Ep485 - Eric Jorgenson, Author 'The Almanack of Naval' + CEO Scribe

“Curation is creation,” Eric Jorgenson told me. “There’s this false god of originality that I just don’t buy. Maybe that’s because I stumbled into this awesome niche as a curator-editor, but I have no problem being front and center about saying this other person who is really smart said this thing and I learned from it. Here’s something I learned from Charlie Monger or Nassim Taleb and here’s what I learned from it or here’s how it conflicted with this other thing.” “If that’s borrowed authority or curation, I find it so much easier to write when I’m reacting to something or complimenting something or rephasing it. I have no problem being upfront with the reader about that. Respecting curation as a form of writing is maybe what unlocked the opportunity of these books. These books aren’t written. I’m not sitting with a blank page and generating content. Every word of this book came from a resisting resource where I’m the super-editor, trying to take everything they’ve ever said and stitch it together to make something great.”  These books include The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness and The Anthology of Balaji: A Guide to Technology, Truth, and Building the Future. “I don’t know if it’s harder or easier, but I certainly respect it as a craft. I think it’ made me a better writer. It’s given me permission to write a shitty first draft and then edit my own work. To some people who maybe struggle with pushing themselves towards originality or getting that first draft done, I say don’t shy away from using raw material or reacting to something that’s out there or borrowing heavily and making that your source material.” Want more? Steal my first book, Ink by the Barrel - Secrets From Prolific Writers right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60-seconds and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!