: Storytelling Like a Journalist

Question: Does Your Writing Solve a Problem?

This week's question centers on an essential purpose of writing:

Are you writing to solve a specific problem your reader is facing, or are you writing just to share information?

Here's the difference:

If you write solely to inform, your content may feel flat, lacking direction, or failing to inspire action. But once you write with a clear intent to solve a problem, everything shifts. Your writing becomes sharper, more focused, and most importantly, valuable to your readers.

So, before you start your next piece, ask yourself:

1. What specific problems are your audience struggling with?

2. What solution am I offering that's unique to my experience?

Say, for instance, you're a surgeon writing to junior doctors. Rather than just sharing general advice on time management, take it a step further. Explain your unique philosophy; the mistakes you've made, and the lessons you've learned. Structure your writing to address your readers' pain points in your style.

The clearer you are about the problem you are solving, the more powerful your writing becomes.

Here's an example to guide you:

Quote: On Connecting With Readers

The lesson: Consistency is non-negotiable when it comes to writing. When you show up with valuable insights and memorable stories day after day that also speak to your readers' problems, they are bound to continue coming back for more.

Framework: The Ladder of Trust

Writing isn't just about sharing knowledge, it's also about creating emotion and engaging your readers. As doctors, however, we prioritize the former and neglect the latter.

In the third edition of the newsletter, we discussed the ladder of abstraction, and today, we want to share our unique spin on that principle with The Ladder of Trust.

Let’s dive in:

1. Start Where Your Reader Is

Skip the drawn-out introductions. Every great piece of writing begins by meeting the reader where they are. So whether you're a doctor or a health-care founder, open with a problem your audience recognizes instantly. But don't generalize. Think about the specific frustrations and turn up the stakes: "One mistake with [x] and everything was going to fall apart".

2. Show Empathy Before Solutions

Before giving advice, take a few sentences to connect with your reader. Trust us, every reader wants to feel understood, not lectured. So emphasize you know that this specific problem takes an emotional toll with phrases like "I know" or "I've been there". Show them you've faced the same obstacles and understand their frustrations.

3. Deliver Actionable Steps With Clarity

Now, it's time to deliver concrete solutions. If you want to take things a step further, use the ladder of abstraction to guide your readers along complex ideas and simple steps. Start simple, then build toward more advanced insights. The goal is to keep it simple whilst losing no accuracy.

4. Show Real-World Impact

The last step on the ladder is to show readers the result of following your advice. For instance, you could use real-life examples, data, or case studies. These are excellent methods to reinforce your perspective and show your readers the effectiveness of your approach.

Idea: Consistency With Purpose

Consistency is not just about being present, it's about being purposeful. If you don't enjoy writing and publishing daily, your work will reflect it and your audience will notice. So instead of getting into a cycle of monotonous consistency, here's how you build consistency with purpose:

1. Start With Why, Not When

Instead of pushing for frequency and risking burnout, ask yourself, "Why am I writing this?" "What problem does my piece solve?" or "What insight does it provide?" Keep your intentions front and center as you write. Your content will flow naturally, and your audience will feel the difference.

2. Stick to a Theme

When you have a clear theme for each week or month, you create a cohesive and structured approach to your writing. For example, you can address burnout one week and follow up with strategies the next to create anticipation and collect data points. You could also use themes to focus on specific areas of your writing, like improving hooks or closing sentences for individual weeks.

Video: Storytelling Like a Journalist

Journalists know better than most how to tell interesting stories with the perfect blend of precision, clarity, fact, and emotional impact.

In this video, Johhny Harris walks through the 7 lessons he's learned from 7 years of being a journalist. Enjoy.

That’s all for this week. We hope this edition helps you deliver more focused, clear, and purposeful writing to your readers.

As always, send us a message with any questions or thoughts—we’d love to hear from you.

Have a wonderful week ahead!

— Adi and Pranav