The Shiny Dime Challenge

A Shiny Dime is a specific and surprising idea. It's the singular focus of a piece of writing. And it's a concept that will help you capture attention in a crowded world.

Hey writers,

Welcome to week two of the Shiny Dime Challenge. Last week, you learned to say one thing. This week, you’ll learn why the path to simplicity is through complexity.

Embrace Complexity, Arrive at Simplicity

Writing isn’t just how you communicate ideas — it’s how you discover new ones.

As you write, you discover beliefs you didn’t know you had, emerging opinions, and stories you’ve long forgotten. Like an archaeological dig, writing is a process of excavation. You won’t believe what you find once you start searching. 

The thing is, you may have to write for a while before you uncover something valuable. And that’s okay. If you’re struggling to articulate your ideas, just keep writing. There is simplicity on the other side of complexity. 

Take the Sydney Opera House as an example. 

The Sydney Opera House is one of the most distinct and memorable buildings in the world. Jørn Utzon, the architect, had a grand vision for the shell-like design of the roof — and it started as a mess of complexity. 

The original shells weren’t structurally sound. The design team went through twelve different iterations of the roof trying to find the perfect fit, but with no luck. The design was complicated and expensive — simply not feasible. Utzon became lost in chaos and complexity. 

But one day, he found the answer. And it came as he was eating an orange for breakfast. Before peeling the orange, Utzon saw the shells as distinct and separate. But after peeling the orange, he realized the shells could be cast as sections from the same sphere. Arches of different length could be cast in a common mold, making the project way less expensive. 

Jørn Utzon nearly had to give up on his ambitious vision for it being too complex. That was, until he uncovered one specific and surprising idea, his Shiny Dime. That was all it took: a moment of pure simplicity where everything clicked into place. An epiphany on the other side of chaos. Utzon’s Shiny Dime is what made his design possible, and it’s what led to the Sydney Opera House we know today.

The same is true of the writing process. A polished piece requires a messy first draft. Sometimes, you have to follow the rabbit-hole of your idea before you know why it’s good or how it will work. So, as you write, don’t stress yourself out trying to summarize your idea in a snappy one-liner right from the start. Instead, embrace complexity. Trust your vision. Write through it. Keep digging. Trust that there’s simplicity on the other side of complexity.

Like stumbling upon spare change on the sidewalk, you’ll discover your Shiny Dime by exploring your idea. 

Today, head into Circle to read your peer's Shiny Dimes from last week. You’ll receive your new writing prompt and access to this week's Circle space on Wednesday.

Happy writing,

The Write of Passage Team