Writing | Non-fiction | Self

You Probably Misunderstand Online Writing Algorithms

I need to clarify a few things.

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Most writers misunderstand writing algorithms.

And to be fair — that is by design to some degree.

You don’t want people to know every nut and bolt. They tend to game the system and push low-quality content into the feed.

I’ve spoken at length with algorithm experts over the years and between that, and making my full-time living with these mysterious forces — I’ve developed a decent understanding of them.

If you are looking for some mega-hack to get more views, you can stop reading now. If you want to understand algorithms and feel less frustrated, and have more intuition — I can help.

Algorithms are a system, not a perfect solution

Platforms don’t always have perfect control over this system either.

Programmers come and go, and don’t always leave good notes on their code. Bugs can be difficult to resolve.

And users are always looking for holes in the system.

I say this because people become so dramatic the moment something goes wrong, and immediately think someone is out to…