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Paul Tudor Jones to Staff: Learn to Write or I'll Rip Up Your Memo

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Re: Paul Tudor Jones to Staff: Learn to Write or I'll Rip Up Your Memo

#71

Post by mindcrime »

A good book related to the topic of clear writing is "The Pyramid Principle". http://www.amazon.com/The-Pyramid-Principle-Writing-Thinking...

This book was recommended by a fellow HN'er a few years back in a different thread. I bought a copy and read it and was suitably impressed. I'm still working on integrating the ideas from the book, but I think it's worth reading.

Basically, the book teaches you to organize your thoughts (and writing) in a hierarchical, logical structure, and to present the most important idea first, and then branch out below that with sub-points and supporting material.

If you're interested in clear writing, I think this book is worth the money and time.

Re: Paul Tudor Jones to Staff: Learn to Write or I'll Rip Up Your Memo

#72

Post by mindcrime »

buzzdenver wrote: post #37

"Every time I get a memo from someone written magazine style, I literally tear it up" So they either communicate on paper, which would be stpid, or he misuses "literally", which would be ironic.

"Literally" now literally means "figuratively".[1]

Although, to be fair, it's considered an "informal" usage. But still...

[1]: http://www.salon.com/2013/08/22/according_to_the_dictionary_...

Re: Paul Tudor Jones to Staff: Learn to Write or I'll Rip Up Your Memo

#74

Post by jsprogrammer »

paul wrote: post #41

This also is good advice for anyone applying to YC. I'm not going to read your 10,000 word manifesto -- just tell me what it is you are building! :) We've actually found that the ability to provide clear and concise answers strongly correlates with success, so this is a major factor when evaluating founders. I'm also reminded of my favorite C. A. R. Hoare quote: "There are two ways of constructing a software design:…

I hope the same applies to your proposals and agreements.

A one page, fully specified, document would be preferable.

Re: Paul Tudor Jones to Staff: Learn to Write or I'll Rip Up Your Memo

#75

Post by jqm »

dionidium wrote: post #45
buzzdenver wrote: post #37

"Every time I get a memo from someone written magazine style, I literally tear it up" So they either communicate on paper, which would be stpid, or he misuses "literally", which would be ironic.

Use of the word "literally" as hyperbole is understood clearly by every single reader of this thread, including you. You might as well get over it.

Well, we are going to need another word to replace "literally" than. Because in being funny we have literally abused literally to death. For a replacement could we maybe use "figuratively"? Or maybe the joke doesn't work in reverse?

Re: Paul Tudor Jones to Staff: Learn to Write or I'll Rip Up Your Memo

#76

Post by jqm »

Flimm wrote: post #54
dionidium wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Use of the word "literally" as hyperbole is understood clearly by every single reader of this thread, including you. You might as well get over it.

I actually took what he said at face value and I understood that he does tear paper up.

Which might be true. I know a guy who had his secretary print everything out rather than read it on the screen. Which I always found silly and wasteful, but there are people like this.

Re: Paul Tudor Jones to Staff: Learn to Write or I'll Rip Up Your Memo

#77

Post by dragonwriter »

CaptSpify wrote: post #61
pjungwir wrote: post #47

In college I helped a lot of people write papers, and almost always they were trying to "sound academic", and the sentences were so complex they didn't even parse. So I'd ask, "What does this mean?", and whatever they said, I'd reply, "Write that down!" Basically they were trying too hard. It reminds me of the common advice to edit your work by reading it out loud. If you are a great writer your prose might be better…

To be fair, I think schools encourage this sort of behavior. I've had countless "$x number of words/pages, minimum" writing assignments. Eventually, you start to be convinced that every teacher wants it that way.

> I've had countless "$x number of words/pages, minimum" writing assignments.

My better professors had, rather than just minimums, either ranges or maximums.

Re: Paul Tudor Jones to Staff: Learn to Write or I'll Rip Up Your Memo

#78

Post by jacquesm »

mindcrime wrote: post #71

A good book related to the topic of clear writing is "The Pyramid Principle". http://www.amazon.com/The-Pyramid-Principle-Writing-Thinking... This book was recommended by a fellow HN'er a few years back in a different thread. I bought a copy and read it and was suitably impressed. I'm still working on integrating the ideas from the book, but I think it's worth reading. Basically, the book teaches you to organize your…

This applies to good code just the same.

Re: Paul Tudor Jones to Staff: Learn to Write or I'll Rip Up Your Memo

#79

Post by rdancer »

dizzy3gg wrote: post #25
cmdkeen wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This concept is will known in the military as BLUF - bottom line up front. Not an abstract or introduction, putting the key recommendation or outcome at the beginning. It falls in and out of fashion but as with newspapers it helps you work out what you want to read further.

Known on the internet as TL;DR

Tl;dr is an antipattern, and it's easy to see why.

Lead with a strong point. Pique youre reader's interest. Then, and only then, will they lap up your wall of text. Tl;dr is a gag, a joke, mockery of bad writing style. If you find yourself using it in a serious way, as a crutch, stop, rewrite, don't go down that path.

Re: Paul Tudor Jones to Staff: Learn to Write or I'll Rip Up Your Memo

#80

Post by rdancer »

CaptSpify wrote: post #61
pjungwir wrote: post #47

In college I helped a lot of people write papers, and almost always they were trying to "sound academic", and the sentences were so complex they didn't even parse. So I'd ask, "What does this mean?", and whatever they said, I'd reply, "Write that down!" Basically they were trying too hard. It reminds me of the common advice to edit your work by reading it out loud. If you are a great writer your prose might be better…

To be fair, I think schools encourage this sort of behavior. I've had countless "$x number of words/pages, minimum" writing assignments. Eventually, you start to be convinced that every teacher wants it that way.

The more you write, the better you get. Your first ten thousand pages are going to be shit anyway, so better get them out of your system before you start publishing. For the sake of your editor, if not for the sake of your readers.
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