The Technique You Can Adopt to Boost Writing Skills

Powerful writing is an art built on creativity, expression, and style.

It is also a science based on clarity, brevity, and facts.

When substance meets style, magic happens!

The Feynman Technique is a comprehension and learning method named after the Nobel Prize-winning physicist — Richard Feynman. This technique aims to assist individuals in thoroughly understanding and mastering a concept by teaching it to others or explaining it as if they are teaching it to someone else.

The technique involves the following 4 key steps:

1. Select a concept to learn.
2. Teach it to a child.
3. Review and refine your understanding.
4. Organize your notes and revisit them regularly.

Let’s analyze how we can leverage these concepts to create a compelling piece:

1. Select the topic

Choosing a topic for writing is like navigating a menu at an unconventional restaurant — you’ve got a variety of options, and each dish is more enticing (or perhaps confusing) than the previous one on the list.

You summon the server, looking for his recommendation with a puzzled face.

Often you want to play safe and put your finger on the dish that sounds familiar.

On other days, you want to be your experimental self and try out something different with the hope of discovering something new, along with the risk of messing it all together.

As writers, often we are comfortable in writing on topics of our liking. Try picking a topic that resonates with you. It is useful to do some research to gather a better understanding of the topic.

Think from the audience’s perspective. Identify the theme of your write-up. It can be:

• Sharing personal learning that can be useful for others
• Bringing a unique perspective on a relatable topic
• Explaining a topic that people are interested in, in a simple and concise form
• Entertaining the reader by weaving magic through the art of your writing

2. Simplify the concept

Once you identify the topic and broad outline, start writing in a way that even a 12-year-old can understand.

An idea presented simply is like a clear, open sky that allows the stars to dazzle. Use examples or analogies to make the content easier to grasp.

Avoid the use of jargon.

Imagine you visit a doctor with your lab test reports. If he says something like this:

Based on the results of your diagnostic tests, it appears that you have hyperlipidemia, characterized by elevated levels of LDL cholesterol. We recommend initiating pharmacological intervention and lifestyle modifications to manage your lipid profile. Also, you have a condition of hypertension, and we need to monitor it closely. I recommend starting an antihypertensive medication to bring it under control.

Your thinking is gone for a toss after hearing this, and the condition appears more severe than it is.

Instead, this is what normally excellent doctors will speak like:

After looking at your test results, it seems like you have high cholesterol levels. To help with this, we suggest using medication and making some changes to your lifestyle by diet and exercise. Also, your blood pressure is a bit high, so we’ll keep an eye on it. I suggest starting a medication that can help lower it.

3. Review and Revise

After completing the first draft, review it carefully to identify any gaps or confusing parts. Make necessary changes to ensure that the idea is easy to understand, even for those without prior knowledge.

Work on clarity and brevity to make the piece impactful.

Like a gardener at work, you need to remove the weeds, replenish the soil with water and fertilizers, and prune the plants.

The result — a beautiful blooming paradise!

4. Organise and Review

Once you have finished writing your draft, it’s important to organize your content in a way that flows well and effectively delivers your key message and ideas.

Consider linking your content with personal experiences or anecdotes for added impact.

Watch out for the tone by trying to read it aloud in mind. Judge if that looks like a virtual conversation between you and the reader.

Make prudent use of white spaces, sentences, and paragraphs.

Bring in the right mix of emotions.

Watching popular videos of well-known individuals speaking at significant events such as graduation ceremonies and TED talks, I realized something.

They don’t brag at length about their technology, business, or research works. Instead, they focus on the human factor.

They share success stories from personal struggles, inspiring incidents, or motivational pep talks.

To pick a toddler, we need to come down on our knees. The same holds for writing!

To communicate effectively, simplify your language and ideas to match your audience’s level of understanding.

Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity — Charles Mingus