Great article! Fully agree that more choice doesn’t always lead to better decisions. Through the jam experiment and Hick’s Law, it illustrates how overwhelming options can lead to paralysis rather than action. The lesson is clear: clarity and simplicity are not just preferences but necessities, whether in decision-making, design, or writing.
For writers, this is a wake-up call. Readers don’t crave complexity; they crave understanding. Every unnecessary word, every convoluted sentence, is another “jam flavor” making their cognitive load heavier. So the takeaway is to say less, but say it better. Lead with what matters, simplify where you can, and trust that clarity, not complexity, is what leaves a lasting impact.
I loved this! I especially had fun in the intro, I would have gone for the jam with 6 choices, and my fiance would have gone for the 24. Having ADHD and being an HSP I appreciate all that this article says, it is a good reminder for me as well because I can tend to get lost and over-explain.
I'm loving your ideas. It resonates a lot about what I learned from my own writing experience. The ideas are also similar to copywriting techniques or strategies. Pretty useful!
"Lead with what matters most" is an intriguing tip. How do you strike the balance between informing, but also keeping the reader wanting to keep reading?
Love this, thanks! Really helpful to see this written down to reinforce the ideas.
I see my role in my writing as a ship's captain to try to steer the reader through the message with me, to its logical conclusion, and all of these tactics really help...
Oh, that's such a nice way to put it. To think of the writer as a ship's captain who's steering the reader along the sea, trying to make the journey as smooth as possible. Lovely! :)
This is such a helpful reminder of the joys of simplicity and subtraction over complication and 'more' of everything. And of the power of constraint: in a world where 24 types of jam are available, narrow down the choice to 6. It's not only less overwhelming, it's also so much easier on the nervous system!
Great article! Fully agree that more choice doesn’t always lead to better decisions. Through the jam experiment and Hick’s Law, it illustrates how overwhelming options can lead to paralysis rather than action. The lesson is clear: clarity and simplicity are not just preferences but necessities, whether in decision-making, design, or writing.
For writers, this is a wake-up call. Readers don’t crave complexity; they crave understanding. Every unnecessary word, every convoluted sentence, is another “jam flavor” making their cognitive load heavier. So the takeaway is to say less, but say it better. Lead with what matters, simplify where you can, and trust that clarity, not complexity, is what leaves a lasting impact.
Amazing summary ♥️
Super nice article! Thank you!
I'm glad you found it useful. :)
I had heard the jam analogy long but didn’t have a reference for it. Now I have the reference and some handy tips to apply to my writing. Thanks!
Awesome. I'm glad this was of value to you. :)
I loved this! I especially had fun in the intro, I would have gone for the jam with 6 choices, and my fiance would have gone for the 24. Having ADHD and being an HSP I appreciate all that this article says, it is a good reminder for me as well because I can tend to get lost and over-explain.
I'm glad you found it relatable. :)
It's interesting that you'd have gone for 6 choices, I'd have definitely gone for the one with 24. :D
I'm loving your ideas. It resonates a lot about what I learned from my own writing experience. The ideas are also similar to copywriting techniques or strategies. Pretty useful!
I'm glad you're finding this valuable. More coming soon. :)
I cannot make choices. So I know ahead of time to avoid the chaos.
My time felt well spent reading this article, thank you. I’m leaving with some concrete ideas on ways I can improve my own.
That's what makes it worth it. Thanks for expressing. :)
"Lead with what matters most" is an intriguing tip. How do you strike the balance between informing, but also keeping the reader wanting to keep reading?
Thanks. Here are a few things that might help:
- Write with the reader in mind. Think what will make them keep reading.
- Keep yourself in the reader's shoes. Will you read it?
- Cut the fluff. Respect the reader's time. Trust me, your readers will appreciate this.
- Kill your ego. Not everything you know should make it to the piece. Only write what's really really important for the reader to read.
Hope this helps. :)
This is great!
I feel like every time I read a post like this I am slowly becoming a better writer.
Thanks for posting.
Mission accomplished for me!! :)
Love this, thanks! Really helpful to see this written down to reinforce the ideas.
I see my role in my writing as a ship's captain to try to steer the reader through the message with me, to its logical conclusion, and all of these tactics really help...
Oh, that's such a nice way to put it. To think of the writer as a ship's captain who's steering the reader along the sea, trying to make the journey as smooth as possible. Lovely! :)
This is so true and some much needed advice
I'm glad you found value in this. :)
Now I know why I can't decide what to watch on. I never thought it applied to writing but it makes so much sense. Thanks for sharing.
Hahaha, picking a show to watch on Netflix is a task in itself. :D
This is such a helpful reminder of the joys of simplicity and subtraction over complication and 'more' of everything. And of the power of constraint: in a world where 24 types of jam are available, narrow down the choice to 6. It's not only less overwhelming, it's also so much easier on the nervous system!
That's an amazing way to put it. I'm glad you liked the piece. :)
Informative article how to think and write in favor of readers and enhance our skillset effectively. Thank you for sharing this insight .
I'm glad you found it valuable 🙂
So cute 🥰
Less words, more impact! 💕