Hi HN — I’ve wanted to start a personal blog for a few years, but I keep hesitating.
I write a lot privately (notes, mini-essays, thinking-through problems). Paul Graham’s idea that essays are a way to learn really resonates with me. But I rarely publish anything beyond occasional LinkedIn posts.
My blockers:
•“Nobody needs this” / “It’s not original”
•“AI can explain most topics better than I can”
•A bit of fear: shipping something that feels naive or low-signal
At the same time, I read a lot of personal blogs + LinkedIn and I do get real value from them — mostly from perspective, lived experience, and clear thinking, not novelty.
For those of you who blog (or used to):
•What made it worth it for you?
•What kinds of posts actually worked (for learning, career, network, opportunities)?
•Any practical format that lowers the bar (length, cadence, themes)?
•If you were starting today, what would you do differently?
I’m not trying to build a media business — more like building a “public notebook” that compounds over years.
Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46268055
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