> [!info]- meta > **Author**: [[tomcritchlow.com]] > **Full Title**: Writing, Riffs & Relationships > **Category**: #articles > > **Summary**: The "riff" is a simple writing format designed to foster connections and conversations rather than just pageviews. It includes an inquisitive title, personal anecdotes, and open questions, making it easy to write and engage with readers. Riffs are meant to be shared as gifts to create relationships, shifting the focus from sales to genuine outreach. > > ## 🔦 Highlights & Commentary - I want to talk specifically about a format for writing that is deliberately designed to be easy to write, while being effective at creating connections (not pageviews). ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtrq8gh7qna4nmxy60xc2n6x)) - Here are the basic ingredients for a riff: • An inquisitive title, something that is not “the ultimate guide” but more “some notes on…” • A few references - connecting the dots between some links, quotes from other sources • An anecdote from your own work that provides rich texture and context for what you do • Some open questions that invite people to respond • A deliberate small list of 3-5 people you can send the post to ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtrqa4dex7b8cgjc5k2dj8y3)) - This structure works primarily because it’s **easy to write**, it **exposes your thinking** and it **invites response**. It means you can rely on it as a bedrock of outreach, instead of waiting for lightning to strike for big-C content marketing pieces. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtrqatjbn092vkezxrgcvvep)) - You’re not writing from a place of authority, you’re writing from a place of curiosity. Open writing, not closed writing. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtrqd5ytqzb4b2q0tfw579dm)) - this kind of writing and example that situates your work in the mind of the reader. It allows someone to create a strong mental model of the kind of work you’re doing, the kind of seniority of the work, the kind of context in which they might hire you ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtrqk6gzex09gbr6eckfv8jh)) - if you deliberately leave some rough edges, some threads that the reader can pull on, then you’re inviting the reader into the conversation. You’re saying (possibly explicitly!) - *“Hey, what are your thoughts on this topic* ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtrqnxhmvfbc890wkwb1wt42)) - A good riff is like a little present. Slide into someone’s DMs and say “Hey I wrote this and thought of you…”. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtrqq2d4dgw8mw0t2s38s6fj)) - Forget about “visibility” for your post. The unit of blogging isn’t pageviews, it’s conversations. Don’t worry about how many people will see it - sure you might post it in your feeds (why not) but the REAL MAGIC of the riff is deliberately sending it to people. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtrqr812y972w0np9hafxd3w))