To Write Interesting Things, Live a Good Life

On developing "taste"

Hey there, it's John here.

I’ve been communicating with various readers in the past few weeks. Many of them have heard the usual advice on building an audience. So we talked about why some writers build devoted audiences while others still struggle to get noticed, even when they follow the same methods.

I think the most interesting idea is that most “build your audience” advice assumes you already have something worth saying.

I’ve seen writers analyze successful creators and try to reverse-engineer their methods. They join writing communities and implement every growth tip they find.

But success remains elusive. My experience taught me this often boils down to taste.

By definition, personal taste is an individual's specific preference for certain things based on their likes, dislikes, and experiences. In the context of writing something interesting that resonates with an audience, taste becomes a matter of filtering.

“Taste” in practice

To oversimplify, “taste” is your personal filter for what matters and why it matters. It's what makes different people experience the same thing and have completely distinct insights on the matter.

For example: Two writers read the same book about morning routines. The book recommends waking up at 5 AM, meditating for 20 minutes, exercising for an hour, and spending time journaling before starting work.

• Writer A is single, lives alone, and has complete control over their schedule. They write about how transformative these morning habits have been and they share detailed routines to encourage their readers.

• Writer B is a single parent working two jobs. Their response focuses on the privilege required to maintain such routines and offers realistic alternatives for people with demanding schedules and limited resources.

Both pieces can work and attract devoted audiences. Writer A will connect with readers who share their lifestyle and want that level of optimization. Writer B will resonate with people facing similar constraints who feel ignored by mainstream productivity advice.

Each writer filtered the same information through their genuine experience, creating content that speaks authentically to specific groups of people. This is how certain writers build a loyal readership.

Developing your taste

Here's what I wish someone had told me earlier: if you want to write interesting things, you need to live an interesting life and read interesting books.

In an interview, the film director Werner Herzog advised aspiring filmmakers:

“[If] you are able-bodied, earn money to finance your first films. But don’t earn it with clerical works in an office. Go out and work as a bouncer in a sex club. Work as a warden in a lunatic asylum. Go out to a cattle ranch and learn how to milk a cow. Earn your money that way, in real life.”

The advise is a bit extreme for most folks. But I get his point. We likely won’t need to work at hyper niche fields. But we can live a more interesting life by paying more attention to life. What I learned is that, even when you don’t try too hard, as long as you’re paying close attention, life creates interesting things. There are always challenges to overcome, too: switching careers, financial stress, family challenges, health concerns. As writers, these are all “material.”

Reading widely also helps. Fiction. History. Philosophy. Health. The Cosmos. We don’t have to limit ourselves to business and how-to books to expand our perspective.

The combination of reading and living gives you powerful raw material for your writing. I think that's a more sustainable strategy than chasing viral content or trying to game algorithms.

Until next week!

—John, with Darius & Michael