Bonjour. This week we explore the relevance of essay writing in today's fast-paced, AI-driven world. We discuss Michael Dean's essay on the subject, emphasising the importance of original thought and the challenges posed by transactional writing.

The conversation delves into the historical context of essays, the writing process, and the value of human feedback, while also considering how AI can assist rather than replace the writing experience. This was fun. We hope you enjoy listening as much as we did recording.

Time Stamps

00:00 The Relevance of Essay Writing Today

02:46 The Historical Context of Essays

07:23 The Struggles of Long-Form Writing

12:48 The Role of AI in Writing

17:30 Feedback and Improvement in Writing

21:14 Encouraging Original Thought in Essays

Links

Michael's Essay - https://cosmosinstitute.substack.com/p/essay-writing-as-personal-sovereignty?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web

Farnam Street blog - https://fs.blog/

In this episode of the Doctors and Writers podcast, we discuss the essential do's and don'ts of writing, particularly in the healthcare field. We emphasise the importance of having a clear purpose for writing, crafting engaging hooks, maintaining rhythm and flow, and utilising multimedia to enhance engagement.

The conversation also touches on the significance of avoiding polarisation in writing. We share personal insights and practical tips to help healthcare professionals effectively communicate their messages through writing.

Links:

Adi's post that went a bit viral -https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adikumar87_i-hope-to-be-a-good-surgeon-the-problem-activity-7254842492020215808-ZRmq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

We're back!

In this episode of the Doctors and Writers podcast, we reconnect after a long break to share updates on our writing journeys, personal growth, and reflections on creativity.

We discuss the impact of our environments on our writing processes, the importance of authenticity in social media, and the confidence gained through experience.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back and Updates

01:56 Writing Journeys and New Projects

04:17 The Impact of Environment on Creativity

06:26 Confidence Through Experience

08:59 Future Directions in Writing

In this episode, Adi and Pranav read and discuss two pieces of writing that they find powerful and well-written. Adi reads an essay by Arthur Koestler that explores the limits of knowledge and understanding, while Pranav reads a piece by Sam Altman that discusses the concept of compounding and the importance of long-term thinking. Both pieces demonstrate the power of simple language and clear communication in conveying complex ideas.

If you want to read the essays yourself, they are both here:

https://wethescreamers.com/

https://blog.samaltman.com/how-to-be-successful

Pranav and Adi discuss their approaches to long-form writing. They explore the differences between long-form and short-form writing, the importance of ideation and collecting ideas, and the process of writing for oneself versus writing for a client. They also discuss the skills needed for long-form writing and how it can improve one's ability to write persuasively and in different styles. They share their personal processes for writing long-form pieces, including brainstorming, outlining, and seeking feedback. They also discuss the importance of focusing on the value of the writing rather than the metrics and external rewards.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

04:11 Approaching Long-Form Writing: Mindset and Templates

08:37 Collecting and Organizing Ideas for Long-Form Writing

13:07 Writing for Oneself vs. Writing for a Client as a Ghostwriter

15:47 The Importance of Feedback and Editing in the Writing Process

22:09 Shifting Focus from Metrics to Personal Connections in Writing

31:38 Conclusion and Wrap-up

Are you a doctor who wants to write their first book but doesn't know how to start? If so we can help your idea become a reality in your hands here: https://doctortowriter.carrd.co/

In this episode, Adi and Pranav discuss their recent trips and how it has influenced their writing. Adi talks about his trip to South India and how it inspired him to write about his experiences. He also shares how writing by hand in a notebook allowed him to let go of his inner critic and just freely write. Pranav shares his trip to Dubai and how it gave him a fresh perspective on writing. They both emphasise the importance of taking breaks and gaining new experiences to fuel creativity.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Catching Up

04:43 The Influence of Travel on Writing

12:26 Writing in a Notebook: Freedom and Reflection

16:34 The Benefits of Taking Breaks from Writing

22:12 Writing for Oneself and Sharing Fresh Perspectives

28:38 Conclusion and Future Plans

If you're a doctor who wants to write their first book head here → https://doctortowriter.carrd.co/

In this episode, Adi and Pranav discuss the topic of writing a thousand words a day. Adi shares his experience and strategies for achieving this goal, including the inspiration he found from Nathan Barry and the habit-building approach. They also discuss the benefits of writing a thousand words a day, such as developing writing skills, gaining clarity of thought, and creating valuable content. Adi explains his process for writing, including setting a mission statement, embracing imperfection, and finding the right time and environment to write. They also address common concerns and offer advice for healthcare professionals who want to incorporate writing into their busy schedules.

