How Writing A Newsletter Has Made Me A Better Product Manager

Discover the benefits of consistent writing through my experience as a product manager who writes weekly, from refining communication skills to fostering clarity of thought, and much more!

Just two years ago, if someone had told me that writing a newsletter would drastically improve my skills as a product manager, I would have been skeptical. Yet here I am, a testament to the amazing power of consistent writing.

Maintaining a newsletter has not only refined a core set of indispensable product management skills, it has also accelerated my learning curve, equipping me with knowledge I wish I had known at the beginning of my career.

In this guide

• ✍️ Writing is not a popular skill

• 🖋️ A big part of the job is about writing

• ⚠️ The consequences of poor writing

• 🛤️ My journey through newsletter writing

• 📑 Having a newsletter forces you to write better

• ❌ What you don’t need to start writing

Writing is not a popular skill

It caught my attention that writing is not a popular skill for many PMs. Actually, it is more common to find “writing documentation” as a prerequisite in some job positions. Yet writing documentation is just a small area where writing participates.

There could be many reasons of the unpopularity of this skill, some that come to my mind are two specifically:

💻 The focus on technical skills in product management 

Some training programs may lead to an underestimation of the importance of strong writing abilities. This can result in a lack of awareness among aspiring product managers and a prioritization of other tasks over writing, eg. strategical thinking, negotiation, prioritization, etc.

📝 Assumption that the product manager it is already an excellent writer

It is often taken for granted that product managers already possess adequate writing skills, and other team members can take on writing tasks, reducing the need for PMs to develop their own writing skills.

Well, a third reason occurs to me: how can we quantify writing? I see how other skills are more tangible and writing as a soft skill is hard to track.

Big part of the job is about writing

Just think of all the involvement of product managers in various writing activities throughout the product development cycle. Some activities that I can think of right now:

• 📜 Strategic documentation includes PRDs, MRDs, product roadmaps, and strategy plans.

• 🤝 Team and stakeholder communication involves emails, meeting agendas, meeting minutes, project status updates, and executive summaries.

• 👥 Collaborative development includes user stories, release notes, and bug reports.

• 🌎 External communications consist of blog posts, customer newsletters, marketing copy, and social media posts.

• 🎓 Customer support and education involves FAQs, help guides, and knowledge base articles.

• 🏭 Internal resource creation includes training manuals, process documentation, templates, and checklists.

• ✍️ Other forms of written engagement include grant proposals, sales enablement materials, customer surveys, and award applications.

As you can see, PMs participate in so many aspects that involves writing at some point. Effective writing is crucial for product managers to convey goals and ideas clearly and ensure successful product development.

Let’s see what could happen when PMs does not know how to write and communicate their ideas clearly. 🚨

The consequences of poor writing

Writing it’s tied to effective communication as well. So what harm does it do having a product manager that can’t clearly communicate?

• 🚫 Poor communication can lead to misaligned goals and expectations among team members and stakeholders.

• 🔄 Inefficient workflow and confusion over responsibilities can arise without clear communication.

• 😕 Decreased team morale and engagement can result from frequent misunderstandings.

• ❗️ Compromised product quality can occur due to incorrect decisions made without clear communication.

• 👎 Reduction of stakeholder trust can happen if regular updates and clear information are not provided.

• ⏰ Delayed product releases and increased costs are common consequences of poor communication.

• 🔍 Market misalignment with user needs and trends can occur without effective communication.

Devs always pointing that requirements should be clear.

Example: Let’s delve into Shravan’s hypothetical situation here as an example.

No offense intended, Shravan!

Situation: Shravan, a product manager at a technology start-up, struggled with communication issues while working on developing a new feature for the company's flagship application. Despite having a tight deadline, his unclear writing caused ambiguity in his interactions with the team and stakeholders.

Mistake 1: Shravan provided a Product Requirements Document (PRD) full of vague descriptions and lacking specific, actionable elements. Key features were mentioned without context, confusing rather than clarifying objectives.

Mistake 2: Emails and meeting minutes were poorly written and actions and responsibilities were not clearly assigned. Stakeholder updates were sporadic and full of jargon, leaving them unsure about the status of the project. This diminished their confidence in him.

Consequences: The development team started working with assumptions, resulting in features that did not fit the market needs or Shravan's initial, albeit unclear, vision. Team members efforts overlapped, decision making was delayed, and stakeholders lost faith in the project's viability.

