Writing That Sticks, Keeping Your Readers Guessing, Beginning With The End & More

Happy Monday Doctors and Writers,

Welcome to the 21st edition of the newsletter.

This week we're going to be focusing on one simple lesson:

How to write something that gets remembered, not just skimmed and forgotten.

Today at a Glance

Question: Do Your Words Create An Impact?

Quote: On Keeping Your Readers Guessing

Framework: Beginning With The End

Idea: The 5-Word Takeaway

Video: The Psychology of Memorable Messaging

Question: Do Your Words Create An Impact?

Fun fact:

We produce about 402.74 million terabytes of data each day in 2024.

That's a lot of content, and with that, comes a lot of noise.

As a writer, the last thing you want is for your work to go unnoticed or to fade quickly after being read.

You want everything you publish to matter, and the pieces that people save, share, and think about long after have one key thing in common:

They stick.

Why?

Because they create a perfect balance of emotions, painting a clear picture and delivering something truly memorable for readers.

So this week, as you write, ask yourself:

• Do my words create an impact?

• Does this help my reader, or is it just for entertainment?

• Would this make someone stop and think or simply scroll past?

A good tip to keep in mind is to highlight the big idea you think will stick with your audience.

If you can't find it, rewrite it until you do.

Quote: On Keeping Your Readers Guessing

The lesson: If your writing is predictable, it's going to be skimmed. However, once you add elements of anticipation and surprise, you're guaranteed to keep your readers engaged. Just as with the best books, articles, and social media posts, they don't just take readers down a straight path. They zigzag. They pull you in directions you didn't see coming. This is how you earn your reader's trust: not only by taking them to the expected destination but also by leading them through an unexpected route.

Framework: Beginning With The End

When most of us write, we go from top to bottom: start with an introduction, work our way into the body, then the lesson, and finally the call to action.

This formula works, but sometimes, it makes it difficult to keep track of what it is we're trying to say.

That's why for today's framework, we've decided to flip traditional writing principles on its head.

Here’s how you can put it into practice:

1. Write The Ending

Before writing anything else, decide where you want your reader to land and get it down onto paper. It could be anything from a short, sweet, and impactful line or just a logical conclusion.

2. Work Backwards

Once you have your ending, trace the steps needed to get there. This means structuring the hook, and the body in a way that builds naturally while also avoiding unnecessary tangents.

3. Mirror the Beginning

The icing on the cake is to echo your message from the start as you guide your readers towards the end. Introduce a theme, a question, or a few hidden details in the body of your writing, and revisit it with greater depth towards the end.

Idea: The 5-Word Takeaway

Five words or fewer is all it takes to capture the core message of any piece of memorable writing.

For example:

• A Tale of Two Cities: Resurrection through sacrifice and redemption.

• The Lord of The Rings: Hope, friendship, and struggle.

• Atomic Habits: Tiny changes lead to remarkable results.

Why does this matter?

Well, because as you can see above, no text is too complex to be summarized in less than five words.

So if you too can put together a concise takeaway before you hit publish, you're going to cut through the noise as you write and also give your audience something memorable to hold on to.

Video: The Psychology of Memorable Messaging

This week’s video is a talk by the best-selling author of Made to Stick, Chip Heath. He explains how simple, structured ideas are easier to remember, and beautifully breaks down the science behind them. Enjoy!

Alright, that's all for this week.

If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions, just hit reply to this email.

As always, we’d love to hear from you.

— Adi and Pranav