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Hoehn: Authors Must Write for Readers Below Their Expertise Level

Charlie Hoehn · Charlie Hoehn: Write Something People Want to Read · Dec 10, 2024 · at 5:48

Charlie Hoehn explains why authors fail when attempting to write for peers at or above their own level of expertise.

0:00 / 0:27exact quote · 27.4s
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“If you think of the author, their expertise is a ladder, right? And so they've climbed so many rungs to where they are. If they're trying to write for people on their rung or above, it will not be a good book. They need to write for the people below them And address those people. Because they can pull those people effectively up to their rung. They can't push somebody who's on their rung up further.”

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