On Writing
From quick drafts to deep 1000-word essays — a method of writing.
23 entries
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Karen's Book Selection | Those Who Often Lack Decisiveness Usually Don't Understand Themselves Well — "Life Has Its Way, Decision Has No Fear" by Dentsu CEO Tang Hsin-hui
One story that left a deep impression on me was when she flew to the United States at age 14 with her 12-year-old brother to study abroad, learning how to take care of him while walking to school in freezing conditions. When she first arrived in the US, her English wasn't very good, but she gradually improved and maintained top grades in school. Due to her English exam scores at the time, she lacked confidence in applying to Ivy League schools and ultimately chose New York University instead.
《Noise》: The word "judgment" is generally used when people think opinions "should" be consistent
《Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment》is a collaborative work by Nobel Prize-winning economist Daniel Kahneman and McKinsey senior partner Olivie Siebony. It marks their masterpiece after a decade-long absence. From reading the initial sections, I've already come to deeply appreciate the heights and depths economists reach. I'm deeply grateful for this book, which guides me to have the opportunity to layer by layer analyze the levels and dimensions of my own thinking through the various cases in the book.
Reflections on the Writing Era! Can Zero-Cost Personal Value Creation Protect Readers' Right to Know?
Recent writing trends seem to be stuck in a phase of "style building," using words to tell others "I'm this kind of person," "I live this kind of life," but will empty rhetoric and stacked achievements become good fruit or bad fruit?
How to Train Your Observation Skills in Daily Life? A Tribute to Conan!
In our work on efficient writing, we've always emphasized associative thinking and observation skills. The way to train yourself is to collect large amounts of information first, understanding how the world operates. The more you know, the better you can help yourself notice when something seems odd or unusual.
Tips for More Comprehensive Writing: Understanding Social System Context and Building a Personal "Database" to Cultivate Holistic Insight
I believe the key lies in whether your "database" is sufficiently comprehensive. I divide it into two dimensions: first, an "information database," and second, a "text database." This article focuses on discussing "social systems." A social system is, by definition, a patterned network of relationships that constitutes a coherent whole between individuals, groups, and institutions. It is the formal structure of roles and statuses that can form a stable group. One person may belong to multiple social systems at once; examples include the nuclear family unit, communities, cities, nations, university campuses, companies, and industries.
The Solution to Writing Transformation: You Only Know What You Can Write and How to Improve When You Actually Start
Going back to "Why do I want to write?" — Engaging content usually has several characteristics: 1. Tell your own story: "Content is King" is a famous saying. To make content engaging, it must have uniqueness, differentiation, and personal character. Starting from your own story is the simplest approach, but never turn it into a mere chronicle — it needs "resonance." (Further reading: K-style Internet Writing Skills – Don't Live in Your Own World, Transform the Emotions You Want to Express into "Shared Resonance") 2. Share your own professional expertise: Sharing your expertise provides plenty of uniqueness. If your writing is polished, it's virtually unbeatable and greatly aids future career development. I once knew a young woman who said clearly: "I don't particularly enjoy writing, but writing is a means to an end." She was very clear about her purpose — wanting her expertise to be seen — and that's an excellent approach. (Further reading: Before Investing in Writing to Invest in Yourself, Ask Yourself: Do You Really Enjoy Writing Articles? Don't Just Help Others Organize Information) 3. Record real events: My most well-known article on my site wasn't actually something I conceived from scratch. Instead, it documented problems I observed while participating in an event. Though the main figure had some popularity, the reflection sparked by this incident was quite substantial and generated considerable discussion.
K-style Internet Writing Tips – Don't Live in Your Own World, Make Your Emotions "Relatable"
People often say my articles have warmth. I believe having warmth doesn't just mean readers feel moved—it means certain phrases trigger their memories and suddenly create a resonance with a moment in their lives. That's why it's called having warmth. So how can you write about personal experiences without flaunting expertise, while still making the emotions you want to express understandable to everyone? My method is "situational simulation."
