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It’s never been easier to differentiate yourself as a writer. You just write with some personality. People don’t want writing that doesn’t look average, but loo

It’s never been easier to differentiate yourself as a writer. You just write with some personality. People don’t want writing that doesn’t look average, but looks novel. I despair much less for human writers than a did maybe a year ago.

embedding-shape 28d ago
> just write with some personality I think that's the first time someone claims that "write with some personality" is some easy thing you just learn somehow. There are authors out there, even ones that make a living on their writing, who still haven't learned to "write with some personality". What exactly does that mean and how concretely can people actually do this in practice? A few "tips and tricks" might be more helpful than "just write better" or similar stuff.
- softwaredoug 28d ago
  Some things that help me. 1. Be vulnerable and share your mistakes. Avoid a triumphalist “everything works” PoV 2. Write about your actual lived personal experiences. 3. Try to have a sense of humor 4. Have an informed opinion or PoV - strong opinions held weakly. 5. Be casual. Don’t treat a blog like it’s a research paper.
  - embedding-shape 28d ago
    Thanks a bunch! I actually tried "writing more personal" just some weeks ago, and the feedback I received so far been relatively OK I think, except some people apparently think the part about the drugs to be childish. May I ask what you think of it, if it does sound like it's written with actual personality? https://emsh.cat/en/the-people-are-still-there/ https://emsh.cat/en/the-people-are-still-there/ I won't claim to be a professional author or even good, but lately I've been trying to get more into the "it's a person who writes actually" direction and this was an exploration into that, so any sort of feedback would be most welcome, if you have the time!
  - patrickmay 28d ago
    Nice list. I'd add: Have an audience in mind, even if it's future you, and write directly to them.
patrickmay 28d ago
Upvoted for optimism. Plus, I think I agree with you most days of the week. Some time must, of course, be set aside for existential despair.
matheusmoreira 27d ago
> You just write with some personality. I used to do that, then someone on HN basically said I had mental problems because of the way I wrote the article. Best part is Claude told me to tone it down a bit, and I completely ignored its advice. Wouldn't have happened if I had listened to the AI. I've also been called a schizophrenic on a GNU mailing list because of my idea and the working code I submitted. Caused me to literally quit the list on the spot. Best part is the maintainer eventually implemented his own version of it. Since then, others have encouraged me to keep it up, but I just don't feel comfortable anymore with this "just be yourself" nonsense.
- snk 27d ago
  Yeah, for some of us, that is bad advice. The version I can most safely implement is, "Be your best self."

embedding-shape 28d ago

> just write with some personality I think that's the first time someone claims that "write with some personality" is some easy thing you just learn somehow. There are authors out there, even ones that make a living on their writing, who still haven't learned to "write with some personality". What exactly does that mean and how concretely can people actually do this in practice? A few "tips and tricks" might be more helpful than "just write better" or similar stuff.

softwaredoug 28d ago
Some things that help me. 1. Be vulnerable and share your mistakes. Avoid a triumphalist “everything works” PoV 2. Write about your actual lived personal experiences. 3. Try to have a sense of humor 4. Have an informed opinion or PoV - strong opinions held weakly. 5. Be casual. Don’t treat a blog like it’s a research paper.
- embedding-shape 28d ago
  Thanks a bunch! I actually tried "writing more personal" just some weeks ago, and the feedback I received so far been relatively OK I think, except some people apparently think the part about the drugs to be childish. May I ask what you think of it, if it does sound like it's written with actual personality? https://emsh.cat/en/the-people-are-still-there/ https://emsh.cat/en/the-people-are-still-there/ I won't claim to be a professional author or even good, but lately I've been trying to get more into the "it's a person who writes actually" direction and this was an exploration into that, so any sort of feedback would be most welcome, if you have the time!
- patrickmay 28d ago
  Nice list. I'd add: Have an audience in mind, even if it's future you, and write directly to them.

patrickmay 28d ago

Upvoted for optimism. Plus, I think I agree with you most days of the week. Some time must, of course, be set aside for existential despair.

matheusmoreira 27d ago

> You just write with some personality. I used to do that, then someone on HN basically said I had mental problems because of the way I wrote the article. Best part is Claude told me to tone it down a bit, and I completely ignored its advice. Wouldn't have happened if I had listened to the AI. I've also been called a schizophrenic on a GNU mailing list because of my idea and the working code I submitted. Caused me to literally quit the list on the spot. Best part is the maintainer eventually implemented his own version of it. Since then, others have encouraged me to keep it up, but I just don't feel comfortable anymore with this "just be yourself" nonsense.

snk 27d ago
Yeah, for some of us, that is bad advice. The version I can most safely implement is, "Be your best self."