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About These Essays

Essays are generated by LLM and aim to capture key characteristics of Paul Graham's writing style. More about this project at github.com/JasonGross/aPG.

Key Paul Graham Essay Characteristics (according to Gemini 2.5):

Opening Hook: Often starts with a simple, slightly counter-intuitive observation, a personal anecdote, or a question that seems obvious but isn't.
Informal, Conversational Tone: Uses simple language, short sentences, contractions. Feels like he's thinking aloud or talking directly to you.
Focus on Startups, Technology, Thinking, Writing: These are his core domains. The topic fits squarely within technology and writing/thinking.
First Principles Thinking: Breaks down complex topics into simpler components. Asks "Why?" repeatedly.
Analogies and Metaphors: Uses relatable comparisons to explain abstract concepts (e.g., comparing startups to evolution, writing to painting).
Actionable Insights (often subtle): While philosophical, there's usually a takeaway, even if it's just a way of looking at something differently.
Self-Awareness/Humility (sometimes feigned): Acknowledges his own perspective or limitations, though often with underlying confidence.
Structure: Often wanders a bit but circles back to the main point. Uses section breaks or distinct paragraphs to shift focus slightly.
Concluding Thought: Ends with a summarizing insight or a slightly provocative question that lingers.