Anti-Patterns in Software Blogging

Blog · Watch/Read · (gathered 2026-10-14)

• Simon Willison highlights Michael Lynch’s “Anti-Patterns in Software Blogging,” endorsing advice to avoid common pitfalls and write more effectively.
• Key anti-patterns include “meandering intros,” misjudging reader knowledge, assuming prior post reads, excessive formality, and using links as an excuse not to explain terminology.
• Simon personally resonates with the warning against over-reliance on links, agreeing that an article should make sense even if no links are clicked.
• A crucial takeaway is to “just write the way you talk,” countering the “mass delusion” that formal writing is necessary, especially as AI-generated content makes authentic, personality-driven writing more valuable.