00:00 The Genesis To Adi and Pranav Writing Thousand Words a Day

04:53 The Importance of Writing a Thousand Words a Day

10:55 The Process of Writing a Thousand Words a Day

16:51 Managing Time and Prioritizing Writing

20:50 The Benefits of Consistent Writing

27:50 Developing Valuable Writing Skills

Pranav and Adi discuss writing techniques and how to make writing more compelling. They explore the importance of the first sentence, using alliteration, and varying sentence length. They also discuss the power of planting seeds in the reader's mind and cycling back to topics throughout a piece of writing. The conversation highlights the importance of curiosity, rhythm, and creating a memorable reading experience.

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction and Overview

00:47 Getting Started with Writing Techniques

04:41 The Art of Alliteration

07:47 Creating Rhythm and Flow

09:39 Planting Seeds: Engaging the Reader's Mind

Link to Gary Provost's Write Music: https://wooorm.com/write-music/

If you want to write your first book, but don't know where to start, head here → https://doctortowriter.carrd.co/

In this episode, Adi and Pranav reflect on the progress of their podcast, Doctors and Writers, over the past two months. They discuss their podcast's growth, their audience engagement, and their LinkedIn page's success.

They also announce their upcoming project, a guide for doctors who want to write their first book. They emphasise the importance of starting before feeling ready and the value of sharing stories and experiences through writing. They encourage doctors to embrace the learning and iterating process and focus on the long-term goals of their writing journey.

Takeaways

Starting before feeling ready is key to success in any creative endeavour.

Sharing stories and experiences through writing can have a profound impact on others.

The growth of a project takes time and consistent effort.

Iterating and adapting based on feedback is crucial for success.

Writing a book can provide opportunities for education, authority building, and financial gain.

The process of writing a book involves both seen and unseen metrics, such as design, formatting, pricing, and marketing.

Embracing the journey of writing and focusing on long-term goals is essential for success.

Chapters

00:00 Reflecting on Two Months of Podcasting

05:45 Building a Community on LinkedIn

28:52 Embracing Adaptability in Entrepreneurship

This pod was fun! This week we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Matt Morgan, an ICU consultant and the author of Critcal (translated into 4 languages and featured in The Times) and A Letter from the ICU, written at that start of the pandemic that was read by over 4 million people.

Matt shares his writing journey and the importance of finding time and inspiration to write. He emphasises the need to have a person or group of people in mind when writing and the importance of collaboration and consent when writing about patients. Matt also discusses the balance between writing for oneself and sharing it with the public, and the cathartic nature of writing. He shares his writing process, which includes finding a comfortable and inspiring environment, and the importance of structure in creativity.

We cover insights on generating ideas and the writing process. He shares his love for strong opening lines and weaving callbacks and hidden messages into his writing (we show you a hidden one in Critical ).

Matt believes that doctors should write because words have immense power and the ability to change lives.

If you want a copy of Matt's latest book One Medicine that dives into how understanding animals can save our lives, head here: https://www.drmattmorgan.com/

If you're inspired by this episode and start writing your first book, sign up for Doctors and Writers next project here: https://doctortowriter.carrd.co/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:53 Finding Time to Write and the Serendipitous Journey of an Author

09:16 The Importance of Collaboration and Consent in Writing about Patients

25:34 The Cathartic Nature of Writing in Different Environments

31:02 Incorporating Writing into Daily Life

32:04 Stimulating Creativity: The Power of Walking

33:34 Recording Ideas: Using Apps and Writing Software

35:28 The Writing Process: Writing Freely and Editing

37:25 Creating the Right Environment for Writing

38:40 Sharing Writing: Making it Frictionless

42:26 Teaching Writing in Medical Schools

45:04 The Power of Words: Changing Lives