Good Writing Isn't Dead

I recently came across Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel’s reflections essay on 13 years at Snap. I’m inspired by his vision and persistence in building Snap.

But also, his writing skills.

Here's why:

The art of writing is obviously being radically changed with the onset of the AI era, particularly tools like ChatGPT.

But I still believe writing is important. It's often the best way of communicating ideas, and AI still can't read our minds (yet).

Great writing is hard. The master himself, William Shakespeare put it well:

"To be a well-favoured man is the gift of fortune; but to write and read comes by nature - William Shakespeare."

Spiegel's letter focuses on how they moved from inventing Stories to leading in AR: pushing Snap’s journey is all about pushing boundaries.

He writes clearly and easily by splitting his essay into three parts.

He talks about:

- 'The business' i.e numbers and growth

- Compassion and gratitude for his team

- Snap users, and the broader community

Writing in clear sections helps the reader every single time.

Here's some tips to write well:

• Be direct in your writing.

• Use a natural, conversational tone

• Good writing is clear and concise

• Choose your words wisely

• Short sentences are more powerful than long sentences

• Write short paragraphs.

• Always use the active voice

• Review and edit your work! (important)

Salman Rushdie, one of the most famous authors, said "A lot of writers can be taught how do be better"

Check out his full letter here https://newsroom.snap.com/13-years-at-snap.