Month one of writing this site
Build-in-public log. What I expected, what I underestimated, and what I will do differently in month two.
A short log, partly for my own memory, partly because I want anyone who reads me later to see how messy the start of a writing practice actually is.
What I expected. That the hard part would be knowing what to write about. I have been running healthcare businesses across three countries for fifteen years; the topics aren’t the bottleneck. I assumed I’d publish twice a week, the weekly roundup would land every Friday, and within a month I’d have a clear signal on which pillars were resonating.
What actually happened. I underestimated the cost of finishing. Drafts are easy. The last 20% — the read-aloud pass, the pruning of qualifiers, the moment where I admit I’m hedging and cut the hedge — takes longer than the entire first draft. I was getting one essay per week, not two. Friday roundups slipped twice. By the end of week three I was sitting on three half-finished pieces and one fully-finished piece I had stopped liking.
What I’m changing. Three things. One: I’m writing the closing paragraph first. If I can’t write the closing, I don’t have a piece yet — I have a topic. Two: I’m publishing on Tuesday and Friday only. No Monday adrenaline pieces, no weekend drift. Three: I’m letting the weekly roundup stay structurally simple — three items, three takes — even when the news of the week is dramatic. The format is the discipline.
What’s working. The voice is settling. Reading the early drafts back, I can hear myself learning to write the way I actually talk in person — slightly understated, specific where it matters, willing to say I don’t know in print. That’s the only part of this I’m protective of.
Onward to month two.