The Rule of Writing

Use the Rule of Writing to increase your emotional intelligence.

Years ago, Jeff Bezos started an interesting practice at Amazon.

Before meeting to discuss a new product or idea, Bezos would arrange for an executive to write a narratively structured six-page memo. While some leaders would try to write such a memo in just a few hours, Bezos said the best ones took at least a week to complete.

“The great memos are written and re-written, shared with colleagues who are asked to improve the work, set aside for a couple of days, and then edited again with a fresh mind,” Bezos once explained.

When it came time to meet, Bezos and his team would then sit together in silence for the first 20 minutes or so as they took time to read the memo, make notes, and prepare to discuss it. The better written the memo, the higher the quality of the discussion that followed.

This Amazon practice is just one of many that crystallizes an important lesson, one that can transform the way you think and communicate.

I like to call it…

The Rule of Writing.

How to use the Rule of Writing to increase your emotional intelligence

Did you know that the kings in ancient Israel were required to write a copy of the nation’s law for themselves? This would help them, not only to know what the law said, but also to understand it, remember it, and live it.

Interestingly, copywriters (people who write advertising for a living) do something similar. Some of the best writers in advertising learned the trade by copying historically successful ads. By doing so, they learned from the best and perfected their technique.

These are more examples of the Rule of Writing.

The Rule of Writing says this:

If you want to clarify your thinking, remember something important, internalize what you’re learning, or communicate something clearly, write it down.

Interestingly, research has long indicated that writing by hand carries significant benefits over typing with a keyboard, especially when it comes to learning, remembering, and creativity. This is likely because writing by hand causes you to slow down and think.

“When writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns are far more elaborate than when typewriting on a keyboard,” writes Audrey van der Meer, a brain researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. “Such widespread brain connectivity is known to be crucial for memory formation and for encoding new information and, therefore, is beneficial for learning.”

In other words, the process of writing not only allows you to clarify thoughts, it helps you make them a part of you.

You know how, in those science fiction movies, people upload knowledge into their brain and suddenly they can speak a new language or fly a plane?

Well, this is similar. Of course it’s not as extreme…But, you will find that over time practices like journaling, taking notes, and copying information will help you internalize what you’re learning.

Improve your communication

The Rule of Writing also improves your communication.

For example, before a discussion, try writing out your thoughts. This exercise helps you to anticipate what questions your partner might have. It also helps to walk away from what you’ve written and return to it later. As Bezos explained, this allows you to edit “with a fresh mind,” and can help you further clarify your communication.

In this way, once you’re ready to share your thoughts with others, you’re setting the stage for a high-quality discussion, leading to better work moving forward.

So, the next time you want to:

• Learn
• Understand
• Remember
• Apply
• Communicate

Apply the Rule of Writing. It’ll make you better—and make everyone else better, too.