His writing is ugly but he's the greatest writer ever lived

Have you heard of Fyodor Dostoyevsky?

If not then you absolutely should.

This genius Russian writer wrote incredible books such as:

• Notes from the Underground

• The Idiot

• Crime and Punishment

If you haven’t read them, I’d highly recommend you to do so. Those books are like nothing else I ever read.

When I read them I felt like I’m visiting a Therapist (the sigmund freud type)

BUT:

His writing is ugly, complicated, and unorganized - so it can be a tough read.

And at the same time he's considered to be the greatest writer ever lived.

How come???

When I read Crime and Punishment I understood why…

I had moments where I was sitting in my bed in disbelief at what I just read.

I mean heart racing, sadness, disgust, anger, frustration - the whole deal. And the weirdest thing? Through reading his stories I began to understand myself more.

It’s like a self-help book without it trying to be.

His books are deeply psychoanalytic and speak directly to the inner core of your being - so be psychologically ready when you read them because what you will discover about yourself might not always be roses and sunshine.

But not only did Dostoyevsky give me a free therapy session, he also made me aware of what GOOD writing really comes down to…

I have been writing online for over a year now and in my writing I focus on precise, simple and punchy writing.

But that’s not AT ALL how Dostoyevsky wrote.

His writing is confusing, with long and complicated sentences. But his writing connects to the core of human beings.

So today I want to share with you Dostoyevskys 5 Writing Methods that changed how I approach my writing forever:

1. The Art of Speaking Truth

Dostoyevsky was not afraid to dive into the darkest places of our souls.

He spoke things nobody dared to speak and that’s what made his writing immortal.

In a world where we learn to hide our true selves, Dostoyevsky's raw and honest writing speaks to the deepest core of our hearts

2. The Characters become You

To read Dostoevsky is to know yourself for the first time.

Dostoyevsky created characters that feel so relatable, they become alive through you.

His characters mirror your own hopes, fears and dreams.

He breathes life into them, creates genuine souls with wants and desires, past and future, no matter how ordinary they seem.

3. Emotional Rollercoaster

Perhaps the greatest feature of his writing is the deep emotions he makes you feel.

People who read him are bowled over by him, knocked out, gut-punched by his ability to write the truth.

He creates intense, almost unbearable emotions within the reader, making it nearly impossible to tear yourself away from his books.

4. Obsessive Detail

Dostoyevsky brings his world and characters to life with meticulous attention to detail.

He goes in-depth into every aspect of his characters' existence - from their movements and appearance to every nuance of their emotions.

Through these detailed descriptions, he captures you into his fictional world and makes you understand the underlying ideas he wants to communicate.

5. Unexpected Humor

While his books explore themes of deep suffering, he also uses unexpected humor.

Through the subtle sprinkles of humor, he brings a great contrast to his writing.

The use of humor coupled with the profound tragedy adds depth and complexity to his works, making it irreplaceable.

That’s it.

His writing is truly magical and a reminder that good writing is less about following the rules we learned in school or university.

Good writing comes down to creating an emotion within the reader.

If you can do that - you win.

More attention, more fans, more followers, more sales. It’s that simple.

And if you want to learn more about my favorite Writing tactics that get your readers hooked to your content you can check them out here: https://heythems-newsletter-b81b4es.beehiiv.com/p/my-14-secret-writing-rules-that-got-me-6-3-million-views-in-30- 

I can confidently say - I spilled all the beans in there. 🙂 

Let me know what you think!

I will now go back to reading my new obsession: “Polishing the Mirror” by Ram Das - if you’re into spirituality - I could not recommend it more. The beauty and depth is incredible.

Wish you all a happy Sunday. Get some rest and take a moment to love.

Love what?

Everything.

Talk soon,

Heythem

P.s.: if you have any questions about “how to grow on Threads”, reach out to me ( I got 9000+ followers in less than 30 days) and have some materials to share with those interested.