Let me take you back to 2020, the first lockdown of the pandemic. Berlin, the city I was living at the time, is on itself not beautiful by any standards. It lives off connection, chance encounters, lots of character and a certain aliveness. At that time all of this was striped away. It felt like a deserted film set. Empty streets, shuttered cafés, and a silence so thick you could almost hear yourself think. With lots of time on my hands one thought came back to me like a haunting whisper: “Why dont you start writing again?“. Something I neglected. Work, unexpected life events and the general pursuit of happiness (translation: the hustle to make more money than I actually spend) took me away from it. One afternoon, confined by walls of my pandemic prison and craving fresh air, the thought appeared again. I took a walk down by the river. Left turn, right turn, I found myself at the entrance to an apartment complex. Besides it, someone had left a pile of books outside their door. Among the “read me or I will vanish in the rain” pile was Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.

Now, I’m not the kind of person to see messages in tea leaves. But this felt different. Here I was, contemplating the creative pursuits I’d long neglected, and suddenly, one of the most revered books on writing was practically handed to me. Felt highly synchronistic. Message received.

That day, I didn’t decide to write. I decided to read about writing. And it wasn’t just King who found his way onto my desk. That book led me in the following weeks to The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. as King writes in it “There is little or no detectable bullshit in that book. I’ll tell you right now that every aspiring writer should read The Elements of Style“ and eventually to other books on writing. But King’s book and Strunk’s timeless manual formed the foundation. They didn’t just teach me how to communicate better. They reminded me why writing matters.

This is the first in a two-part series on the art and craft of writing. In this piece, I will explore and share with you three things:

1. Why writing isn’t just about others but a mirror for yourself.
2. How to use writing as a tool to excel in business.
3. What it really takes to write something that lasts.

In Part Two, I’ll delve into creative blocks and the inner battles of writing. Featuring Urgency and Patience by Jean-Philippe Toussaint and Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art. The link to Part Two you’ll find at the end of this Article.

We often think of writing as a tool to share ideas, but in truth, it’s also a dialogue with your own mind. Stephen King describes writing as “telepathy”. The ability to transfer your thoughts into someone else’s head. But before you can transmit to others, you must first clarify what you’re saying to yourself.

King’s personal journey, shared in On Writing, is a testament to this. He writes about overcoming addiction, grief, and self-doubt, and how the process of writing helped him navigate those waters. For him, writing wasn’t just about crafting stories. It was about survival.

During the lockdown, I experienced this firsthand. I was overwhelmed by uncertainty. The news cycle was relentless and social interactions nonexistent. This nagging voice in the back of my head became a static noise and deafening. After the second lockdown and moving to the coast in Split, Dalmatia at the beginning of 2021 – writing became a refuge. A way to untangle thoughts and make sense of chaos. Writing forces you to slow down. You can’t scribble faster than your brain churns out ideas, and that gap between thought and word leaves room for reflection. By the time you finish a sentence, you’ve often arrived at clarity. Or at least a version of it.

If you’re looking for a way to get started, Strunk’s The Elements of Style is invaluable. One of its core principles is this: “Omit needless words.” It’s not just advice for better writing. It’s a metaphor for clearer thinking. Cutting out fluff from your sentences is like cutting out mental clutter.

Try this exercise: Take ten minutes every morning and write about whatever’s on your mind. Don’t aim for perfection or coherence. Just write. You’ll be amazed at how often your scattered thoughts align into something resembling insight. Writing, in this sense, becomes both a tool for discovery and a form of self-care.

Now let’s talk about business. Or the email thread. Or the pitch deck. Writing isn’t just for novels and journaling. It’s a business tool. Arguably the most important one. You’re selling a product, managing a team, or persuading investors? The ability to communicate clearly and convincing is non-negotiable.

Here’s the problem: Most business writing is terrible. Buzzwords, jargon, and unnecessarily long sentences dominate. Leaving the reader confused or, worse, bored.

The solution? Clarity, conciseness, and connection.

This is where The Elements of Style and On Writing come in handy again. Strunk’s insistence on precision applies directly to business communication. Want to get that client to open your email? Start with a punchy subject line and a concise first sentence. Need to rally your team around a vision? Use vivid, action-oriented language that appeals to both their logic and emotions.

And here’s a golden nugget from On Writing: “The adverb is not your friend.” Replace “we are very excited to share” with “we’re thrilled to share.” In business writing, briefness isn’t just a style choice. It’s a courtesy to your audience.

Kenneth Roman’s Writing That Works: How to Communicate Effectively in Business (which I read later) echoes this. He emphasizes the importance of writing with the reader in mind. What do they care about? What action do you want them to take? Good writing, in any context, is about serving your audience. Not showing off your vocabulary.

For entrepreneurs, this lesson is particularly crucial. Writing  a mission statement, pitching investors, or designing your website copy? Your words should do three things: grab attention, deliver value, and inspire action. Not teach vocabulary. 

Here’s a quick example: Imagine you’re selling a new app. Instead of writing, “Our app utilizes innovative AI technology to streamline productivity,” try, “Our app helps you finish tasks faster, giving you more time for what matters.” One sentence is about you. The other is about your audience. Which one speaks more to you? What do you think resonates more with the reader?

Takeaways:

• Start Strong: Use a punchy headline or subject line to grab attention immediately.
• Be Clear: Avoid jargon and overly complex sentences. Make your point accessible.
• Be Concise: Say what you need to say in the fewest words possible. Respect your reader’s time.
• Focus on the Audience: Write from their perspective. What’s in it for them?
• Action-Oriented Language: Use verbs and phrasing that encourage the reader to take the next step.
• Simplify Sentences: Replace long-winded phrases with direct, active language.
• Emphasize Benefits: Highlight how your product or idea solves a problem. Or improves their life.
• Show, Don’t Tell: Use vivid examples or analogies to make your message memorable.

So, you’ve mastered clarity and connection in your emails and pitches. But what happens when you open a Word doc to write something more personal. A memoir, a novel, or even a article?

This is where On Writing truly shines. King doesn’t sugarcoat the craft. Writing is hard, messy, and often thankless. But he also makes a compelling case for why it’s worth it. Stories, he says, are about truth. About digging deep into yourself and pulling out something raw and real.

His practical advice: King swears by a simple, no-nonsense rule: Write every day. Not when inspiration strikes, not when you “feel like it. Every day. This consistency builds discipline, hones your skills, and keeps you connected to the work.

Strunk’s contribution to storytelling is in his emphasis on simplicity. Good writing isn’t about impressing readers with complex sentences. It’s about making them feel something.

Here’s a challenge for aspiring writers: Start with a scene, not a story. Forget about structure, plot, or themes for now. Write a single, vivid scene. Something you’ve experienced or imagined. Focus on the sensory details: What did the room smell like? How did the air feel? What were you thinking in that moment?

Where Do We Go from Here?

Writing is more than a skill. It’s a way of seeing the world, and yourself. 

But what happens when the words won’t come? When self-doubt creeps in, or the blank page feels like an insurmountable wall? That’s the subject of Part Two in this series. I’ll explore Urgency and Patience by Jean-Philippe Toussaint and Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art and will dive into the inner battles of creativity and how to overcome them. Ready to break through the blocks and find your voice? Here is Part Two.