7/24/2026 at 5:56:56 PM
> “I didn’t think anyone would care” prevented me from writing, thoughA few years ago I started writing Twitter threads [0]. A few weeks ago I passed 200 total threads.
When I started writing them, my thought process was: "Is anyone going to be interested in my stories/ideas??"
Dear HN comment reader, I can 100% assure you of two things:
1. If you write things, at least one person will read them.
2. It is VERY hard to predict what people will find interesting
e.g. some of the threads I thought people would find the least interesting got the most traction and vice versa. The only way to find out is to write it down.
I would also add that just writing, a LOT, helps you become a better thinker and writer. Twitter threads in particular are great as they force you to distill a story down into bite sized chunks.
One additional benefit: you meet amazing people when you write about what you are interested in. Why? Because if someone likes your writing, they would probably like talking to you and you to them.
0 - https://x.com/alexpotato/status/2012723178577985948?s=20
by alexpotato
7/24/2026 at 6:56:47 PM
I recall a similar quote from Elton John that I'll paraphrase:"I've had a lot of hits so you'd think I'd know in advance which ones will become hits. Songs that I was sure would become hits went nowhere and some songs that I didn't think anything of became my biggest hits"
It's been a long time since I heard this so I'm probably mangling it. A quick search shows that he probably did say something like this though https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/sir-elton-j...
The lesson is - just put it out there and see what happens
by mattm
7/25/2026 at 10:44:39 AM
Being able to distill a story down into bite sized chunks sounds like an optimization for the younger generation, with their 20 second attention span.It's not something I necessarily associate with "good writing". Or does the skill transcend the medium and help you write better long form content as well?
by DrSiemer
7/26/2026 at 5:37:45 AM
Doesn't it boil down to the old "you don't understand it unless you're able to explain it to a 5yo"?Because if you can do that, you'll also be able to express yourself within character limits
Also - purely because you brought generations up: Twitter is a millennial product. the brainrot Gen is mostly Alpha, and some zoomers.
by ffsm8
7/25/2026 at 12:19:36 PM
Here's one heuristic: usually the factually incorrect, rage inducing hot takes that feed into people's existing biases, insecurities or frustrations get attention.It's my personal experience at least, and since then I've never used social media attention as a gauge of the quality of my writing.
by hnfong