Writing, speaking, listening.
No investment stuff within!
I have nothing to say about investing or markets this week. You’ve been warned.
On writing a book versus writing online
Based on the discussions I’ve had over the past few years, the ratio of people who seriously consider writing a book to those who actually do it is at least 10:1, and likely significantly higher. There’s a good reason for that. Writing a book is a stressful, fussy affair. The idea of committing ideas to paper carries with it a permanence that, frankly, freaked me the fuck out. What if I write something stupid, or make an obvious mistake? What if I piss off the wrong person? What if I change my mind?
Once you commit to working with a publisher, you’ve crossed the point of no return. There’s an optimism that has carried you here, as if riding on a cloud. But the minute you sign that dotted line, that cloud dissipates, dropping you ass-first, totally naked, into a grungy urban parking lot, with only your wits to drag you out.
Here come the deadlines. The editorial comments, and suggested changes. I strugged for weeks with what might have seemed like a very simple suggestion from my editor to simply change the order of a few chapters. I felt like I had been painstakingly assembling a puzzle for a year, and then she came along and upended my tabletop. The whole experience was grueling, and I now see why a couple of author friends of mine, when finding out I was working on a book, told me “don’t do it!”
And yet the many fellow blog and Substack writers I’ve spoken to almost unanimously love the experience. Writing in public helps you clarify your thinking, and also to spread your ideas and make connections with others.
I don’t have an editor here. My posts are often a rambling mess, and typos are not uncommon. To be honest, there’s usually a Sunday afternoon sporting event on TV in the background while I’m writing them, I’m not ashamed to admit.
For some reason, many of the newsletters I enjoy reading have that same unedited, off-the-cuff vibe. I spend a good chunk of my days reading anodyne analyst reports, so I appreciate the writer who can cut through the bullshit and make a clever observation without pages and pages of data and fluff.
But here’s the point I guess I was originally trying to make when I sat down to write this. I want my writing to reflect a unique style, and in that sense, the less polished, the better. Also, the more content you put out there (I’ve been trying to write weekly), the more likely you are to write something stupid, or something you change your mind about - especially in the investment sphere, where the world regularly conspires to make “experts” look like idiots. Getting past this is the hardest part of writing. Once you’re able to accept it, things become easier. I’m still working on this. All I can do is ask that you don’t take anything you read here too seriously.
On speaking into a microphone
I’ve been asked to guest on a few podcasts since the release of Low Risk Rules, and it’s been a great way to introduce the book to new readers. A couple of weeks ago I appeared on
’s new Security Analysis podcast and despite some rambling on my part and a couple of minor brain farts, I think it went pretty well. Since the podcast hit the air my follower count and book sales have spiked, so I must have done something right. If you’d like to hear it, you can find it here. I encourage you to subscribe to VSG’s work, because he does a great job of filtering investments through a consistent framework that helps him build a pretty good “low risk” portfolio.Podcasting is a completely different world from writing. No editors. No second takes. No delete key. It’s kind of frightening. But also fun. Same disclaimer as above, if you can just get past the fear of saying something dumb, it’s pretty easy. Kind of like life, I guess…
Begging for reviews
By my estimate, Low Risk Rules has been reviewed by less than half of 1% of all the people who have a copy. I’m not sure what the numbers are for the average book, but this seems really low to me. Perhaps it’s because I haven’t done a good enough job of pestering my readers to leave a review on Amazon. If you enjoyed the book, please leave a review! It helps elevate the book in searches and exposes it to new readers. A few words are fine1, or even just a star rating. Thank you!
Bending Hectic
One of the highlights of my summer has been the opportunity to see The Smile perform live… twice! Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead joined forces with drummer Tom Skinner to create something quite amazing. This summer the band released a single new song, Bending Hectic, which proves that the classic rock epic lives on!
I’m happy to let everyone else chase those Taylor Swift tickets. This made my summer.
Hope you’re having a great one.
May I suggest, “greatest investment book ever”?