Crafting Content: A Devlog #1 - March 2025

Behind the scenes peek at how a beginner content creator assess herself

👋 Hello World

Hi! I'm Pamela.

An aspiring content creator.

I'm super into tech, especially how we can use AI in practical ways, and I'm a bit of an Obsidian note-taking nerd (Zettelkasten, anyone? 📚). Plus, I've just finished my PhD (hello burnout! 👋) in AI, so you could say, I have gain a doctorate in being an overwhelmed knowledge worker.

Not sure if it is stress, aging, adult-onset ADHD or brain fog due to health issues, but as I got older (I'm 27), I found myself struggling with remembering things and regulating my focus (I can focus... just on the wrong things). So I have been thinking a lot about wholesome productivity, not quite slow living, definitely anti-hustle (burnout) culture and anti-generic productivity advice. I think we should prioritize our well-being over chasing money, and conventional success, but I do believe that you can want a career because that work is what you want to do with your life. Because it makes life exciting.

I write about how we can leveraging technology, particularly AI, to build systems that make the right choices the easy ones. Instead of relying on discipline and willpower, change the environment around you to shape your future. Design life so it feels less like a constant struggle and more aligned with how our brains actually work. Not everyone does best with the standard mainstream solution.

Today, I wanted to share a little check-in I did on my own content creation journey. This is how I am assessing myself now.

TLDR: Where I'm At Right Now 📍

Here's a quick snapshot of where my platforms are sitting & what I'm planning to focus on:

Status: Starting out as a content creator

Stats:

• Youtube @PamelaWangMwaha - Almost at 1K subscribers! 🎉 (920 to be exact!)

• Twitter @MwahaCookie - A cozy little corner with 111 followers. 🐥

• Substack - Just getting started here! 3 brave souls have subscribed. 💖 (This post also makes it 3 posts! Hello Substack)

Plans:

• Twitter Experiments: Write more short tweets instead of threads (+ A/B Testing) – let's see what hooks works best! 🧪

• Substack Focus: Time to write more articles! Funnel over here with CTA via tweets. ✍️

• Keep Learning: Gotta finish that Dan Koe Writer's Bootcamp! 📚

About

My Content Vibe ✨

So, what am I actually about? It’s all about lifestyle and productivity, but with a twist! I really geek out on:

• Choice Architecture: Designing our environment so the easy choice is also the good choice. Less willpower, more flow! 🌊

• Tech for Easy Living: Gadgets and apps that make healthy choices easier, or lazy choices possible. Think VR for fun workouts! 🎮

• Practical AI: No overly fiddling systems that break on you. How do we actually use the awesome AI in practical ways, to enhance our lives? 💡

• Workflow Showcases: Peeking behind the scenes at how I actually get things done. I love looking at other people's workflows and incorporating their ideas too. 👀

• Book Reviews: Sharing gems I've found from books, podcasts, videos etc. 📚

Basically, I'm obsessed with sustainable, frictionless productivity for overwhelmed knowledge workers, especially aspiring content creators around my age, and people who think differently. If you're tired of generic productivity advice, or feel like your brain works a little unconventionally, you're in the right place! ✅

I want to help you:

• Design easy, convenient workflows (because who has time for complicated?).

• Use tech and AI to minimize mental friction.

• Achieve sustainable productivity without burning out. 🔥 (Seriously, burnout is the worst. ☠️)

It's about making the right choice once, changing your environment and leveraging, not relying on willpower to make the difficult choice again and again. It's about working with yourself, in a more gentle way.

Audience

Okay, so who are you guys? My ideal reader is probably a lot like you! Someone who:

• Is an aspiring content creator in their 20s. Someone who likes to watch Ali Abdaal (goals) 🚀

• Is thoughtful and curious. You're probably the kind of person who reads books like Sapiens (tried?) and The 4-Hour Workweek and thinks "there has to be another way... because I can't do this 9-to-5". 🤔

• Is questioning traditional paths. You're sure the 9-to-5 grind is not for you, and you're looking for alternative routes to success. ✨

• Feels a bit stuck or directionless sometimes. The modern world is noisy, right? It's hard to know where to focus. 😵‍💫

• Struggles with productivity and focus. Procrastination? Brain fog? Attention span of a goldfish? 🐠 We've all been there!

• Is wary of burnout. You know that pushing yourself to the limit isn't sustainable. ⚠️

• Is tired of generic advice. "Just work harder! Discipline! Make your bed!" 🙄 Yeah, thanks. That's not helpful.

You're looking for practical, real-world strategies that actually work. You want to design your environment and build systems that make productive choices the easy choices. You want frameworks and actionable steps, not just motivational fluff. And you want to leverage technology to your advantage. Sounds familiar? 😉

Creator Diagnostics 🩺

Alright, let's get check the numbers. It's a bit tiring to manually aggregate, but it's important to see where we can improve.

