It's been almost two weeks since I started writing daily, not just for myself but also for other people. It's been a trip riddled with excitement and some self-doubt. I have 353 articles left to write (!), and I'm writing some of them from my current vacation.

A few observations so far based on my experience and what I've read in preparation for the challenge:

• A consistent system for practice is the only way to get better at anything.
• 80% of everything I produce is mediocre; the other 20% gives me glimpses of what great looks like. I'm never sure about which one I'll get when I write.
• It's very tempting to optimize for positive signals with tricks. But if I do that too much, I lose my writing voice.
• I can understand the temptation to have an opinion on everything now that I need topics to write about daily. Acquiring knowledge needs to be as consistent as putting things out there.
• ChatGPT is a big no-no if you're trying to do good writing. At best, it's good as a thinking partner on certain topics, but at this point, I'm sure I'll never use it for any final draft (more on this another time).
• Being new at something is the best feeling ever – if you can overcome the initial fear.

Here's a picture of me trying to squeeze in minutes of writing here and there during my vacation, drinking more coffee than needed.