Learn how Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator, wrote his way to success in the startup world — and how you can, too. SPEAKER LINKS: Website: https://www.ycombinator.com/people/garry-tan Twitter: https://twitter.com/garrytan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garrytan/ Blog: https://blog.garrytan.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GarryTan Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrytan WRITE OF PASSAGE: Want to learn more about the next class Write of Passage? Click here: https://take.writeofpas...
Nov 15, 2023•1 hr
When people ask me what good online writing looks like, I point them to Morgan Housel. Why? He takes dry financial concepts and breathes life into them with captivating stories. And he’s been doing it for a decade and a half. Before Morgan wrote “The Psychology of Money” — one of the world’s most popular finance books that’s now sold over 4 million copies — he spent years as a prolific writer. He wrote 2-4 articles a day when he worked at Motley Fool (3,500 in total). Then, he wrote a bunch more...
Nov 06, 2023•2 hr 3 min
Mark Manson’s success as a writer stems from one central idea: “What feels like play?” After his dating blog took off in 2012, Mark started writing about all the things that excited him: psychology, personal development, and “self-help for people who hate self-help.” His breakout book, “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck,” was the #1 most read nonfiction book worldwide in 2017 (and I swear I saw it on the front table of every airport I went to). Mark was once described as “the local drunk who s...
Nov 01, 2023•1 hr 30 min
Lenny writes one of the top five business newsletters on Substack — which has amassed over 500,000 subscribers. He hosts a podcast that makes him more money than he made in corporate America. And he’s built a raving X audience of over 188,000. No training. No ego. And to top it all off, he writes in one of the most oversaturated markets on the Internet: product management. How does he do it? After his first Substack post went viral, “What Seven Years at Airbnb Taught Me About Building a Business...
Oct 25, 2023•1 hr 23 min
Riva Tez is one of the freest writers I know. It’s as if the boundaries of conventional thinking don’t apply to her. She’s allergic to dogma and passionate about questioning the taboos of our time, and her obsessive research gene has given her a knack for stumbling upon forgotten and under-explored ideas. She’s a singular human being. Part of her brilliance is the way she combines her love for Rilke’s poetry with an interest in philosophy, theology, and consciousness. In all three areas, she goe...
Oct 18, 2023•1 hr 25 min
Sam is a master copywriter and business builder. If there was ever somebody who knows how to turn online writing into cash, Sam is it. In this episode, Sam shows how you can sell at scale and where to find the opportunities in the business of writing. We’ll teach you how to think through headlines, find content for your own writing, and torch the internet with your ideas. Sam started in the early days of email newsletters and he was a master of writing viral content. He tells the story about pla...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Marc Andreessen deserves a place on the Mount Rushmore of Silicon Valley. His presence in the tech space is unprecedented and he's one of the most prolific investors. The world of online writing is in debt to him. He co-founded Netscape, where he created the first popular web browser. He invented the tweetstorm, and has helped form the internet. He coined the idea “software is eating the world”, which has defined humanity's evolution over the last decade. Marc isn’t just a mad man creator. He’s ...
Oct 04, 2023•1 hr 18 min
How do you create intimacy and connection with readers? While some writers have a way of letting you inside their mind, Ava (@noampomsky) has a way of letting you inside her heart. There's an intimacy about her writing - an honesty, a tenderness, a contemplative-ness, a sense of connection that shows up in her work and it's what makes her unique. Ava sees writing as a distinct form of consciousness. This process of continually excavating your mind to find out what you think and then eventually y...
Sep 28, 2023•1 hr 18 min
It’s hard to capture in words the love and creativity that Derek Sivers brings to his work. He describes himself as a “monomaniac, introvert, and slow thinker.” But those words just reveal his humility. Derek’s work has charmed millions — from his early days as a professional musician and circus performer, to founding CD Baby, writing fan favorites like Anything You Want and taking the stage at TED. In this conversation, Derek shares how he finds his best ideas, why he plans to publish a “posthu...
Sep 20, 2023•1 hr 12 min
Kevin Kelly is one of the most important tech writers of the last half century. Kevin started as the publisher and editor of the Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of Steve Jobs’ favorite publications. After being mentored by Stewart Brand, he started writing books and magazine pieces before cofounding Wired Magazine. He has since become a prolific author - writing one feature article for Wired Magazine every year, and writing numerous bestselling books. The man is full of mysteries. Kevin write...
Sep 13, 2023•1 hr 18 min
Lulu Cheng Meservey gives a masterclass on non-boring corporate communications, Korean pop culture, and religious fanaticism. Lulu shares what she’s learned running comms for startups, decoding cultural erogenous zones, and crafting impactful messages in 280 characters or less. Whether you're a writer, a communications professional, or simply curious about the intersection of K-POP and Internet whackos, this podcast is a window into modern communication. Lulu is currently the Executive Vice Pres...
Sep 06, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Derek Thompson weaves together ideas from all over the place — economics, public policy, sports, and even pop culture. His writing is a breath of fresh air in a world of cookie cutter Internet content. Where other click-hungry journalists have caved to antagonistic practices, Derek’s writing is cool and charitable. And it’s also poetic. With a background in theater, he draws inspiration from the likes of literature and playwrights. This conversation will appeal to anybody who wants to write more...
Aug 30, 2023•1 hr 6 min
A master of biographies and a professional speechwriter. If you want to write serious, research-backed non-fiction or build your writing career while working a full-time job, this episode is for you. Website: https://jimmysoni.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimmyasoni Books: The Founders: The Story of Paypal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley A Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age Rome's Last Citizen: The Life and Legacy of Cato, Mortal Enemy of Caesar Wan...
Aug 23, 2023•1 hr 44 min
The man started writing online ~15 months ago, and has ascended to 1.5 million Twitter followers. Until now, he's been anonymous. Never showed his face. This is a masterclass in how to write for the Internet, source reading material, and build a writing habit. The Cultural Tutor on Twitter: https://twitter.com/culturaltutor David Perell on Twitter: https://twitter.com/david_perell Want to learn more about the next cohort with Write of Passage? Click here: https://writeofpassage.school/hiw Want t...
Aug 23, 2023•1 hr 23 min
For the past 20 years, they have run the world’s largest economics blog. This is the story of how they publish every day, generate ideas when they’re stuck, and plan to teach millions of people the basics of supply & demand. Tyler and Alex's newsletter: https://marginalrevolution.com/ Tyler's website: https://tylercowen.com/ Tyler's Twitter: https://twitter.com/tylercowen Alex's Twitter: https://twitter.com/ATabarrok Alex's website: https://alextabarrok.com/ Want to learn more about the next...
Aug 23, 2023•1 hr 7 min
How I Write brings you conversations with the world’s best writers. Each week, writer David Perell sits down with a writer to explore their creative process and riff on the craft. You’ve read their work. Now this is your chance to see how they create it. New episodes of the How I Write show go live every Wednesday on Apple, Spotify and YouTube.com/DavidPerellChannel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 20, 2023•1 min
