The Open Loop, How To Write Content That Gets Eyeballs, Process vs Outcome & More

Halló Doctors & Writers

Welcome to the 17th edition of the newsletter.

This week, we’re going to share one of the most powerful writing techniques to keep your readers hooked, and several perspective shifts to help make your sentences sing.

Let's dive in.

Today at a Glance:

Question: Are You Writing For Yourself or Everyone Else?

Quote: On the Power of Curiosity

Framework: The Open Loop

Idea: Process vs Outcome

Video: How To Write Content That Gets Eyeballs

Question: Are You Writing For Yourself or Everyone Else?

The fastest way to lose your audience is by writing purely from the perspective of what you want to say rather than what your audience wants to read. If your writing is too personal, it should be a journal entry, and if it tries to engage the reader too much, it feels redundant and forgettable.

The key is to find a balance between the two with this week's question:

Are you writing for yourself or everyone else?

A good way to practice is to write as if you're writing to yourself from five years ago.

Think about some lessons and decisions that you could have made that would have helped you back then.

This creates a natural connection and gives your words a purpose for both sides. You aren't diluting your message and you aren't overthinking your audience's response. Instead, you're being honest, transparent, and sharing a perspective that could benefit your reader and one you wish you'd known a few years prior.

Quote: On the Power of Curiosity

The lesson: Great opening lines invite your readers into your story. Without it, they're guaranteed to scroll past. Take your readers right into action. Skip the formalities and give them a reason to invest in your writing right from the first few lines. Once you capture attention effectively (such as with questions, alterations in tone, or by creating a sense of urgency) you'll also sustain their interest from start to finish.

Framework: The Open Loop

Let's continue building on the principle from this week's quote with the open loop. This is a classic framework in the world of copywriting, and why it works so well comes down to one simple reason:

Open loops leverage the human brain's need for closure.

Many times, because of an open loop, we are psychologically persuaded to read a piece of writing without even realizing it. Once you know it exists, you'll see it everywhere; from social media posts and books to newsletters and advertisements.

Now, this technique isn't easy to execute, but the essence is simple:

Subtly present information at the start of your writing in a way that shares a part of a story, solution, or statement, without giving everything away.

This, as you'd expect, urges readers to stick around till the end to find out what it is.

Here's a few simple ways you can use it in your writing:

1. Identify The Core

What's the most intriguing part of your message? It could be anything that stands out like a surprising fact or an unusual observation. Pick out a statement or question from your writing that gives your readers just enough to heighten their curiosity whilst leaving a bit of room for mystery.

2. Create an Open Loop

Within the opening section of your text, introduce your main point, but stop just short of fully explaining it. It’s similar to a movie or TV show where you know what's coming, but there's a certain level of uncertainty that keeps you guessing. In writing, this open loop paired with an effective core keeps readers hooked and eager to continue reading.

3. Deliver on The Promise

The open loop only works if you deliver. This means completing your story by explaining the outcome or revealing what you learned from it. But make sure the commitment of your reader is worth the anticipation. Set it up well and there's no question your readers will gladly follow along until the end to find the answer.

Idea: Process vs Outcome

A couple of weeks ago, one member of our community mentioned that one of their goals was to reduce the time it took them to get their writing by 50% or more.

We've seen this point arise many times in the past, and whilst we're huge advocates for efficiency, our perspective on this topic has changed in recent weeks.

You see, while there’s logic behind speeding up the writing process, especially when you’re balancing a packed schedule, it also presents a potential roadblock:

Getting things done faster can make you forget what makes the work matter.

Here's another way of looking at it:

You build mastery through the process, no matter how slow it is.

Reworking sentences, researching arguments, and clarifying your thoughts is not a waste of time. It's actually what transforms your writing from good to great.

Instead, make your writing process more focused. Take away the distractions. Block out a few dedicated hours, and once that time is up, give yourself permission to stop, reflect, and revisit with fresh eyes at a later time.

With experience, you might just recognize that writing better matters more than writing faster.

Video: How To Write Content That Gets Eyeballs

One of the greatest challenges of new writers is to get their work the attention and audience it deserves.

At the start, social writing is an uphill struggle.

But with the understanding of a few fundamental principles, such as the one beautifully explained by Sam Parr in this week's video, you can dramatically improve the reach and resonance of your words.

Enjoy!

Alright, that’s all for this week’s newsletter.

We hope you found this edition helpful.

As always, feel free to hit reply with any thoughts, feedback, or questions—we’re here to help.

Happy writing!

– Adi and Pranav

Co-founders, Doctors & Writers

P.S. You can catch the preview and full episode of this week's podcast right here! (we hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording!)