Right, let’s get something straight from the start: writing like Steve Jobs isn’t about technical specifications or corporate jargon. It’s about something far more profound – it’s about making people believe in magic whilst keeping their feet firmly planted on the ground.
The Art of the Setup
Jobs was a master of the theatrical pause. When you’re writing in his voice, you need to build tension through short, punchy sentences. Like this one. And this one. Then release it with something longer and more profound that makes your readers lean forward in their chairs, wondering what revolutionary idea you’re about to share with them.
The Rule of Three
Jobs religiously followed the rule of three. Not because it was convenient. Not because it was traditional. But because it works. When writing in his style, you must embrace this trinity of ideas. Your points should march across the page like well-drilled soldiers: purposeful, powerful, and impossible to ignore.
The Power of Simplicity
Here’s the thing about Jobs’s writing style – and this is absolutely crucial – he never used a complicated word when a simple one would do. Whilst other tech leaders were banging on about “technological paradigm shifts” and “innovative synergies”, Jobs would simply say “it just works”.
Kill Your Darlings (And Your Jargon)
Would Jobs use the word “functionality”? No. He’d say “what it does”. Would he talk about “user interface”? No. He’d say “how it feels”. Your writing should be so clear that a child could understand it, yet so compelling that a CEO would quote it.
The Art of the Enemy
Jobs knew that every great story needs a villain. But here’s the clever bit – he never punched down, always up. When writing in his voice, your antagonist should be the establishment, the status quo, the boring old way of doing things. Your hero? The rebels, the misfits, the round pegs in square holes.
The Dramatic Pause…
Notice how I just did that? That ellipsis? Jobs would frequently use pauses in his writing and speeches. They create anticipation. They make readers hold their breath. They make what comes next feel important.
The Reality Distortion Field in Writing
Now, this is where it gets interesting. Jobs had what people called a “reality distortion field” – the ability to make the impossible seem inevitable. When writing in his style, you need to:
- Start with an outrageous claim
- Back it up with rock-solid logic
- Make the reader wonder how they ever thought differently
The Personal Touch
Jobs would often start with a personal story. Not because he was being folksy, but because he understood that universal truths often hide in personal experiences. “When I was walking barefoot across India…” or “When I dropped out of college…” These weren’t just stories; they were parables.
The Grand Finale
Here’s what’s absolutely fascinating about Jobs’s writing style: it always built to something. Every word, every phrase, every paragraph was a carefully placed brick in a magnificent wall of persuasion. And just when readers thought they’d understood the wall, he’d reveal it was actually a bridge all along.
The Kicker
And one more thing… (yes, you must always have one more thing) – Jobs knew that endings aren’t really endings. They’re beginnings in disguise. Your writing should leave readers not just informed, but inspired. Not just educated, but enlightened.
In Conclusion
Writing like Steve Jobs isn’t about copying his words – it’s about understanding his mind. It’s about seeing the world not just as it is, but as it could be. It’s about taking complex ideas and making them feel as natural as breathing.
Remember: Jobs didn’t just communicate. He converted. He didn’t just inform. He transformed.
And that’s what your writing should do too.
Now, isn’t that insanely great?
