Anti-Patterns in Software Blogging
Michael Lynch has offered writing advice for software bloggers, which Simon Willison highlighted. Lynch cautions against "meandering intros", misjudging what readers already know, assuming they have read previous posts, and being excessively formal. He also warns against overreliance on links as a substitute for explaining terminology.
Willison admitted that the point about links "hurt" because he frequently does this and suspects almost nobody clicks them. In a Lobste.rs comment, Lynch clarified his guideline: an article should still make sense even if the reader clicks no links.
Lynch also stressed using your own voice, writing that beginners often believe they must write stiffly and formally to be taken seriously. He advised simply writing the way you talk. Willison added that with many developers now delegating writing to AI, software blogging is becoming bland and homogenous, and readers crave personality.
Why it matters: These guidelines offer developers concrete ways to improve blog posts, and they highlight that as AI-generated content spreads, human voice and self-contained explanations become more valuable for engaging readers.
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Publisher excerpt
Anti-Patterns in Software Blogging Some excellent writing advice from Michael Lynch. Michael warns against "meandering intros", misjudging your reader's existing knowledge, assuming they'll read your previous posts, and excessive formality. He also warns against overreliance on links as an excuse not to explain terminology. This one hurt! I do this all the time, but I have a nagging suspicion that almost nobody ever clicks on them. (In a Lobste.rs comment Michael clarifies that "My rule of thumb is that my article