I don't mean to scare anyone with this example, but it does serve as a vivid illustration of how product development can be significantly amplified by the product manager's inability to effectively convey ideas and strategies.

My journey through newsletter writing

I started my newsletter as a personal project, a way to share my thoughts, insights, and experiences in the product management world. However, as I continued to write week after week, I began to notice a shift in my own skills and abilities as well. 💪

🧘‍♀️ Clarity of Thought

First and foremost, writing a newsletter forced me to clarify my own thoughts and ideas. In order to effectively communicate with my readers, I had to first understand and articulate my own perspectives on various product management topics. This process of self-reflection and introspection helped me to become more confident in my decision-making and strategic planning.

📆 Consistency

Secondly, writing consistently improved my ability to convey complex ideas in a clear and concise manner. As a product manager, it is essential to be able to communicate with various stakeholders, from developers and designers to executives and customers. By honing my writing skills through my newsletter, I was better able to craft emails, presentations, and other forms of communication that were easily understood by all parties involved.

🧮 Prioritization

Additionally, maintaining a newsletter helped me to stay organized and disciplined in my approach to product management. The weekly deadlines forced me to prioritize my tasks, manage my time effectively, and stay on top of industry trends and developments. This level of organization and consistency translated directly into my work as a product manager, allowing me to lead projects more efficiently and effectively.

And there’s more, I can tell you more benefits if you decide to start writing today 👇

Having a newsletter forces you to write better

There’s more benefits of writing weekly than you imagine. Personally, I think is one of the easiest ways to improve in your career.

• 🗣️ Engaging with readers helps you understand what messaging works for refining complex ideas.

• 📰 Tailoring newsletters to different audiences refines your pitch adjustment skills.

• 📊 Tracking communication results allows you to grasp the impact of clear writing.

• 🤝 Sharing knowledge and achievements diminishes self-doubt. Reduces impostor syndrome!

• 💡 Writing and distributing insights establishes you as a thought leader.

• 📚 Teaching concepts through writing solidifies your own understanding.

• 🧠 Making evidence-based decisions supports well-informed choices.

• 🔍 Analyzing data improves interpretation of statistics and trends.

• ⏰ Regular research updates keep you proactive about trends. E.g. AI.

• 🤔 Evaluating sources critically boosts critical thinking skills.

• 🛠️ Exposing yourself to various problems enhances problem-solving abilities.

• 🌐 Researching broad topics introduces new ideas for innovative projects.

• 🤝 Engaging with experts widens your professional network and collaboration opportunities. Improves ideas and leads to innovation.

Disclaimer ⚠️

Of course starting a newsletter is not easy, right? Like painters in front of a blank canvas, start even your first draft can be very challenging. But the rewards of committing to a newsletter and consistently writing are undeniable. 

What you don’t need to start writing

If you are not convinced enough about starting your own newsletter but you want to thrive in your career, I’d like you to keep in mind these points:

• ❌ You don’t need to have 20 years of career experience to start writing.

• ❌ You don’t need to be a VP, CEO, or other type of executive to express what you know.

• ❌ You don't need to have all the answers or be an expert in your field, the process of writing can help you learn and grow.

• ❌ You don’t need to be a professional writer to validate your writing skills.

• ❌ You don't need to have published a book to validate your knowledge.

• ❌ You don't need to have a large audience: starting small and building your community over time is perfectly fine. This can take many years!

• ❌ You don't need to worry about what others think or compare yourself to established writers. Your unique perspective is valuable enough.

• ❌ You don't need to write perfectly every time: practice makes progress, and the more you write, the better you'll become. Trust me!

So if you're hesitant about starting a newsletter or writing consistently, remember that it's okay to start small, make mistakes, and learn as you go. The key is to begin and commit to the process, as the benefits of writing regularly can have a profound impact on your growth and success as a product manager.

If you are ready to take this challenge, just start writing👇

Wrapping Up

I admit that writing a newsletter has transformed me into a better product manager by sharpening my communication skills, encouraging self-reflection and clarity, and instilling a sense of discipline and organization in my work.

As I continue on my journey of growth and improvement, I am excited to see how my writing will continue to shape and develop my skills as a product manager.

I encourage all professionals, regardless of their current level of writing proficiency, to consider the power of consistent writing in their own careers. The impact can be transformative, opening up new opportunities for growth, development, and success in the dynamic world of product.

Are you already seen the benefits of writing? Or have you just started writing? Let me know in the comments 👇

*Illustrations made by Dzianis Vasilyeu.