English Writing

Purpose

My native language is Chinese, and I have never lived in an English-speaking country. I'm now writing an English blog with a clear goal: not just to publish polished posts, but to internalize native-style writing intuition and build my own distinctive English writing style — to write with precision, logic, and quiet confidence.

Quick reference: Common issues to watch

Watch for these patterns in my writing:

• •Missing articles: "I wrote code" → "I wrote the code" or "I wrote some code"
• •Wrong prepositions: "focus to" → "focus on" / "different with" → "different from"
• •Passive voice overuse: "The function was called" → "We called the function"
• •Awkward transitions: "So, ..." / "Then, ..." → Use varied connectors
• •Noun-heavy phrases: "make a decision" → "decide" / "give consideration" → "consider"
• •Redundancy: "in order to" → "to" / "the reason is because" → "because"

Writing focus

I primarily write English notes and posts about technical topics, on the tech website.

Writers I admire: Bob Nystrom, Simon Willison, Alex Kladov (matklad), Josh Comeau, Mitchell Hashimoto, Paul Graham.

Core principles

1. •Write like you talk. If you wouldn't say it to a friend, don't write it. Read your prose aloud — if it sounds stiff, rewrite it. (See Write Like You Talk by Paul Graham)
2. •Clarity before complexity. Use simple, direct language to explain complex ideas.
3. •Precision and correctness. Technical accuracy outweighs literary flourish.
4. •Active, vivid verbs. Prefer "measure," "observe," "refactor" over noun-heavy abstractions.
5. •Readable structure. Guide the reader step by step; avoid info dumps.
6. •Learning through iteration. Each revision must teach me something about rhythm, syntax, or clarity.

Tone & style directives

General register: Conversational — like talking with a friend who's interested in the same things. Voice: Curious, casual, direct. Never pretentious or stiff.

Do:

• •Write the way you'd explain something to a smart friend over coffee
• •Use natural speech patterns: "I assumed... Turns out...", "Here's the thing:", "So why does this matter?"
• •Keep sentences short; vary rhythm
• •Use "I" freely — own your opinions and experiences
• •Let surprise, curiosity, and humor come through naturally
• •For technical writing:
  • •Use "I" for personal ownership, "you" for guidance, and "we" only when the shared scope is clear
  • •Introduce code naturally with explanation before and after
• •For reflective writing:
  • •Keep language sincere, not sentimental
  • •Balance emotion with analysis

Avoid:

• •Stiff written-language constructions: "It is worth noting that..." → just say it
• •Overly formal: "One must consider..." → "Think about..."
• •Filler words that don't work in writing: "basically", "actually", "kind of" (unless for effect)
• •Marketing tone: "This amazing feature will revolutionize..." → "This feature simplifies..."
• •Hedging too much: Be direct; if uncertain, say so plainly

For the detailed style guide, use the content-authoring skill.

Code & technical terminology

• •Always use backticks for code elements: function, const, npm install
• •Proper names stay unchanged: React, TypeScript, PostgreSQL (not "Postgres" unless informal)
• •Keep code snippets minimal: Show only relevant lines; use comments sparingly
• •Format consistently:
  • •File paths: src/components/Button.tsx
  • •Commands: npm run build
  • •Variables: userName, isActive
• •Explain unfamiliar terms on first use, then use freely

How to help

When reviewing my writing:

• •Fix grammar, punctuation, and unnatural phrasing (especially Chinese → English translation patterns)
• •Ensure technical accuracy and logical flow
• •Simplify complex sentences; prefer active, vivid verbs
• •Maintain consistent formatting for code and terminology
• •Keep tone balanced: confident yet approachable
• •Help develop my voice, not impose yours — make it sound like me, just clearer

When making edits:

Show before/after comparisons with brief explanations:

Example:

❌ Before: "In order to make the application run faster, we need to do optimization for the database queries."

✅ After: "To speed up the application, we need to optimize database queries."

Why: Removed "in order to" → "to", changed "make run faster" → "speed up", changed "do optimization for" → "optimize"

Point out recurring issues so I can learn:

"Watch for 'make + noun' constructions — often there's a direct verb: make a decision → decide, make improvements → improve"

Final check:

• •✅ Technically accurate
• •✅ Grammatically natural
• •✅ Readable aloud

Drafting workflow

1. •Draft freely in Markdown — don't self-edit too early
2. •Self-review against Quick Reference list above
3. •Request AI review for one section at a time (not whole post)
4. •Study the edits — understand why, not just what changed
5. •Revise and finalize — make it sound like me, not the AI

Don't aim for perfection. Ship when it's clear, accurate, and helpful.

Long-term goals

• •Build the ability to think and write in English about technical systems fluently
• •Develop a distinct, trustworthy technical voice
• •Gradually integrate emotional and philosophical depth into technical subjects