Personal Brand Management Guidelines: The Smaller You Are, the More Proactively You Must Act
Before sharing my personal experience, I want to first define what I understand as a "personal brand" and how it differs from entrepreneurship. In one class, a student asked a question that made me think...
"If You Follow Convention, You Won't Find New Answers" — Taiwan Female Founder Polley's Journey from US Engineer to Founder
Polley returns to Taiwan for the first time this year as a speaker at the Open UP Summit, an event that marks the Asia-Pacific region's first collaboration between international serial entrepreneurs and local Taiwan teams. The goal is to help future founders start by contributing to international open-source projects, develop international product vision, community connections, and resource integration perspectives. For this open-source community conference, Polley stays in Taiwan for a month and personally prepares an 8-day free workshop to co-create JITA with participants, searching for like-minded partners through talent development. Polley leads 15 people including university professors, front-end and back-end engineers, career changers, and those interested in the field to experience the co-creation spirit.
200,000 University Students Fleeing Campus Amid Mass Dropout Wave! High School and Second-Year Students Self-Study and Start Businesses—Chen Po-Yu: Not Everyone Needs Higher Education
According to the latest Ministry of Education statistics, 209,392 students took leaves of absence during the entire 106th academic year. Adding the 91,531 withdrawals, the total number of university students who took leaves or withdrew in the 106th academic year was 300,923, representing 23.6% of the total 1,273,894 university students. In other words, roughly 1 out of every 4 university students took a leave or withdrew. The reasons cited for leaves of absence include "work requirements," "misaligned interests," and "financial hardship."
Nearly Couldn't Depart…Kaohsiung Gas Explosion 'Ram Sisters' Push Forward with Australian Marathon Despite Tourism Bureau's Suspected Withdrawal of Sponsorship
The 'Ram Sisters' Lin Dai-zhen and Chen Tzu-yu, who became paralyzed from the waist down in the Kaohsiung gas explosion 4 years ago, named themselves after their perspective from wheelchairs looking up at the world. They were set to depart on July 5th for Australia to compete in the Gold Coast Marathon full 42K race, but a local tourism bureau sponsor suddenly withdrew sponsorship, citing EVA Air's strike as the reason for no available seats. However, insiders reveal that tickets would have been available through other airlines, but the sponsor simply walked away without further effort.
Cross-Industry Thinking / Not Wanting to Leave Bodies Exposed in a Row on Metal Trays — A Counter Girl Becomes a Ritual Body Specialist to Give the Deceased Their Final Appearance
I saw many deceased lying face-down on metal trays, with their buttocks lifted by the washing staff, their bodies forming a "V" shape, each one's rear end held up high to make it easier for staff to dress them; at a glance... you could see a whole row of bodies, completely naked, stripped of all dignity and privacy, lying face-down on the metal trays; I was truly shocked in that moment, not because I saw so many bodies at once, but because... the so-called washing and dressing of the deceased turned out to have so little dignity and privacy, which is why funeral homes won't let families watch. If... the person lying there was my family member, could I accept it?
After 4 Years in Mainland China! Media Agency Executive Turns AI Product Commercial Director Wang Yan-Chi: Nobody Needs to be Responsible for Your Knowledge
"Nobody needs to be responsible for your knowledge." After the formal interview ended, I admiringly asked Jeffery "how are you so capable," but he stated this firmly yet gently…
"Achieving Partners' Ideals" - How This 30-Year-Old Assistant Manager Built the Perfect Team
With long hair and a striking appearance, Sharon is turning 30 this year and serves as an Assistant Manager in the Consumer Business Group at Bourgeois PR Consultants. With 4.5 years of experience, she actually got promoted twice within 18 months to reach her current position. Starting from the ground level, she has a particular philosophy in team management: "Everyone knows I'm particularly strict, but that's the client's standard, not mine."
