Write of Passage Weekly - Be Known For Your Voice

Write of Passage Weekly

​Hey Writers,

Last week we sent the first-ever Write of Passage Weekly newsletter. Huzzah! Its purpose is to bring you the best writing advice on the Internet. Keep sending us thoughtful questions and replies. This is your chance to guide the course of this adventure.

If you live in the United States, your Memorial Day weekend might’ve been a whirlwind of outdoor celebrations. Who wants to write when the sun comes out? This is your (friendly) reminder that writing happens away from your desk too. You don’t have to retreat into the woods by yourself to start writing. Just because Henry David Thoreau doesn’t find inspiration at family barbecues, doesn’t mean you can’t try (he also didn’t have Evernote on iOS). Take notes when you’re out and about. When you sit down at your keyboard, you’ll have momentum.

Our first edition was about Your Personal Monopoly Path. The main lesson: follow your curiosities, and your distinct writing identity will emerge over time.

Today is another lesson on Personal Monopolies. We’ll unpack how to differentiate yourself through your “writing voice.” There’s no better example than the story of Packy McCormick, a Write of Passage alum, whose “Not Boring” newsletter has grown to over 125,000 subscribers. Packy’s voice unifies his whole body of writing, and it’s the key thing that his audience knows him for. Let’s get into it.

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The Mailbag

Your writing questions, answered.

"This newsletter fires me up! I feel like I have permission to explore my interests, and I have faith my Personal Monopoly will emerge over time. How can I create a theme that runs through all of my writing?"

Great question. An underrated way to link all of your essays together is a distinct writing voice. Your voice is about how you write, not what you write. It’s your personality on the page. Great writers have voices that are singular and identifiable, like a fingerprint. You can read a paragraph-long excerpt of Virginia Woolf and instantly know it’s her.

Instead of being known for a specific topic, you can be known for your voice. Consider Tim Urban, renowned writer of Wait But Why. He’s known for his personality, his humor, and his stick-figure illustrations. Whether he’s writing about politics, dating, or artificial intelligence, the same voice comes through.

Packy McCormick is a great example too. Packy was in our first ever Write of Passage cohort, back when David was still in diapers. At first the concept of a Personal Monopoly didn’t click with Packy (he admits he thought it was BS). In 2019, Packy had a small following and wrote about whatever came into the crosshair of his curiosity: community, sleep, scientific papers, investing, tech strategy.

Even though his scope was scatter-brained, he had a thread running through each edition: his voice.

Packy brought sizzle to business memos. He fused the rigor of a McKinsey level analyst with the antics of a class clown. In a domain that is typically serious, Packy injects humor, memes, and pop culture references. He’d take heavy concepts, like Joseph Schumpeter’s 1857 theory on cyclical destruction (boring), and explain it through the lens of the Mickey Mouse Club (not boring!). No one expected to learn tech-strategy this way. He took the Internet by storm and his newsletter has grown to over 125,000 subscribers.

The real goal of a Personal Monopoly: be the only one doing the thing you’re doing.

A common interpretation of this is to invent something that’s entirely new. Sure, you could calculate the total addressable market at the intersection of X, Y, and Z– but you don’t have to! Instead, you can embrace this: no one is better at being you than yourself— period!

If you're funny, write with wit.
If you're angry, write with fire.
If you’re inspired, write with zest.

Packy took a bet on his wonkiness and won. There are dozens of ways we can (and will) teach voice to new writers, but no technique is more effective than a dose of courage. The courage to double-down on your real, off-the-page personality pays off. It leads to writing that feels alive, and it creates a vibe that readers come back for. A voice-focused Personal Monopoly is the most sustainable for the long-haul. As your interests change through your life, you bring your voice from topic to topic, and your audience comes along for the ride.

You can be known for anything– but be known for your voice.

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Writer's Toolbox

The best writing about writing on the Internet.

• One from us: David Perell’s essay, You Already Have a Voice offers some wisdom on this topic. “Your voice won’t reveal itself until you drop the consultant-speak and listen to the whispers of your intuition... Once your compass points in the “I want to be less like other people” direction, you’re on your way to finding your voice.”
• One from our students: Packy's most famous article is The Great Online Game. There are 3 billion people online, and niches can be absolutely massive. If you jump in and play, really wild stuff happens. By putting out well-reasoned thoughts in an entertaining way, you attract people and opportunities into your life. ​

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What We're Up To

The latest from our team

Heading into the next chapter of Write of Passage, we have a full re-brand in the works. Our company voice is top of mind. We have new products, a new newsletter (hey), and creative explosions of all kinds, in every direction. We want every word and pixel to embrace the spirit of the company. Hard stuff, fun stuff.

The goal of a writing voice: Translate your personality to the page.

With that, we find ourselves walking the line between value and vibe. How do we communicate who we are, “a high-end writing school that changes lives,” while expressing our wonkiness?

Our obsession with refining our brand voice is two-fold. 1) It makes writing more memorable and enjoyable (both to write and consume). 2) It’s a critical part of the future of education. Traditional schooling often boils down to dry, soulless information transmission. Write of Passage plans to set a new standard.

Keep this in mind when you write: If you can get your reader to smile, they’re yours forever.

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Thanks for reading. If you have any burning questions about Personal Monopolies, how to develop your voice, or writing online, send them over! We'll feature the best ones in future newsletters.

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Until next week,
The Write of Passage Team

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PS: Write of Passage Weekly brings you the best writing advice on the Internet. Each edition is 100% devoted to helping you improve your writing, find your people, and build your Personal Monopoly. We’ll answer your questions, curate links, share tools, and give you a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Write of Passage. Thanks for having us in your inbox. Happy writing!​
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