Getting Real

Getting Real gave away Basecamp's methods as a cookbook for software makers. Basecamp published its way of building software as a set of recipes for other software makers. The bet was that being unknown is a bigger risk than being copied.

Fried says many companies have nothing to say, only things to sell. Getting Real was the opposite: a point of view from a company with its own message.

How I Write

The book was assembled from about 90 short pieces, many first published as blog posts. Getting Real is about 90 short pieces, some of which began as blog posts. Fried and his partner David write differently, so they edited the pieces into one voice.

Fried's books come from essays published first, without a book in mind. Only Remote was planned as a book from the start. Derek Sivers gave the same advice: write a bunch of essays, then compile a book.

How I Write▶ 18:30

Write at your natural length; short and concise was Basecamp's strength. Fried calls himself a 400-meter writer who does not enjoy long writing, so Getting Real, Rework, Remote and It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work are all built from short essays.

He finds concision the harder, more stimulating challenge and wants readers to fill in the gaps. His books offer a point of view, with no calls to action and no "do these seven things." Quote: "this is how you communicate, get really good at that and be yourself."

How I Write▶ 18:30