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Abundance

A book by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson arguing for building more.

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Where Abundance comes up1 episode or test

How I WriteEzra Klein Gives His Best Writing Advice

In short

Abundance, by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, was number one on the New York Times bestseller list at recording. Klein credits its stripped-down style, guided by a 'say what you're saying' sticker, and says weak chapters usually needed more reading or reporting. The lesson: clear language and solid substance matter more than polish, and deep work needs blocks of several days.

At a glanceKlein's book came in bursts, mostly in the last two days

PlanFour months of leaveOriginal plan for writing the book
After October 7thLeave cut to two monthsShort leave, written in blocks
Days 1 to 3 or 4Little headwayOften no progress, work thrown out
Last two daysLarge amount writtenOf each five-day cabin chunk

From Ezra Klein on writing Abundance

What was said about Abundance

A sticker reading 'say what you're saying' set the book's plain style. While writing Abundance, Ezra Klein kept a sticker above his keyboard reading 'say what you're saying'. It pushed him to strip out rhetorical flash and state each point as directly as he could, which he credits for the book's declarative, stripped-down prose.
He calls the stripped-down writing a large part of what is good about the book and the best craft work he has done. The book sat at number one on the New York Times bestseller list when he discussed it.
How I Write▶ 20:26
Each chapter rests on real reporting, joining big claims to small details. Klein calls Abundance a manifesto that joins 'the 30,000 feet and the 3 inches', backing big claims with details such as the CHIPS Act funding notice and how LA developers stack tax credits. Each stretch of text needed a vehicle: a book on homelessness and housing carried 1,600 words, a high-speed rail reporting trip carried 3,000.
When a chapter failed, the cause was almost never style but too little reading or reporting, so he went back to gather something to put at its core. He sensed the book was 'plugging into a live socket' after seeing the idea catch fire in his columns and in Derek Thompson's original piece, with nonprofits and politicians already taking it up.
How I Write▶ 32:40
The book came from short leave and multi-day writing blocks with nonlinear progress. Klein got two months of book leave instead of the planned four, after October 7th cut it short. He wrote in five-day chunks at a cabin, often making no headway or throwing work out for three or four days, then getting a large amount done in the last two.
He threw out several introductions before finding the book's marching cadence. He says three hours of writing surprises you with how much you do, while 30 minutes shocks you with how little.
How I Write▶ 31:20

How I Write · May 28

Ezra Klein Gives His Best Writing Advice

It sat at number one on the New York Times bestseller list at recording. A sticker reading 'say what you're saying' shaped its stripped-down style, and it joins granular reporting to big claims.

A sticker reading 'say what you're saying' set the book's plain style. While writing Abundance, Ezra Klein kept a sticker above his keyboard reading 'say what you're saying'. It pushed him to strip out rhetorical flash and state each point as directly as he could, which he credits for the book's declarative, stripped-down prose.
He calls the stripped-down writing a large part of what is good about the book and the best craft work he has done. The book sat at number one on the New York Times bestseller list when he discussed it.
How I Write▶ 20:26
Each chapter rests on real reporting, joining big claims to small details. Klein calls Abundance a manifesto that joins 'the 30,000 feet and the 3 inches', backing big claims with details such as the CHIPS Act funding notice and how LA developers stack tax credits. Each stretch of text needed a vehicle: a book on homelessness and housing carried 1,600 words, a high-speed rail reporting trip carried 3,000.
When a chapter failed, the cause was almost never style but too little reading or reporting, so he went back to gather something to put at its core. He sensed the book was 'plugging into a live socket' after seeing the idea catch fire in his columns and in Derek Thompson's original piece, with nonprofits and politicians already taking it up.
How I Write▶ 32:40
The book came from short leave and multi-day writing blocks with nonlinear progress. Klein got two months of book leave instead of the planned four, after October 7th cut it short. He wrote in five-day chunks at a cabin, often making no headway or throwing work out for three or four days, then getting a large amount done in the last two.
He threw out several introductions before finding the book's marching cadence. He says three hours of writing surprises you with how much you do, while 30 minutes shocks you with how little.
How I Write▶ 31:20

Abundance

Where Abundance comes up1 episode or test

What was said about Abundance

Ezra Klein Gives His Best Writing Advice

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