One of The World's Most Under-Rated Writers — Henrik Karlsson

Video Description

I interviewed Henrik Karlsson, a writer who has developed a unique five-step method for writing that starts with pure exploration. What makes him fascinating isn't just his technique, but how he thinks about the craft itself, spending less time looking at the page and more time looking at what you're describing. We talked about his five-step writing process, why he writes beginnings and endings last, how to make descriptions vivid by "sucking reality into the writing," and why young ideas are so fragile they need protection from early critique. He also shared insights on writing from deep personal need, the difference between writing in English versus Swedish, and how he uses his remote Danish island setting to fuel creativity. If you want to develop a more authentic writing voice and learn a systematic approach to the craft, this conversation will show you exactly how to do that. Enjoy! 00:00:00 The 5-Step Writing Method Anyone Can Use 00:08:30 How to Create Tension That Hooks Readers 00:12:44 Why Looking Away From the Page Improves Writing 00:18:03 How to Suck Reality Into Your Writing 00:23:18 Why Writers Feel Compelled to Write 00:29:23 How Lowering Your Promises Creates Better Essays 00:35:40 How Deep Conversations Generate Great Ideas 00:42:02 Why Breaking Grammar Rules Improves Your Voice 00:48:49 How to Write as Discovery 00:52:34 Why You Should Protect Your Early Ideas 01:01:31 The Strange Writing Experiments That Actually Work 01:06:11 How Courage Becomes Your Writing Bottleneck 01:13:50 Why Boring Truths Make Powerful Writing 01:19:54 How to Write From Your Subconscious 01:27:46 How Writing Summons A Culture Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. Follow me Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv X: https://x.com/david_perell