(2022-02-13) Graham Putting Ideas Into Words

Paul Graham: Putting Ideas into Words. Writing about something, even something you know well, usually shows you that you didn't know it as well as you thought.

putting your ideas into words changed them

The real test is reading what you've written

I'm not saying that writing is the best way to explore all ideas. If you have ideas about architecture, presumably the best way to explore them is to build actual buildings. (making)

If writing down your ideas always makes them more precise and more complete, then no one who hasn't written about a topic has fully formed ideas about it. And someone who never writes has no fully formed ideas about anything nontrivial.

It feels to them as if they do, especially if they're not in the habit of critically examining their own thinking. Ideas can feel complete. It's only when you try to put them into words that you discover they're not. So if you never subject your ideas to that test, you'll not only never have fully formed ideas, but also never realize it.