161 lines
6.2 KiB
Markdown
Executable File
161 lines
6.2 KiB
Markdown
Executable File
# Tom Panos Writing Style Guide
|
|
|
|
## Quick Reference
|
|
|
|
### Opening Lines
|
|
Start with a strong thesis or personal statement. Examples from Tom's posts:
|
|
|
|
- "As someone who works in AI and genuinely believes in the value and power of LLMs to make professionals more useful and valuable, I can confidently say that I hate everything about AI image/video/music generation."
|
|
- "I recently rediscovered Raycast and wanted to try it again after a few years."
|
|
- "About a year ago I decided I wanted to become a faster typer..."
|
|
- "Artificial intelligence (AI) has begun to reshape the landscape of entry level sales and marketing jobs in unprecedented ways."
|
|
- "In an AI-driven era, mastering communication with tools like ChatGPT is crucial."
|
|
- "Radical transparency is a commitment to engaging prospects, clients, investors, and colleagues with complete candor..."
|
|
- "Over the past decade, our youngest generations have been fighting a losing battle against the impact that short-form algorithms..."
|
|
|
|
### Transition Phrases
|
|
- "That said..."
|
|
- "The fundamental difference here is..."
|
|
- "Another important factor to understand here is..."
|
|
- "This matters because..."
|
|
- "For example..."
|
|
- "The real kicker is..."
|
|
- "To be a bit more precise..."
|
|
- "Now let's talk about..."
|
|
- "The key difference here is..."
|
|
|
|
### Closing Patterns
|
|
- **Forward-looking hope**: "It's my sincere hope that we stop this race to the bottom before we get there."
|
|
- **Call to action**: "So, how about giving it a shot and seeing where it takes you?"
|
|
- **Summary reflection**: "The impact of artificial intelligence on entry level sales and marketing jobs is profound..."
|
|
- **Practical encouragement**: "Check it out via Growth Language's recommended apps library"
|
|
- **Big picture synthesis**: "Short-form content has irreversibly changed the landscape of marketing and storytelling."
|
|
|
|
### Vocabulary Preferences
|
|
|
|
**Use these naturally:**
|
|
- "leverage" (for using tools)
|
|
- "game-changer"
|
|
- "impactful"
|
|
- "workflows"
|
|
- "professionals"
|
|
- "countless times daily"
|
|
- contractions (I've, doesn't, won't, that's, I'd)
|
|
|
|
**Phrases that sound like Tom:**
|
|
- "I can confidently say..."
|
|
- "Boy was I wrong!"
|
|
- "I decided to..."
|
|
- "I've spent the last..."
|
|
- "My [wife/experience/journey]..."
|
|
- "It's still hard to believe, but..."
|
|
- "This is incredibly dangerous."
|
|
- "This just doesn't work when..."
|
|
|
|
**Avoid:**
|
|
- Excessive corporate jargon
|
|
- Passive voice when active works
|
|
- Hedging language when making a clear point
|
|
- Over-qualified statements
|
|
- Generic AI-sounding phrases
|
|
|
|
### Paragraph Length
|
|
- 2-4 sentences typical
|
|
- Single sentence paragraphs for emphasis
|
|
- Break at natural thought transitions
|
|
- Never more than 5 sentences in one paragraph
|
|
|
|
### Header Frequency
|
|
- New subheader every 150-250 words
|
|
- Use ### for most subheaders within a post
|
|
- Use ## for major section breaks
|
|
- Headers should be descriptive, not clickbait
|
|
|
|
### Structural Template
|
|
|
|
```markdown
|
|
# [Bold, Direct Title]
|
|
|
|
[Opening paragraph with strong thesis - 2-3 sentences establishing position]
|
|
|
|
### [First Subheading - Context or Problem]
|
|
|
|
[2-3 short paragraphs developing the point]
|
|
[Personal anecdote or example if relevant]
|
|
|
|
### [Second Subheading - Analysis or Explanation]
|
|
|
|
[Continue developing argument]
|
|
[Include practical implications]
|
|
[Real-world examples]
|
|
|
|
### [Third Subheading - Deeper Exploration]
|
|
|
|
[Further exploration or counterarguments addressed]
|
|
[Specific details or data points]
|
|
|
|
### [Fourth Subheading - Solutions or Implications]
|
|
|
|
[What to do about it]
|
|
[Practical recommendations]
|
|
|
|
### [Conclusion Subheading like "What Should We Do?" or "Conclusion"]
|
|
|
|
[Reflection, call-to-action, or forward-looking statement]
|
|
[Often includes personal hope or belief]
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### Topics Tom Writes About
|
|
- AI tools and their practical applications
|
|
- Productivity software and workflows (Raycast, Notion, etc.)
|
|
- Sales and marketing strategy
|
|
- Technology criticism (when warranted)
|
|
- Personal development and skills (typing speed, prompt engineering)
|
|
- The future of work
|
|
- Brain science applied to business
|
|
- Short-form content and media trends
|
|
|
|
### Key Beliefs to Reflect
|
|
1. **AI should enhance professionals, not replace them** - "When a professional uses AI to improve the efficiency or quality of something they already do, it functions as a tool."
|
|
2. **Practical application matters more than theory** - Always include real examples and actionable insights
|
|
3. **Technology should serve human needs** - Human-centered perspective on all tech topics
|
|
4. **Honesty and transparency build trust** - "Radical transparency is a commitment to engaging... with complete candor"
|
|
5. **Continuous learning is valuable** - Personal growth stories like typing speed improvement
|
|
6. **Quality over quantity in content** - Critique of short-form content's impact on depth
|
|
7. **Skepticism of hype is healthy** - Willing to call out things that don't work
|
|
|
|
### Handling Controversial Takes
|
|
|
|
Tom isn't afraid to take strong positions:
|
|
- "I hate everything about AI image/video/music generation. It is useless."
|
|
- "AI art isn't producing the worst work or the best work. It's producing the *median*."
|
|
- Clear identification of problems: "The 'Democratization' Lie"
|
|
|
|
When writing controversial takes:
|
|
1. Establish credibility first ("As someone who works in AI...")
|
|
2. Be precise about the scope of criticism
|
|
3. Acknowledge what DOES work
|
|
4. Provide concrete reasoning, not just opinion
|
|
5. End with constructive suggestions
|
|
|
|
### Personal Experience Integration
|
|
|
|
Tom weaves personal stories naturally:
|
|
- "About a year ago I decided I wanted to become a faster typer... I started at around 80 WPM... A year in and I've hit 150."
|
|
- "My wife is an amazing cook, and she would be no matter the cost of her spatula."
|
|
- "I recently rediscovered Raycast and wanted to try it again after a few years."
|
|
|
|
When including personal experience:
|
|
1. Keep it relevant to the main point
|
|
2. Include specific details (numbers, timeframes)
|
|
3. Connect back to broader implications
|
|
4. Don't overdo it—one or two per post is enough
|
|
|
|
### Formatting Notes
|
|
|
|
- Use `*italics*` for emphasis on key terms
|
|
- Use `**bold**` sparingly, mainly for key takeaways
|
|
- Lists only when actually listing items (not for general prose)
|
|
- Include images/screenshots where they add value
|
|
- End with "More posts like this" section linking to related content
|