Less Frosting, More Cake

A senior leader gave me feedback Friday. The kind that stays with you.

He said something like:
“Your writing is thoughtful. But it’s too flowery. Too complex. You bury the point.”

Ouch.
And… fair.

So I’ve decided to try and change.

From now on, I’m aiming for writing that’s simpler. Sharper. Shorter.
Not less meaningful, just more direct.

Saturday morning I developed this style guide:

• Get to the point fast.
• Keep it under 300 words.
• No big intros. No conclusions.
• Short paragraphs. One idea per line.
• Use metaphors. Ask questions. Create space.
• Make it useful. Or provoking. Or both.
• Stop when it’s enough.

This isn’t dumbing down. It’s clearing the path.

I still care about nuance. About language. About making meaning.
But I want to reach the reader who’s in a rush, and the one who’s ready to think.

So if things feel a little different here, that’s why.
Still me. Just… less frosting. More cake.

Thanks for reading, and for staying with me.

Let me know what you think.