With startups, writing often takes a backseat to pitching, product development, and scaling. However, Paul Graham (PG), co-founder of Y Combinator (YC), proves that writing is not only essential but transformative.
Through his essays, Graham has shaped the way startup founders think and operate, becoming one of the most influential voices in tech.
How did he do it? The answer lies in doing hard things, cultivating taste, and crafting writing that matters.
Lets look into key lessons from Paul Graham’s writing process as discussed on the “How I Write” podcast and how to become a better writer.
These insights reveal how writing isn’t merely about transferring knowledge—it’s about synthesizing ideas and experiences in a way that everyone understands.
Do Hard Things
The first and perhaps most fundamental lesson from PG is: do hard things.
Many think of PG as someone who simply sat in his office, pondering startup ideas and stroking his beard. But that’s far from the truth.
Graham built YC while simultaneously producing some of the most impactful essays in the startup world. His essays weren’t the result of idle contemplation—they were born from a deep engagement with the startup ecosystem.
“The fact that he was doing hard things gave him the ammunition for the pieces that he ended up writing.”
His experience programming in Lisp, selling Viaweb to Yahoo, and having countless conversations with startup founders laid the groundwork for his writing.
These interactions sparked the ideas that Graham would later articulate in his essays.
- Build expertise through direct experience.
- Use your experiences as the foundation for writing.
- Challenge yourself in your work to create content with depth.
Writing Generates Ideas
One of PG’s most notable approaches to writing is that the act of writing itself generates ideas.
He didn’t wait for fully-formed concepts to come to him—he started writing, often with just a hunch.
“The first draft won’t be that good, but he’s just looking for something that’s surprising or intriguing.”
The process of writing clarifies thoughts, deepens understanding, and leads to new insights.
By engaging in conversations with startup founders and reflecting on the challenges they faced, Graham continuously refined his ideas until they took the form of the clear, concise essays we now know.
- Start writing even if your ideas aren’t fully formed.
- Allow the writing process to help shape and refine your thoughts.
- Revisit and edit your work frequently to improve clarity and depth.
Cultivate a Taste for Great Writing
PG emphasizes that good writing is a learned skill, not an innate one.
He insists that taste is not subjective; there are better and worse ways to write, and you get better by cultivating your taste.
“Once you do hard things, you then cultivate your taste for what great writing looks like.”
Graham understood this from painting—he would copy the great masters like Rembrandt and Da Vinci, deconstructing their techniques to understand why their work was so great.
The same principle applied to writing: as he wrote more, he developed a taste for what was truly excellent.
- Study great works and deconstruct why they’re effective.
- Compare your writing with the best examples and aim for excellence.
- Constantly refine your taste through reading and writing.
Copy What You Like
One of PG’s key strategies for improving his writing was simple: copy what you like. Early in his career, he thought fiction and short stories were the pinnacle of writing because that’s what he was taught in school.
But as he grew as a writer, he realized he didn’t truly enjoy them. Instead, he began to focus on what he genuinely liked—nonfiction that was clear, direct, and impactful.
“Don’t copy something just because you think you’re supposed to.”
For PG, the goal was to copy what genuinely resonated with him, not what others deemed impressive or high-status.
- Write about topics that genuinely interest you.
- Don’t feel pressured to emulate high-status writing if it doesn’t resonate with you.
- Imitate writing styles that speak to your sensibilities, even if they seem unconventional.
Write Briefly, Be Succinct
One of the principles Graham follows is to write briefly and be succinct—but not necessarily short. Great writing should cut out unnecessary words while keeping the essence intact.
Much like coding, where shorter code often results in fewer errors, concise writing can lead to greater clarity.
“Say what you mean and say it briefly, but brief does not mean short.”
PG’s essays, though often long, are packed with valuable insights and devoid of fluff.
Each section is purposeful, much like a well-constructed stand-up comedy routine where every bit leads to the next, with no wasted time.
- Focus on clarity and remove unnecessary words.
- Length is less important than precision and value in what you’re saying.
- Structure your writing in clear, concise loops to maintain the reader’s attention.
Don’t Try to Develop a Personal Style
Many writers aim to develop a personal style, something instantly recognizable as “theirs.” PG, however, advises against this. He believes that style emerges naturally as you focus on writing well.
“The only style worth having is the one you can’t help.”
Just as people walk in distinctive ways without consciously trying, your writing style will develop organically as long as you prioritize quality over trying to be unique. Michelangelo didn’t set out to paint like Michelangelo—he simply tried to paint well.
- Focus on writing well; your style will emerge naturally.
- Avoid self-conscious attempts to create a “signature” style.
- Let your personality shine through your commitment to quality.
Grab the Ending When It Appears
PG’s final lesson is a simple yet profound one: learn to recognize the approach of an ending, and when one appears, grab it. Too many writers drag out their conclusions, but effective writing knows when to stop.
“When an ending appears, grab it.”
Recognizing when you’ve made your point and exiting with strength is a mark of good writing. A strong, timely ending leaves a lasting impact on the reader.
- Don’t overstay your welcome—finish strong and on time.
- Be conscious of the natural conclusion of your ideas.
- A well-timed ending is often more impactful than an overly extended one.
Closing Thoughts on How to Become a Better Writer
Writing is not an isolated activity. It’s deeply intertwined with experience, conversation, and action.
Paul Graham didn’t become one of the most respected writers in the startup world by sitting in a room alone—he built startups, mentored founders, and engaged deeply with the world around him.
By doing hard things, cultivating his taste, copying what he liked, and writing with brevity and clarity, PG became a master of the craft.
For startup founders and writers alike, these lessons offer a roadmap to not only improving your writing but also shaping the way you think and communicate.
Summary:
- Do hard things.
- Writing generates ideas.
- Cultivate your taste for great writing.
- Copy what you like.
- Write briefly and succinctly.
- Don’t force a personal style.
- Grab the ending when it appears.
Take these lessons to heart, and whether you’re writing essays, blog posts, or code, you’ll find that the quality of your work rises to meet the challenge.
(Source : “How I Write” Podcast by David Perell featuring Paul Graham)
