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11 lessons from Patrick McKenzie
Inspired by the livestream between @david_perell and @patio11
Lessons
Inspired by the livestream between @david_perell and @patio11
Lessons
Writing is a form of signaling
• Patrick played a lot of World of Warcraft
• He ran an 8 person guild, but employers don't care about that
• They do however care about your writing and the traction it receives
• Writing = crediblity
• Patrick played a lot of World of Warcraft
• He ran an 8 person guild, but employers don't care about that
• They do however care about your writing and the traction it receives
• Writing = crediblity
Optics matter
• Don't call it a blog
• Blogging is low signal
• A phrase such as writing memos is high signal
• Don't call it a blog
• Blogging is low signal
• A phrase such as writing memos is high signal
Find an intersection to write about
• Patrick's intersection was marketing and engineering
• He was a better marketer than most engineers
• He was a better engineer than most marketers
• Patrick's intersection was marketing and engineering
• He was a better marketer than most engineers
• He was a better engineer than most marketers
Writing is a proof of work
• Even if no one is reading your writing, it's still valuable
• Shows potential employers that you care about a subject
• Shows people on the internet that you researched a topic
• Even if no one is reading your writing, it's still valuable
• Shows potential employers that you care about a subject
• Shows people on the internet that you researched a topic
Filter the best comments
• Patrick uses HackerNews as a way to filter ideas
• If he is writing a comment that is really long, he turns it into a blog post
• His most popular most ever, "Falsehoods Programmers Believe About Names" came from a HN comment
https://www.kalzumeus.com/2010/06/17/falsehoods-programmers-believe-about-names/
• Patrick uses HackerNews as a way to filter ideas
• If he is writing a comment that is really long, he turns it into a blog post
• His most popular most ever, "Falsehoods Programmers Believe About Names" came from a HN comment
https://www.kalzumeus.com/2010/06/17/falsehoods-programmers-believe-about-names/
Build an email list
• Patrick's biggest regret is not building an email list
• Email can't be taken away
• Author controls brand positioning
• Writing is more authentic to a closed audience. Builds trust.
• Patrick's biggest regret is not building an email list
• Email can't be taken away
• Author controls brand positioning
• Writing is more authentic to a closed audience. Builds trust.
Marketing is everything
• Most engineers think marketing is bullshit
• If you learn marketing, you'll be a better engineer
• You'll probably make more money, have more opportunities, build more successful products and have a ton of other benefits
• Most engineers think marketing is bullshit
• If you learn marketing, you'll be a better engineer
• You'll probably make more money, have more opportunities, build more successful products and have a ton of other benefits
Writing helps teach company culture
• Startups such as Stripe grow super fast
• Many employees are newer to an organization
• Previous writing can show the company values and how it's evolved over the years
• Startups such as Stripe grow super fast
• Many employees are newer to an organization
• Previous writing can show the company values and how it's evolved over the years
Write the book before the software
• Writing a minimal viable ebook about a solution is much easier than building a minimal viable product
• You can use the eBook to sell the software
• Writing will give you credibility within an industry and understand the problem better
• Writing a minimal viable ebook about a solution is much easier than building a minimal viable product
• You can use the eBook to sell the software
• Writing will give you credibility within an industry and understand the problem better
The software economy is bigger than you think
• Known as Patio11's law
• There are tons of small software companies solving very specific problems
• For example, Moraware is software for building countertop fabricators https://secondbreakfast.co/patio11-s-law
• Known as Patio11's law
• There are tons of small software companies solving very specific problems
• For example, Moraware is software for building countertop fabricators https://secondbreakfast.co/patio11-s-law
Don't be afraid to self-promote
• Self-promoting is an important skill
• Self-promoting is like self-cooking. If you don't cook, you'll go hungry. If you don't promote, no one will find you.
• Self-promoting is an important skill
• Self-promoting is like self-cooking. If you don't cook, you'll go hungry. If you don't promote, no one will find you.
David will post the full video tomorrow on his YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0a_pO439rhcyHBZq3AKdrw
