One of my favorite things about building Jottings has been watching creators discover each other. There's something magical about stumbling upon a microblog that just gets it—someone sharing ideas in their own voice, without algorithm interference or engagement metrics distorting their work.
Today, I want to share some of the sites that have inspired me and showcase what great looks like across different categories. These are real creators doing real work, and I think you'll find something worth following.
Tech & Development
Code Snippets Daily (snippets.jottings.me) Marcus shares one useful code pattern every weekday—often the kind of small utility or refactoring trick you'd normally learn in a code review or stumble upon by accident. What makes it great is the brief explanation of why it matters, not just the syntax. His recent series on TypeScript generics genuinely improved how I write type definitions.
The Indie Dev Journal (indie-dev.jottings.me) Sarah documents her journey building a bootstrapped SaaS product. This isn't a highlight reel—it's honest reflections on shipping, customer feedback, and the occasional failure. Her transparency about revenue numbers and customer acquisition costs has been more valuable than any course I've taken. She posts roughly twice a week, and they're the kind of posts you save to re-read.
Writing & Creativity
Craft Notes (craft-notes.jottings.me) Elena writes about the craft of writing itself. Not writerly inspiration or MasterClass content—just practical observations from her work as a technical writer and editor. Her analysis of tone, clarity, and structure has changed how I approach communication. Short posts, always worth your time.
Microfiction Lab (microfiction.jottings.me) James uses his Jottings site as a creative laboratory for super short fiction. Most posts are under 200 words, but they hit hard. Some are sci-fi thought experiments, others are slice-of-life observations. It's the kind of creative practice that benefits from having a public space without the pressure of traditional publishing.
Photography & Visual Arts
Light Studies (light-studies.jottings.me) David posts one photograph every few days with a brief note about the technical and artistic choices behind it. It's a masterclass in composition and lighting, and it's helped me actually use my camera instead of just carrying it around. The commitment to consistency shows in the growth across his posts.
Design Systems Thinking (design-systems.jottings.me) Priya shares observations about design systems, user interface patterns, and what works across different platforms. Her recent series comparing design languages across five productivity apps was fascinating. She combines screenshots, analysis, and personal experience in a way that's genuinely educational.
Personal & Miscellaneous
Morning Walks (morning-walks.jottings.me) Aisha documents her morning walks through the city—observations, sketches, thoughts about the people she meets. It reads like a beautiful diary that happens to be public. There's no agenda, no performance. Just presence and curiosity.
Learning Out Loud (learning.jottings.me) Tom documents himself learning new things. Right now it's Korean language and woodworking. His posts include mistakes, breakthroughs, and the weird tangents that happen when you're genuinely curious. It's inspiring because it normalizes the learning process.
What Makes These Sites Great
Looking across these examples, I notice some patterns:
Consistency over perfection. None of these sites have daily posts (except Marcus), but each creator has a rhythm they maintain. You know roughly when to expect new content.
Voice matters more than virality. Each site sounds like one person talking to you. There's no algorithm optimization, no engagement bait. Just honest communication.
Constraints breed creativity. The microblog format forces clarity. No 3,000-word posts wandering through five tangents. Each thought is distilled to what matters.
Depth in specificity. Rather than trying to cover everything, each creator picks a lane and explores it thoroughly. That focus makes them valuable.
Consistency with personality. Some sites post photos, some text, some mix. But each has a cohesive identity that makes it instantly recognizable.
How to Get Featured
If you're running a Jottings site, I'd love to feature it here. What makes a site worth highlighting isn't follower count or perfect execution—it's genuine creative work and consistent voice.
I'm looking for sites that:
- Have a clear perspective or focus
- Post regularly (doesn't have to be daily)
- Show personality in the writing or curation
- Bring something unique to their topic
If you think your site fits, share it with me on Twitter or email vishal@jottings.me with a brief note about what you're doing and why. I'm actively looking for more creators to feature.
Building Community Through Discovery
Here's what I believe: great creative work happens in small communities, not algorithm feeds. Jottings was built for exactly this—for creators who want to own their space, connect directly with readers, and build something meaningful without chasing metrics.
When you follow sites like the ones above, you're supporting independent creators. You're also joining a small community of people who actually read rather than scroll. That's increasingly rare, and it matters.
My challenge to you: Follow one new Jottings site this week. Comment, share feedback, or just sit with the work. If you run a site yourself, keep going. The best microblogs are the ones that exist because you have something worth saying, not because you need an audience.
And if you haven't started your own site yet? Jottings is free to get started. Pick a subdomain, write your first jot, and see what happens. Some of my favorite discoveries have been from creators who didn't think they had anything interesting to say—until they started sharing.
What sites are you following? Share your favorites—I'm always looking for new recommendations.
Happy reading.
—Vishal