A world divided into writes and write-nots is more dangerous than it soundsPublished inThe Medium BlogSent as aNewsletter3 min read1 day ago-- Weve got 9% of 2024 left to live. Lets make it count.Issue #219: why books flop, surrounding yourself with freedom, and the mechanics of inefficiencyOne of the strangest things you learn if youre a writer is how many people have trouble writing, begins Y Combinator founder Paul Graham in his latest essay. Im not really a Grahamhead, and I havent (yet) set up an RSS feed for his posts, but a friend sent me this one recently. It stood out.This friend has published four novels. Shes working on a fifth. Whenever she tells someone shes a writer, one of the first things they say is: Ive always had an idea for a book. Everyone has an idea for a book! But the chasm between idea and execution is always wider than it seems.If youve been reading this newsletter for a while, you know weve touched on the future of writing, specifically as it relates to AI. (See: Can AI make art?) Grahams essay gave me a new way to think about this topic. His argument is essentially that AI is both widening and narrowing the gap between idea and execution. Narrowing it because you can just ask AI to write your book for you. And maybe, with enough time, the book will turn out good. Widening it because more people will lose touch with writings real, intangible utility: helping you become a better thinker.In a few decades, Graham argues, society will be split between writers and write-nots: Those who choose to write as a way to clarify their thinking, and those who dont because they wont have to. He draws a parallel between writing and going to the gym. Before the industrial revolution, manual labor made most people strong. Now, if you want to be physically fit you work out. Strong people exist, but only by choice.A world divided into writes and write-nots is more dangerous than it sounds, he writes. It will be a world of thinks and think-nots. I know which half I want to be in, and I bet you do too.What do you think? You might find writing helps you figure that out if so, reply to this email or jump into the comments. Harris Sockel 3 of my open tabsAuthor Scott Muska gets brutally honest about why his latest book of poetry flopped: I rushed something to publication that was not only not as great as it potentially could have been, but not really great to begin with. Never in my life have I heard an author go this deep into why something they wrote failed to sell.Dont surround yourself with smarter people. Surround yourself with people who are free in ways you are not. (Ribbonfarm via Nix)Kenny Minker, in Peru, pens an ode to the classic VW Beetle (theyre everywhere in Peru). Modern car brands prioritize fuel efficiency and aerodynamics, but the Beetle is one of the only design-forward cars in history its engine is in back to make it as compact and cute as possible.Your daily dose of practical wisdomThere are three ways to waste time: working on the wrong stuff, using inefficient methodology, and hesitating out of caution. (Martina Ivaniov)