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The Only Two Rules of Good Writing (That Actually Matter)

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Over the years, I’ve been asked the same question again and again. Often in emails from students, sometimes over coffee with friends, and occasionally by strangers at writing events who lean in like they’re about to hear a deep, dark secret. “Rob,” they ask. “What’s the golden rule of good writing?” And my answer is always the same. There are only two. Just two rules you ever need to remember. I know, I know—there’s a whole industry built around rules. Adverbs are bad. Show don’t tell. Use active voice. Kill your darlings. Avoid the passive. Don’t start with weather. Never open with a dream. And for heaven’s sake, don’t end with a twist. But I’m here to tell you: most of those rules are guidelines, not gospel. When it comes to writing that really works—writing that readers devour and publishers pay for—there are only two things you need to get right. Let’s break them down. Rule One: Be Clear This is the big one. This is the hill I will die on. If your writing isn’t clear, no...
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Ancient Mysteries and the Art of Timeless Inspiration

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  There’s something intoxicating about the unsolved. The unanswered. The ancient . Whether it’s a weatherworn monument, a forgotten artifact, or a half-scorched scroll that no one can decipher, there’s a whisper of eternity behind every mystery the past has left us. And if you’re a writer—especially one prone to the delicious intoxication of story—those whispers are gold . You see, most stories are built around questions. What if? Who did it? How could this be? What happens next? But sometimes, the best stories begin with a question no one has answered in real life. That’s where ancient mysteries come in. They’re like little narrative time bombs, ticking in the background of history, waiting for the right writer to come along and say, “I’ve got it. I know what really happened.” Take the Baghdad Battery , for instance. Discovered in modern-day Iraq, this humble clay jar—housing a copper tube and an iron rod—dates back over two thousand years. Add vinegar or lemon juice, and presto...
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Scott Adams and The Thin Line Between Genius and Self-Destruction

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  Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert , is one of those curious figures who seem to stride confidently into history and then promptly trip over their own shadow. For years, he was celebrated as a kind of modern-day court jester — the corporate world’s favourite satirist, a man who managed to capture the absurdities of office life with such precision that employees all over the world pinned his cartoons to their cubicle walls. He made us laugh at bureaucracy, at jargon, at the pomposity of managers who confused volume with leadership. But behind that laughter was a keen and restless intelligence — a mind fascinated by persuasion, systems, and what he liked to call “pattern recognition.” I remember reading one of his books years ago — I think it was The Dilbert Future — where he wrote something that stuck in my mind: “Genius is the ability to disguise your influences.” It’s a deceptively sharp statement, almost tossed off as an aside. Yet the more you think about it, the more it ...
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