Current Follower Count

• Youtube Subscribers: 920

• Twitter Followers: 111

• Substack Subscribers: 3

Twitter Engagement Metrics (Roughly)

• Per Thread (average of 10-20 tweets):

  • Impressions: 17 to 205

  • Engagements:

    • Likes: 1 - 6

    • Retweets: 0 - 1

    • Replies: 0

    • Link Clicks (if applicable): 0

  • Save Rate (Bookmarks): 0

• Per Short Post (single tweet):

  • Impressions: 22 to 53

  • Engagements:

    • Likes: 1 - 3

    • Retweets: 0

    • Replies: 0

    • Link Clicks (if applicable): 0

Posting Habits

• Trying to do 5 Twitter threads a week. (That's a lot of effort! Each takes me about 4 to 6 hours)

• Not really doing short posts consistently (I really should?).

I do reply to other creators which does sometimes get me more views on my content.

Content Calendar/Planning

• Zero content calendar. I'm more of a "spark of inspiration" kind of creator. 🔥 (Pantser style for life! 😉)

I have tried planning but it tends to overwhelm me, till I just read fanfic and ignore the flaming mess of my plans. I work better by just sitting down and doing some work in short bursts. Bottom up work style suits me best.

Time Commitment

I am realistically willing to dedicate 2 to 4 hours per day to Twitter and Substack content creation and promotion. This includes researching, writing, scheduling posts, engaging with my audience, and analyzing performance.

Platforms

• Twitter First (for now): Sharpening my writing skills in short-form. Think of it as my writing gym. 💪 This super short-form content allows me to quickly iterate

  • I also have Threads (but stopped developing there as twitter has a larger audience) + wanted to do substack notes... but I don't have an audience in substack.

• Substack is the Goal: Longer form articles, building a community, maybe quarterly digital products / paid newsletter down the line. 🏡

  • I believe in building a database of free content, and maintaining a community of readers to engage with because one of my goals is to find people with similar interests to talk to. Feedback is value too!

  • I prefer not to do sponsorships.

• 🌳 Youtube for Evergreen This used to be my only platform, but it requires a significant time investment to make videos, so I am shifting my focus to writing, and not really aiming for monetization anymore.

I will convert my content as follows:

• Twitter (shortform testbed)

• Substack (blog & newsletter of best tweet threads)

• Youtube (Evergreen permanent content that reinforces my brand image)

Goals

• Become a Better Writer: Especially short, punchy tweets. Need to nail those hooks! 🎣

• Get Confident & Just Post: Overthinking is the enemy of progress! 🙅‍♀️

• Engage, Engage, Engage: Less lurking, more connecting! Time to reply to people and maybe even brave the DMs! 💬

Actions

• Dan Koe's Writing Bootcamp: Learning from the best! 🤓

• Accountability Groups: Community power! 🤝

• Experimenting with AI Tools: Google AI Studio is pretty cool! 🤖

• Scheduling with Buffer: Making life a little easier. 😌

Results

Takeaways

• ✅ Clear Niche: Tech & Productivity for overwhelmed creators, especially those who think differently. This feels right.

• ✅ Well-Defined Target Audience: Aspiring creators in their 20s who want sustainable, easy productivity. Got it!

• ❌ Twitter & Substack Numbers are Tiny: We need to grow! (No surprise there).

• ❌ Engagement is Low, Low, Low: This is the big problem to solve. People aren't clicking, liking, or sharing. 💔 Content is informative, but not resonating.

• 🤔 High Posting Frequency (Threads): 5 threads/week is a significant effort, especially with low engagement. This suggests a need to re-evaluate content strategy, not just quantity.

• ❌ Substack is a Blank Canvas: Content type unclear, conversion funnel non-existent. Substack needs to be actively integrated into the growth strategy. Need to actually create content there and make it enticing! ✍️

• 🎯 Substack Growth is the Real Goal: Twitter is a tool to get people to Substack, not the end in itself. Got to keep that in mind.

Core Problem

The heart of the matter? My content isn't resonating and being discovered on Twitter. Ouch. But that's okay! Knowing is half the battle, right? It's not that the content itself is bad (hopefully! 😅), it's that it's not optimized for the Twitter-verse. I am working hard (5 threads/week), but not smart.

Possible Issues

1. Content is not optimized for Twitter consumption: Threads might be too long, headlines not engaging, not visually appealing, lacking clear value proposition in the first tweet, not addressing immediate pain points of the target audience in a Twitter-friendly way.

2. Discoverability is low: Lack of hashtags, not engaging with relevant communities, not optimizing profile for search, not leveraging replies to larger accounts effectively.

3. No clear call to action: Not explicitly guiding Twitter audience to Substack.

4. Substack not integrated into the Twitter strategy: Content not aligned, no clear reason for Twitter followers to subscribe to Substack.

