9 mental models to help you write smarter, not harder

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Having some strong mental models can not only help you write faster but it will make the job more pleasant as well…

Have you ever noticed how some tasks come naturally while others feel like wading through mud? You might whip up dinner effortlessly but struggle for hours with taxes. Or perhaps you’re lightning-fast with bookkeeping but painfully slow at organizing your garage.

Over time, we naturally become more efficient at frequently performed tasks. We unconsciously absorb the patterns, rules and shortcuts through repetition. But you don’t need to do something hundreds of times to improve. You can use a shortcut that isn’t cheating — mental models.

Mental models are conceptual frameworks that help us understand complex problems and make better decisions. Here are nine powerful models that are particularly valuable for writers:

1-Parkinson’s Law

Writing always stretches to consume whatever time you allocate. Give yourself six hours for a two-hour task, and you’ll use every minute. But here’s the surprising flip side: Set an unreasonably short deadline, and you’ll often rise to meet it. The key? Writing always expands to fill available time. Set tight timeframes.

2-The Crappy First Draft Principle

Popularized by Anne Lamott, this approach (which I echoed in my book Your Happy First Draft) liberates writers from perfectionism. Pour your messy, incomplete thoughts onto the page first. Polish them later. Separating creation from refinement transforms the writing process.

3-Nothing New Under the Sun

Feeling pressured to be original? This biblical concept offers relief. Most stories and ideas have been told before. Focus instead on your unique perspective and voice. Draw inspiration from existing works, then add your own interpretation.

4-The Growth Mindset

Carol Dweck’s research demolishes the myth of “natural talent.” Anyone can improve their writing through focused effort. Growth-minded writers:

  • View abilities as developable
  • Embrace challenges
  • Learn from setbacks
  • Welcome constructive feedback
  • See effort as the path to mastery

5-The Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule)

This principle reveals the uneven distribution of results. In writing, this affects:

  • Time: Most productivity comes from a small portion of your writing sessions
  • Income: A minority of projects generate most revenue
  • Quality: Your best work often emerges from focused bursts

The key lesson to learn from Pareto is the idea of “uneven distribution.” (It doesn’t matter if the actual distribution is 90 vs 10, or 70 vs 30 — the whole point is the unevenness.) Your mother might have called this the “life is unfair” rule.

6-The Circle of Competence

Warren Buffett’s concept helps writers gauge research needs. Know your areas of expertise — and more importantly, their boundaries. When writing outside your circle of competence, adjust your research accordingly. The smaller your circle in a topic, the more preparation you’ll need. As Buffett says: “The size of that circle is not very important; knowing its boundaries, however, is vital.” If you already know a great deal, you shouldn’t need to research a lot more. If you don’t, you will.

7-First Principles Thinking

Break writing challenges into their fundamental elements by asking:

  • What’s this piece’s core purpose?
  • Which elements make writing compelling?
  • What’s the simplest way to communicate this idea?

This approach can bring fresh solutions to writing challenges.

8-Occam’s Razor

The simplest explanation often works best. Apply this to writing by:

  • Clarifying arguments
  • Tightening structure
  • Eliminating unnecessary complexity
  • Streamlining problem-solving
  • Sharpening edits

9-Law of Diminishing Returns

Beyond a certain point, additional effort usually yields smaller improvements. This crucial insight helps writers:

  • Recognize when to stop refining
  • Avoid perfectionist traps
  • Maintain productivity
  • Preserve creative energy
  • Know when to take breaks

Implementing Mental Models

These frameworks vary in accessibility — some will click immediately while others require practice. The key is experimenting to discover which models most effectively improve your writing speed, quality and comfort.

Start by choosing one or two models that resonate with you. Test them deliberately, then gradually incorporate others. Over time, these mental models become natural tools, transforming your writing process from the inside out.

If you liked this post, you’ll also like Why writers need checklists.

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Need some help developing a better, more sustainable writing or editing routine? Learn about my three-month accountability program called Get It Done. There is turn-over each month, and priority will go to those who have applied first. You can go directly to the application form and you’ll hear back from me within 24 hours.

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My video podcast last week addressed how to juggle research with writing. You can watch the video or read the transcript, and you can also subscribe to my YouTube channel.

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What mental models do you use when you write? We can all learn from each other, so please, share your thoughts with my readers and me in the comments section, below. And congratulations to Damon Van Der Linde, the winner of this month’s book prize, for a comment on my recent blog about the procrastination-guilt loop. (Please send me your email address, Damon.) If you comment on today’s post (or any others) by Feb. 28/25, I’ll put you in a draw for a digital copy of my first book, 8 1/2 Steps to Writing Faster, Better. To enter, please scroll down to the “comments,” directly underneath the “related posts” links, below. You don’t have to join Disqus to post! Read my tutorial to learn how to post as a guest. (It’s easy!)

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