Writing lessons and mistakes
- Personal website fever: In earlier drafts, I was merely reporting what I did with Claude Code without providing any opinions or judgments. To make it more persuasive, I tried adding a point of view (that you should own a personal website because Claude Code has made it a lot easier).
- Fernsage launch: The initial draft felt too much like a product launch email stating facts (what it is, how to use it, examples) rather than a persuasive essay. I was describing the product and feature factually, instead of why it’s built that way (my product philosophy) and how I used it. Adding the meaning of “Fernsage” the name felt like a good “crafty” touch.
- Quitting social media: The conclusion feels rather weak because I said I don’t know if I can build a business without social media. A stronger essay might show how it is possible. The sudden pivot back to living a full life feels abrupt, too.
- Get a real life: In an attempt to add quotes, I made the flow bad. And I tried to fit in too many quotes for the sake of having quotes.