Next Actions (Advised by AI)

Experiments for Further Diagnostics

1. Headline/Hook Experiment (Click Drivers): A/B test different headline styles for threads. Focus on:

   • Benefit-driven headlines: "3 Tech Tools to Automate Your Content Creation Workflow" (vs. "Content Creation Workflow Tools")

   • Curiosity-provoking headlines: "The Lazy Person's Guide to Mastering Focus (Using This Weird Trick)" (vs. "Focus Techniques")

   • Question-based headlines: "Struggling with Procrastination? This Simple System Changed Everything" (vs. "Procrastination Strategies")

   • Format: Use emojis, bold text, questions in the first tweet to grab attention.

2. Content Type Experiment (Refined based on Niche): Focus on thread types most likely to resonate with target audience:

   • "Problem/Solution" Threads: Directly address pain points of overwhelmed creators (procrastination, focus, burnout). e.g., "Problem: Constant Distractions. Solution: Time Blocking + App X."

   • "Tool/Resource Review" Threads: Review gadgets, apps, AI tools relevant to productivity & content creation. e.g., "Obsidian for Note-Taking: My Honest Review (Pros & Cons)."

   • "Workflow Showcase" Threads: Showcase practical workflows using tech & systems. e.g., "My AI-Powered Content Creation Workflow (Step-by-Step)."

   • "Myth-Busting/Common Mistake" Threads: Debunk productivity myths or common mistakes. e.g., "Stop Relying on Willpower! The Truth About Sustainable Productivity."

3. Call to Action (CTA) Experiment (Substack Funnel): Test different CTA placements and messaging to drive Substack subscriptions:

   • Bio CTA: Optimize Twitter bio to clearly state Substack value proposition and link.

   • In-Thread CTA (Mid-thread): Subtly weave in a CTA within the thread context. e.g., "For a deeper dive into [topic], I wrote a longer article on my Substack: [link]"

   • End-of-Thread CTA: Explicit CTA at the end of thread. e.g., "Enjoyed this thread? Subscribe to my newsletter for weekly productivity tips & tech reviews: [link]"

   • CTA Messaging: Test different phrasing: "Subscribe," "Newsletter," "Weekly Tips," "Deeper Insights," "Exclusive Content."

4. Hashtag Experiment (Discoverability): Research relevant hashtags for niche (productivity, tech, contentcreation, ai, workflow, etc.). Experiment with different hashtag combinations in threads and short posts. Track impressions and engagement.

5. Engagement Experiment (Discoverability & Community Building): Dedicate time each day to:

   • Reply strategically: Respond to relevant tweets from larger creators and accounts in your niche with insightful and valuable comments (not just "great thread!").

   • Engage with target audience: Find and engage with tweets from people who fit your target audience profile, offering helpful advice and insights.

   • Participate in relevant Twitter chats (if any exist in niche): Contribute to conversations and increase visibility.

General Actions

1. Profile Optimization (Immediate Action):

   • Optimize Twitter Bio: Clearly state your niche, target audience, and Substack value proposition. Include a direct link to your Substack. Example: "Tech & Productivity for Aspiring Creators 🚀 Build lazy workflows & leverage AI for sustainable productivity. Newsletter & deeper dives on Substack 👇 [Substack Link]"

   • Profile Picture & Banner: Ensure they are professional and visually appealing, reflecting your niche.

2. Content Calendar (Simple Start): Even a loose weekly plan is helpful. Allocate days for different thread types and experiments. e.g., Monday: Tool Review Thread, Wednesday: Problem/Solution Thread, Friday: Workflow Showcase Thread.

3. Start Headline/Hook Experiment (Week 1): For each thread this week, consciously A/B test different headline styles. Track impressions, engagements, and click-throughs (if linking to external content).

4. Implement Bio CTA & End-of-Thread CTA (Immediate Action): Add your Substack link to your bio and consistently include a clear CTA at the end of every thread.

5. Hashtag Research (Ongoing): Start researching relevant hashtags. Tools like RiteTag or Hashtagify can be helpful.

My Conclusion

Honestly? I think the biggest thing is I need to actually write more on Substack! It's hard to direct people here if there's not much here yet, right? It's like inviting people to a party and then realizing you haven't even put out snacks! 😅

So, my plan for now:

• Study Tweet-Craft: Dive deeper into writing better tweets, and actually track what works with A/B testing. Data-driven decisions! 🤓

• Substack Time! Make writing Substack articles a priority. This is where I can really share value. ✍️

• CTA, CTA, CTA! Add clear calls to action to my tweets and threads to check out my Substack. 👆

• Finish Dan Koe Week 4! Keep learning and leveling up my writing game. 📚

It's just the beginning, right? There is something to be said for the fun of a fresh start, at the start of a year, at every new project. If you like this kind of behind-the-scenes content, subscribe for quarterly check-ins!

What do you think? Anything you would do differently? Let me know in the comments! 👇