Engineering Accountability for Creators
A writing process that actually works, using commitment, reminders, deadlines and consequences
I’ve always wanted to write. I want to share and document the things I am learning, building, and researching as I explore new technology. The problem is as much as I want to write, it’s very difficult to prioritize writing. Each article is like a miniature version of a software project. I want to ship it/publish it, but I convince myself it needs one more revision in order to be worth sharing - then I take another look later, decide it’s not actually very good and share nothing. The quote below resonates with me strongly.
"When I write, I feel like an armless, legless man with a crayon in his mouth." - Kurt Vonnegut
It’s not that I don’t write, it’s that my writing is unpublished and disorganized
After some thought I’ve boiled it down to a few key problems:
Not knowing what to write about: The blank page feels intimidating, picking a topic is hard, getting beyond the first paragraph is sometimes even harder.
Feeling inauthentic or unpolished: The rough draft in my notes app pales in comparison to my vision for what I wanted the piece to be. The final draft could always be better.
Inconsistent schedule: I'd push writing aside whenever a new feature idea popped into my head.
Breaking the Cycle
Engineer problems require engineer solutions. Why write a blog post when you could simply build an app that forces you to write blog posts?
I’m only half joking. It’s completely fair to say this is too circuitous to be anything other than procrastination, but I think it will work regardless (I published this didn’t I?).
It’s a problem that’s worth solving that I keep coming back to, and if I can solve it for me hopefully I can solve it for others too.
Anyway, here is the plan:
I’m simultaneously trying to force myself to adopt a writing habit, and building a product to help me stick with that habit.
The app is called Wordara (very much a work in progress).
1. Regular Prompting
I’m going to run a scheduled task on my server that attempts to periodically gather data about what I am working on throughout the week. It sends me questions and prompts via twilio's text message service so that writing becomes automatic and takes on a conversational format instead of the dreaded "blank page". I can log into the platform and choose a conversation and generate a draft blog post based on that conversation.
2. AI for structure not content
The platform asks me questions, but the information all comes from me. The AI’s job is to get me writing, not generate fluff. When I’m ready, it structures our conversation into a logical draft format. It's not perfect, but it does a decent job of taking our conversation and adapting into something resembling a blog article.
3. Accountability and Consequences
To keep myself honest, I'm experimenting with Stickk. I'm starting small by putting down $30 which will be taken from me in the event I don't stick to publishing a blog post each week for the next 6 weeks. The twist is you can select a charity that you don't believe in. You weaponize your own morals/principals to force your own productivity. I really don't want to give my money to the Sportsmen's Alliance (pro hunting organization) so I really need to publish something this week.
If you go this route, I'm happy to be your referee, my username is fordmakes.
Conclusion and Next Steps
If you find yourself wrestling with the same cycle, try a small experiment with accountability. Set a deadline, hire an online boss, or put some money on the line. This system won't solve everything overnight, but it shifted my focus from endless building to a healthier balance between creation and sharing. It might do the same for you.
If you’re interested in testing out a beta of my writing platform Wordara, send me an email ford@wordara.com or comment below.