We Only Serve High-End Clients! How a Processing Factory Transformed into Asia's Largest Stone Materials Enterprise — An Interview with Yingliang Stone CEO
(Photo / Yingliang Group Warehouse No. 5 General Manager – Liu Xin) "We only serve high-end clients," said Liu Xin, General Manager of Yingliang Stone Materials, right from the start. With clear target customers and precise business strategies, "building brands, not markets" is the…
From Staff to Sales: Hua Ya-Qing Won the Rookie Award in Just Six Months at Sinyi Realty—She Treats Work as a Career, Even Reading the Chairman's Autobiography Before Bed
"The interviewers gave me the feeling that they were willing to wait for me." Because she had just graduated with no experience, and nearly 10 companies had rejected her, she was actually terrified of interviews. But at Sinyi Realty, Ya-Qing said, "They asked deep questions that required thought before answering, and they were willing to understand my perspective." Unlike other companies that just wanted to know if she could be used immediately, or how she'd catch up without experience, "Even when I said HR is a very professional field, the manager laughed." They weren't laughing because they thought she was cute or earnest—they were laughing thinking, "How is HR even a profession?"—belittling their own department, which made Ya-Qing very uncomfortable.
At 22, Jia-Yan Lin Founded 'SCONAS' Skincare Brand Out of Love for Her Mother — Handwritten Postcards Win Hearts
Since launching the brand, SCONAS's most touching feature is a series of 'handwritten postcards.' "Customers are like my family!" While most aftermarket services rely on instant online responses—already thoughtful enough for consumers—in this fast-paced information age, Jia-Yan chose to write postcards by hand and send them with each shipment. Many customers keep coming back simply because of these small cards.
The Simplest Truth About Work Is Just "Willingness"
For the same task, some people complain about giving too much, while others fixate on physical and mental exhaustion. But the truth is: "When you're willing to give, you'll receive corresponding fulfillment" — not fill your life with complaints. When you're unhappy, shift your perspective. Think about what you've gained. Think about how your small actions can change elements of your workplace environment. Take initiative to help and create the workplace you want.
After 27 Years Caring for Fujen University's Wenyou Building, She Retires in Tears—Not 'Aunt Mary,' Please Call Her 'Guan Meihua'
Over 27 years, every single day, Auntie rode her motorcycle at 5:30 a.m., arriving at Wenyou Building to open and clean every classroom, waiting for students to arrive. After a rushed lunch around 1 p.m., she returned to Wenyou Building to sort through the trash everyone left behind, until 10:30 p.m. when the evening students finished class.
Continues selling magazines after dialysis... Uncle Chen Jin-chun sells The Big Issue: 'As long as I can survive, that's good enough!'
'I don't have much time left,' says 66-year-old Uncle Chen Jin-chun with a smile, standing at the exit of Zhongxiao Dunnan MRT Station, watching the passing crowds, though few actually stop. For eight years, Uncle has made a living selling The Big Issue magazines. He sells between 10 to 50 copies daily, receiving 50 yuan in return for each sale—a livelihood that's manageable.
No Mask Required, But He Wears One for 12 Hours Daily! Senior Engineer Abandons High Salary to Switch Careers and Brew Coffee: "Doing What You Love Is What Matters Most"
Mr. Wang is in his fifties. Every day from 7:30 AM to 8 PM—a full 12 hours—he stays in the shop. He commutes by motorcycle between Neihu and Nangang, with only four days off per month, yet he accepts it willingly without complaint. In fact, he's quite happy, because he's doing what he loves.
High School Division B Last Place → World Champion! Born to Cheer: Lai Hong-ting's 12-Year Unwavering Commitment
Competitive cheerleading has become a popular permanent club and school team in many high schools and universities in recent years, and is also the hottest sport on campus. Lai Hong-ting (known as "Baldies") started with the cheerleading club at Yongchun High School and has continued for 12 years now. This year marks the ninth year since I first met him. The day of this interview was also the first time in all these years that we gathered somewhere other than the "blue mat."
Every Straw Perfectly Aligned, Squatting to Wipe Chairs... Mark's Seventh Year at Starbucks, Committed to Perfection Yet Some Customers Find Him in the Way
Today I came back to my favorite Starbucks at Nanzoft. Whenever I felt troubled or needed to recharge, I would come here, order a coffee, sit for an afternoon, sometimes reading, sometimes working on reports, and my mood would be restored, ready to face future challenges...