How to write blog posts that developers read

Author’s motivation and business model

• Author explains shift from hardware startup to “content business” as a way to sustainably write about technical topics they care about.
• Traditional blogging didn’t align tightly with product sales; writing consumed time without clear business impact.
• Current strategy: blog freely, but monetize via focused educational products (like a book), similar to zines/courses, without long-term obligations of a SaaS.
• Acknowledges stigma around “info products” but argues they’re a good learning vehicle for indie business skills with low downside.

Structure: inverted pyramid, BLUF, and storytelling

• Many commenters advocate the “inverted pyramid” / BLUF: state the core idea and value up front, then elaborate for those who keep reading.
• This is seen as good for attention-constrained readers and reminiscent of classic journalism “who/what/when/where first.”
• Some push back: strict inverted pyramid feels repetitive or formulaic in long-form or multi-point pieces; narrative, mystery, or journey structures can be valuable too.
• Several suggest hybrid approaches: promise the outcome early, then tell the story; or use an “iceberg” style with layered depth.

Images, humor, and tone

• Strong disagreement on images:
  • Some want only highly relevant diagrams and screenshots; filler art and memes are viewed as distracting and juvenile.
  • Others argue walls of text are intimidating; even crude drawings can help scanning and engagement.
• Similar split on humor:
  • One side claims jokes undermine seriousness and clarity if mixed into “serious” content.
  • Others argue personality and light humor are part of an authentic “brand,” and show that many popular technical writers successfully use it.

Depth, effort, and frequency

• Two main audience-building strategies are discussed:
  • Publish a lot, accept that only some posts “hit.”
  • Write fewer, deeply researched, highly polished pieces that you’re proud of.
• Some advocate a multi-tier strategy: start with short pieces, then expand successful ones into deep dives.
• There’s disagreement on whether it’s worth investing heavy effort before having an audience; some say yes (depth attracts readers), others say no (distribution and existing reputation matter more).

Writing goals: for self vs for readers

• One camp emphasizes writing primarily to clarify one’s own thinking, ignoring analytics and popularity; readership is a bonus.
• Another argues most bloggers do care about being read, even by a modest audience; the article is explicitly for those people.
• Several recommend the heuristic: “write something you would actually read yourself,” and rigorously self-edit (including reading aloud).

Skimmers, layout, and typography

• Many agree that modern readers skim: headings, short paragraphs, and visual breaks help them decide quickly whether to commit.
• Some report success on HN even without headings, suggesting headings are helpful but not strictly necessary.
• UX/typography advice surfaces: avoid monospaced body text, keep line lengths reasonable, don’t center long paragraphs.

Distribution, HN, and channels

• Commenters note that distribution is often a bigger challenge than writing quality; suggestions include magazines, appropriate communities, and topic–audience alignment.
• There’s criticism of “writing to please HN trends” (hot languages, contrarian takes) versus writing what’s genuinely useful to oneself and one’s future self.
• Multiple people say they read HN comments first to gauge whether an article is worth the time, underscoring the competitive attention environment.