📩 The 80/20 Rule of Writing

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Think your writing needs to be fancy? Wrong. Want better results from everything you write? Keep reading.

Your readers don't care about your words. They care about themselves. Hard truth? Most people spend 97 percent of their time thinking about themselves.

So what works:

1. Hook First, Details Later

• Write 5 different openings

• Pick the most intriguing one

• Delete the rest

2. Shorter = Stronger

• Cut paragraphs into sentences

• Cut sentences into phrases

• Cut phrases into words

3. Make It Personal

• Replace "we" with "you"

• Show specific benefits

• Paint pictures they can see themselves in

4. Eleminate Every "Maybe"

• Clear beats clever

• Specific beats general

• Simple beats complex

The 5-Step Writing Framework

Step 1: The Hook

Don't ask questions. State bold truths. Create curiosity gaps. Example:

"Three sentences changed my entire career path" works better than "Want to improve your career?"

Step 2: The Trim

• Erase unnecessary words

• Active voice always wins

• Each sentence = One idea

Step 3: The "They Care" Test

Every paragraph must pass this test:

"Would my reader text this to their best friend?"

If not, rewrite or review.

Step 4: The Clarity Gauge

Confused readers do not convert. Ask yourself:

• Could a 12-year-old understand this?

• Would this make sense at 3 AM?

• Does this require explanation?

Step 5: The Next Step

Give readers one clear direction. Not three options. One path forward.

Quick Wins You Can Use Right Away

1. Record yourself speaking the message

2. Transcribe it

3. Edit for clarity

4. Clear half of the words

5. Read it out loud

Your Next Move

Take your most recent email, text, or social post. Apply these principles. Watch what happens.

Read the article "How to Use the 80/20 Rule to Improve Your Writing" by Tara East.

You can discover many valuable insights from beehiiv's case study.

Use these prompts to help you👇🏻

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Regards,
Yar