Two curious side effects occur when you write for an audience.

Clarity of explanation and creativity both improve - becoming more effective and productive over time. You don't even need to publish. It's the intent - writing for another - that's the key.

Why is this?

Focus plus repetition. The more you write for a third-party, the more you practice and the more time you devote to the practice. It's the class of experience.

Why does clarity improve?

Seneca, the Roman Stoic philosopher, said, "While we teach, we learn." Assembling your thoughts for consumption forces you to find the weak points in your thinking. And also refine the explanation that we think makes sense - before we try to explain.

Why does creativity improve?

Let's assume Steve Jobs was right: "Creativity is just connecting things." The more you focus on an idea and then try to explain, the more connections occur. More connections spur new thoughts, new ideas and more creativity.

And the biggest bang for buck?

Increasing the time you practicing spend helps, but the gains are likely incremental. The biggest step-change comes from feedback. Learning where you explained well or poorly will give you insight you can't get elsewhere.

And the feedback might trigger connections you hadn't considered, leading to...