You know that moment when you finish writing something, run it through Hemingway (or similar app), and it tells you your text is at ’’Grade 4 reading level’’?

Sometimes, you don’t even need an app - you just start deleting every third sentence because it feels like that’ll make it more readable.

You smile. You’ve made it ’’clear’’:

✔️ Short sentences.
✔️ Clean structure.
✔️ Simple words.

But in the chase for clarity, something often gets lost: depth.

And depth comes from research - the kind that’s real, traceable, and a little messy before it’s refined.

• That quote that stuck with you for days.

• That one data point that made you pause.

• That old blog post from 2020 you didn’t expect to still hold up.

All gone.

Why?

Because it didn’t ’’read fast.’’

Clean prose ≠ thin research

I love clean writing - don’t get me wrong. 🛑

But there’s a difference between clean and hollow.

Apps like Hemingway or Grammarly help you trim the fat. But they won’t tell you what to add back once you’ve stripped it down.

When I say something like ’’clear doesn’t always mean complete’’, it’s because I’ve done that myself.

I’ve over-edited. Stripped too much. And ended up with content that sounded nice but didn’t leave a mark.

So I made myself a rule.

My rule for writing with more depth

Write a fast, tight first draft

Then add back:

• One “wait, I didn’t know that” fact or insight

• One real quote (from a person, a book, a paper - not just a trending LinkedIn post)

• One reference that’s older than 2020

That’s it. ✨

Just three simple elements - but they add layers.

You don’t need to flood your piece with citations.

You just need one or two solid anchors to make it feel grounded.

Why?

Because good writing isn’t just clean - it’s credible.

So, where does that depth come from?

From the way you research, and from the way you save what actually matters.

Here’s how I use Collabwriting to do exactly that:

✅ Highlight a quote directly on the article or PDF

 Why bookmark an entire article if I only need two insights from it?

You might say: “What about context?”

Well, with Collabwriting, when I save a snippet, I get a locate button - so I can always jump back to the exact sentence inside the full article or PDF. That’s all the context I need.

✅ Capture key parts of a YouTube video

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never rewatched a 30-minute video just for one smart line at minute 12.

I save only what matters - the quote, the moment - and I can go back to it whenever I need to.

✅ Add a comment - why it matters, or what it connects to

This is where real context comes in.

Below each snippet, I’ll usually write a quick note - a summary, a thought, or a conclusion. 

Sometimes I’ll even tag someone who should see it. And if they want to explore further, they can just click through to the full source.

✅ Save everything in a cluster (like ’’Marketing’’)

Once I wrap up a research session, I group Topics into a Cluster. So later - whether it’s next week or next month - I know exactly where to find it.

Even better: I can keep adding to the same topics over time, without starting from scratch.

(And this way I’m making connections between insights)

✅ See the exact source later without digging through 40 open tabs

No more hunting through Notion, Google Docs, or that one chaotic bookmarks folder.

Every snippet links back to its original source. No guesswork. No wasted time.

✅ Share your research trail, not just the final piece

With one click, I can share a public link to my research - quotes, notes, and sources included.

Or, if I’m working with my team or collaborators, I just mention them directly (via email or Slack).  Everyone gets what they need.

✖️ No ‘‘what’s the source for this?’’ follow-up emails.

If you’re curious…

👉 Here are the actual insights I collected while discussing the pros and cons of BoFu content strategy with Sandra (our CEO).

Rather than just saying: “Marketers are shifting toward BoFu content in the age of AI”, I shared real insights from different marketers and strategists - with sources.

That way, Sandra could see who said what, why, and in what context - and dig deeper if she wanted.

Want to save insights like this yourself?

Clarity and credibility

Writing tools like Hemingway or Grammarly are great for polishing.

But they won’t help you think deeper. Or prove you’ve done the work.

For that, you need a research process.

One that keeps context, lets you collaborate, and actually reflects how you got to the insight.

That’s what I use Collabwriting for.

It’s my second brain when I’m chasing signal through the noise.

One last thing

The next time you edit a piece and it feels a bit too clean, ask yourself:

You can always bring back the good stuff.

Just make sure you saved it somewhere smart.

Share your finds - we’ll feature the best ones💡

If you come across an article, picture, meme, or anything else you think is worth sharing, feel free to send it my way.

I might include it in the next newsletter! 💗

📩 Reach out at: [email protected] 

Still here? You’re my kind of reader. 💪🏼

Until next time,
Gordana
Community Manager @ Collabwriting