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This post is translated by ChatGPT and originally written in Mandarin, so there may be some inaccuracies or mistakes.
I enjoy writing technical articles, especially those that delve deep into the principles behind the scenes. I'm fascinated by seemingly disparate theorems that share core concepts.
For instance, in my Journey of Inspired Research series, I've written about inverse matrices, singular value decomposition, and discrete cosine transform. Though their operations and formulas differ, their core idea is similar — sometimes, the intuitive answer isn't the best solution. Taking a longer route to change perspectives (or vector spaces) can simplify matters significantly.
This was part of a series I wrote for last year's (2023) Ironman competition. Although it was a challenge I set for myself, it turned out to be my favorite series.
Why?
I've realized that technical writings can be further divided into several categories: tutorials, explanatory articles, manuals, and insights. I seem to have a lesser affinity for writing tutorials and manuals.
These articles certainly have their value and are often needed at work. However, for me, this type of article, which merely describes processes and principles, struggles to highlight personal characteristics.
If everyone says similar things, why should anyone read mine? Most people forget who you are after reading an article that solves their problem. Although it genuinely solves someone else's issue, what I aim to pursue is "having my unique insight."
This is what I consider precious.
The rapid evolution of AI, or more precisely, Large Language Models (LLM), allows everyone to learn new knowledge at an unprecedented low cost. So, in this era of big AI, standing out becomes even more crucial because AI still seems unable to easily replace the connection between people.
So, the question arises, what can only you write about? What can highlight your uniqueness?
My answer is insights, viewpoints, thoughts, values, experiences, and stories. These elements are irreplaceable and have been my recent focus in writing.
I used to dislike, even intentionally hide, my emotions and thoughts, striving to write articles as neutrally and objectively as possible, even as a form of protective mechanism. Only in recent years have I realized that my views can resonate with others to some extent.
- The Next Step in My Career — Quick and Dirty: Coincides with Huli's previously written Making Frontend a Choice
- Toxic Internet Comments: Readers have told me how this article helped them ignore trolls
- Linear and Exponential Value: Readers love the classification and thought process of value included
Depth of Connection over Traffic
I care about traffic.
Currently, the articles generating the most organic traffic on my blog are about HTML forms:
These articles gained traffic because they discuss the principles and applications of forms, which are almost inevitable in web development. And it's worth mentioning that forms are incredibly useful. Use them whenever you can!
Even though these two articles account for the majority of my blog's traffic, I'm not particularly happy about it. So, I spent several weeks reflecting on the matter of traffic. I realized it's not the traffic I care about but whether the traffic can attract potential connections.
The most delightful moments for me are when people share their thoughts with me via email or private messages after reading my articles; discussing and exchanging views on Twitter or other platforms. This joy far exceeds that of traffic itself.
Of course, I'll continue writing technical articles, but I want to focus more on my viewpoints and thoughts. Besides effectively helping readers to think, more importantly, it's about establishing connections.
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