Julia Evans is a better blogger than I'll ever be, but I've been trying to get back into blogging. These tips are great, and all things I need to keep in mind. "You need to be original" and "writing boring posts is bad" are two thoughts that often keep me from writing on a subject.
I am facing a similar dilemma. Lately, I have been writing about data structures and the "original" aspect has really taken over my writing. Breaking down the content into a readable format and complementing it with intuitive figures can become a challenge. I have two almost-ready drafts sitting on my computer, but I cannot gather the courage to post them as I feel like they might be missing more analysis. I am not sure if this is necessarily good or bad. I have been trying to treat my blog as something I enjoy, with content that will still be relevant in a decade or so. Perhaps, I need to take Julia's advice and write more boring posts, like some of my favorite things in my bashrc.
Maybe you ought to adjust the approach. Rather than have a complete and finished reference now, post what you have so far to show what you have been trying. Someone may reach out with additional insight. Though whether or not you get any feedback at this stage, it can lead up to a post that covers everything that you want once it's ready
You can always edit old posts or just create follow-ups and link them together. Or just keep it as an open topic that you periodically post smaller updates on
The mistake that too many people have, is thinking that your blog has to appeal to the masses. Unless it goes 'viral' and attracts millions of views they think it is a failure.
Instead, focus on topics that might only be 'not boring' to a small subset of the population. HN tends to attract people with very particular interests. I often browse through a hundred or more posts before finding one that truly interests me.
My own blog is dedicated to those who are passionate about data management. This is a small group indeed, but who cares if less than 1000 people read my posts. All it takes is a few to learn something meaningful from it to make it worthwhile.
