The Quality Equation (Novelty × Resonance)
by Julian Shapiro • Founder of Demand Curve & General Partner at Hyper at Demand Curve / Hyper
A polymath of the internet—writer, investor, and developer. He founded Demand Curve (a YC startup training growth), created a widely used JavaScript animation engine (Velocity.js), and writes popular deep-dive handbooks on growth and creating leverage.
🎙️ Episode Context
Julian Shapiro breaks down his rigorously tested frameworks for product growth and content creation. He distinguishes Product-Led Acquisition from standard PLG, introduces the "Building State" concept for retention, and shares his specific formulas for high-quality writing and unlocking creativity.
Problem It Solves
Creating content or communication that actually engages people and builds an audience.
Framework Overview
Great writing isn't just about grammar; it's about delivering new ideas (Novelty) in a way that sticks (Resonance).
🧠 Framework Structure
Novelty Type 1 - Counterintuitive: 'I...
Novelty Type 2 - Counter-narrative: '...
Novelty Type 3 - Elegant Articulation...
Resonance: Using stories, analogies, ...
When to Use
When writing PRDs, blog posts, Twitter threads, or internal memos.
Common Mistakes
Thinking novelty is just 'trivia'. Without resonance, novelty is dry. Without novelty, resonance is just fluffy storytelling.
Real World Example
Julian's tweet about reading books being a 'vanity metric' (Counter-narrative novelty).
Writing quality equals novelty times resonance.
— Julian Shapiro