The High Cost of Low Effort

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Hey honeys and hustlers,

There seems to be a popular sentiment that AI makes writing effortless. This couldn't be further from the truth. I don’t care what the medium is: articles, emails, grants, or social posts. I do, however, believe this to be true: writing with AI before you find your voice as a writer robs you of the ability to develop an understanding of what constitutes good writing. I want to share the 3-word formula from David Perell that might be helpful when piecing together an article or story. You could also just binge every episode of How I Write, but I figured reading this might be faster.

Before we get started, thank you to everyone who joined Michelle and me live on Substack last night. I know we went live on a different day this week, so thanks for adjusting your schedule. This is also a PSA that we’ll be going live again on Wednesday next week at 8PM, so mark your calendars. Corey will also be back, so the band will be back together!

P.S. I published a YouTube video about my pre-production process for the next season of the Honey & Hustle podcast. I’m aiming to post at least twice a month on my YouTube channel and share more of the scenes behind my creative business. Let me know if there are topics you’d like to see me cover there that I haven’t yet talked about here!

Drawing from David Perell's wisdom, truly compelling writing stands on three fundamental pillars:

• playful

• personal

• observational

When these elements come together harmoniously, they create writing that resonates deeply with readers. Without the personal element, your writing becomes clinical and detached – interesting maybe, but failing to forge a connection with your audience. Strip away the observational aspect, and you're left with entertaining but ultimately hollow content that fails to deliver meaningful insights. Remove the playful element, and your writing becomes dry and forgettable, regardless of how informative it might be.

If it’s only personal, it likely reads like a diary (babe, boundaries). If it’s only observational, it likely reads like a scientific paper (synonym = sandpaper). If it’s only playful, it may read like a tabloid, and we don’t want to cosplay the Shaderoom or TMZ now, do we?

This isn't to say that AI writing tools have no place in your workflow. The key is in developing your taste, taking time to find your voice, and understanding when and how to use AI effectively. I always recommend starting with manual drafting to develop your core ideas and voice. What do you want your writing to convey? Is it compelling on its own? I think using AI as an editor or refining tool rather than a primary content creator is the key to writing impactful work. Learn to recognize when you're using AI as a crutch rather than a tool. The future of writing isn't about choosing between human effort and artificial intelligence – it's about understanding the value of both. The most successful writers will be those who maintain their authentic voice while strategically leveraging AI to enhance their work, not replace their effort.

There are no true shortcuts to becoming a better writer. The path to improvement requires dedication, practice, and yes, even struggle. There are definitely times where I’ve published articles on this newsletter that I thought could’ve used another round of editing or even a little more idea maturation. But I published them, learned from them, and moved on to the next. These challenges aren't obstacles to avoid – they're the very steps that lead to mastery.

So, before you reach for that AI writing assistant to draft mediocre 100 articles based on a keyword, ask yourself: Am I using this tool to enhance my existing skills, or am I using it to avoid the necessary work of becoming a better writer? The answer to that question might be more valuable than any content the AI could generate.

Invest in the hard work of developing your writing skills now, or pay the higher price of dependency later. Choose wisely.