Why blog

I haven’t blogged here since 2020. I’d like to try to blog more frequently.

I’m inspired by Simon Willison’s blog and interview on Youtube about working in public. Here are my key takeaways from his insights:

• Set aside a 30-minute window (e.g., 9:00 to 9:30 AM) to plan the day, focusing on one major task and two smaller ones. Review progress at day’s end, and assess larger goals weekly. This is for when things are going smoothly.
• Recognize that, while productivity is important, there will be inevitable deviations from original plans. It’s a continuous challenge, even for highly productive individuals like Simon.
• You could begin by writing TILs posts about simple topics, like for-loops in Bash. This approach helps to manage expectations and prevent writer’s block, as the content isn’t intended to be groundbreaking.
• Implement a rule that, for every unplanned project undertaken, a corresponding blog post must be published.
• Writing and screenshots last longer than code.

I’d like to have a record of the projects I have worked on, and also hold myself accountable for them. When I don’t publish a writing about a project, eventually it will fade away from my memory as if I never worked on them.

As I dive back into blogging, I’ll keep a few guiding principles in mind:

• I’m not aiming to revolutionize anyone’s world with my writing; I primarily write for myself.
• It doesn’t matter which platform I use. I’m using my existing tools because it already works, despite occasional issues, and it’s free.
• Frequency is my priority for this blog. I will try my best to avoid falling into the quality trap.

That’s it for now :)