02
ABOUT
GOOD WRITING IS EVIDENCE OF
GOOD THINKING
This is not an original contention—it pervades books and articles on writing well—but writers easily forget it. Writing is not rocket science; on the contrary, if your writing reads like rocket science, you're doing it wrong. Deirdre McCloskey says in Economical Writing, "Writing resembles mathematics. Mathematics is a language, an instrument of communication. But so too language is a mathematics, an instrument of thought."
Good writing is hard work—it takes time and effort to shape clear sentences that accurately convey your meaning. But if you want your reader to take you seriously, the quality of your writing matters.
It's never been easier to claim to be a writer: We write
e-mails all day at work; we draft client communications; we maintain active social media presences. In much shorter supply are good writers. And editors who understand and adhere to the objective standards of quality writing.
Amanda Williams
Founder, Editor and Writer
My professional journey began at Fisher Investments, where I started my 15-year finance career after graduating from UC Berkeley with bachelor's degrees in economics and political science (magna cum laude). My most important experience in my 10 years at Fisher Investments was my time on the content team as a member of the MarketMinder editorial staff. Not only did I write under the editorial staff's and my own bylines, but I also worked on several books alongside Lara Hoffmans, Ken Fisher's frequent co-author.
In 2016, I took an opportunity to again work with Ms. Hoffmans at Artisan Partners, an institutional asset manager based in Milwaukee, Wis. I held a number of roles at Artisan, starting as an investment writer and eventually serving as director of content.
Thanks largely to my sixth-grade teacher, who instilled in me a deep appreciation for sentence diagramming, and my lifelong love of reading, I am passionate about good writing. I believe all good relationships, personal and professional, are built upon a solid foundation of clear communication. My goal is helping clients find their own voices and ensure they are conveying their stories clearly and effectively.