Nick Quick
@nickquick.bsky.social
I speak AI.
I'll teach you how to make it write shit you actually care about.
→ https://open.substack.com/pub/nickquick
I'll teach you how to make it write shit you actually care about.
→ https://open.substack.com/pub/nickquick
Pinned
Your voice matters more than ever.
AI is flooding the internet with generic content. The creators who win are the ones who learn to collaborate without losing what makes them them.
That's what I write about. Subscribe if you're building something that sounds like you →...
AI is flooding the internet with generic content. The creators who win are the ones who learn to collaborate without losing what makes them them.
That's what I write about. Subscribe if you're building something that sounds like you →...
The biggest lie in the writing space: "Your authentic voice will emerge naturally."
Your voice is a design decision, not a treasure hunt.
Your voice is a design decision, not a treasure hunt.
December 15, 2025 at 10:01 PM
The biggest lie in the writing space: "Your authentic voice will emerge naturally."
Your voice is a design decision, not a treasure hunt.
Your voice is a design decision, not a treasure hunt.
You don't find your writing voice.
You create it.
Pick who you want to be on the page, then write like that person until it becomes natural.
You create it.
Pick who you want to be on the page, then write like that person until it becomes natural.
December 15, 2025 at 8:35 PM
You don't find your writing voice.
You create it.
Pick who you want to be on the page, then write like that person until it becomes natural.
You create it.
Pick who you want to be on the page, then write like that person until it becomes natural.
Most AI books are garbage.
But they're profitable garbage.
What does that tell you about the market?
But they're profitable garbage.
What does that tell you about the market?
December 15, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Most AI books are garbage.
But they're profitable garbage.
What does that tell you about the market?
But they're profitable garbage.
What does that tell you about the market?
"Prompt engineering" is fuckn dead. Stick a fork in it.
The real skill is conversation design—knowing how to walk an AI through a thinking process, not just how to word a request.
The real skill is conversation design—knowing how to walk an AI through a thinking process, not just how to word a request.
December 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM
"Prompt engineering" is fuckn dead. Stick a fork in it.
The real skill is conversation design—knowing how to walk an AI through a thinking process, not just how to word a request.
The real skill is conversation design—knowing how to walk an AI through a thinking process, not just how to word a request.
Tech companies will pay more for your expertise as AI training data than publishers ever will for your manuscript.
December 15, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Tech companies will pay more for your expertise as AI training data than publishers ever will for your manuscript.
The real money isn't in writing books that people read.
It's in writing prompts that machines read.
It's in writing prompts that machines read.
December 15, 2025 at 3:03 PM
The real money isn't in writing books that people read.
It's in writing prompts that machines read.
It's in writing prompts that machines read.
Your book might sell for $15.
That same knowledge repackaged as an AI training system? Try $1500.
Same content, different wrapper.
That same knowledge repackaged as an AI training system? Try $1500.
Same content, different wrapper.
December 15, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Your book might sell for $15.
That same knowledge repackaged as an AI training system? Try $1500.
Same content, different wrapper.
That same knowledge repackaged as an AI training system? Try $1500.
Same content, different wrapper.
The solitary genius writer is a myth we need to kill.
Modern non-fiction is collaborative, iterative, and increasingly AI-enhanced.
Modern non-fiction is collaborative, iterative, and increasingly AI-enhanced.
December 14, 2025 at 10:07 PM
The solitary genius writer is a myth we need to kill.
Modern non-fiction is collaborative, iterative, and increasingly AI-enhanced.
Modern non-fiction is collaborative, iterative, and increasingly AI-enhanced.
My actual workflow: Write one terrible paragraph by hand.
Feed it to Claude asking "what am I actually trying to say?"
Take the insight.
Throw away both versions.
Write it again myself.
Feed it to Claude asking "what am I actually trying to say?"
Take the insight.
Throw away both versions.
Write it again myself.
December 14, 2025 at 9:10 PM
My actual workflow: Write one terrible paragraph by hand.
Feed it to Claude asking "what am I actually trying to say?"
Take the insight.
Throw away both versions.
Write it again myself.
Feed it to Claude asking "what am I actually trying to say?"
Take the insight.
Throw away both versions.
Write it again myself.
When readers implement ideas from books, they succeed perhaps 10% of the time.
With AI-prompts? Closer to maybe 40%.
Value follows implementation.
With AI-prompts? Closer to maybe 40%.
Value follows implementation.
December 14, 2025 at 6:15 PM
When readers implement ideas from books, they succeed perhaps 10% of the time.
With AI-prompts? Closer to maybe 40%.
Value follows implementation.
With AI-prompts? Closer to maybe 40%.
Value follows implementation.
Non-fiction books are just long-form training prompts with terrible UX.
AI fixes that.
AI fixes that.
December 14, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Non-fiction books are just long-form training prompts with terrible UX.
AI fixes that.
AI fixes that.
Writers stuck selling $20 books while prompt engineers charge $200 for the same knowledge. The economics of expertise have fundamentally changed.
December 14, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Writers stuck selling $20 books while prompt engineers charge $200 for the same knowledge. The economics of expertise have fundamentally changed.
1/5 Tech companies are quietly buying books and research papers not to read them, but to feed their AI systems.
December 14, 2025 at 1:25 PM
1/5 Tech companies are quietly buying books and research papers not to read them, but to feed their AI systems.
1/7 The publishing industry is facing its Napster moment, but most writers haven't noticed yet.
December 14, 2025 at 12:05 PM
1/7 The publishing industry is facing its Napster moment, but most writers haven't noticed yet.
1/6 Writers are criminally undercharging for their expertise.
A $20 book containing decades of specialized knowledge? That's intellectual malpractice.
A $20 book containing decades of specialized knowledge? That's intellectual malpractice.
December 13, 2025 at 10:15 PM
1/6 Writers are criminally undercharging for their expertise.
A $20 book containing decades of specialized knowledge? That's intellectual malpractice.
A $20 book containing decades of specialized knowledge? That's intellectual malpractice.
1/6 Last week I asked my subscribers about their biggest struggles with online writing.
The responses shattered the myth of the monolithic audience.
The responses shattered the myth of the monolithic audience.
December 13, 2025 at 8:25 PM
1/6 Last week I asked my subscribers about their biggest struggles with online writing.
The responses shattered the myth of the monolithic audience.
The responses shattered the myth of the monolithic audience.
Most AI frameworks optimize for volume.
But attention requires surprise.
Surprise requires unpredictability.
Unpredictability is exactly what statistical language models cannot generate alone
But attention requires surprise.
Surprise requires unpredictability.
Unpredictability is exactly what statistical language models cannot generate alone
December 13, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Most AI frameworks optimize for volume.
But attention requires surprise.
Surprise requires unpredictability.
Unpredictability is exactly what statistical language models cannot generate alone
But attention requires surprise.
Surprise requires unpredictability.
Unpredictability is exactly what statistical language models cannot generate alone
1/6 Last week I asked my subscribers about their biggest struggles with online writing.
The responses shattered the myth of the monolithic audience.
The responses shattered the myth of the monolithic audience.
December 13, 2025 at 4:50 PM
1/6 Last week I asked my subscribers about their biggest struggles with online writing.
The responses shattered the myth of the monolithic audience.
The responses shattered the myth of the monolithic audience.
Your goals tell you where to aim. Your systems determine if you'll get there.
Most people spend 95% of their energy on the goal, 5% on the system.
Reverse that.
Most people spend 95% of their energy on the goal, 5% on the system.
Reverse that.
December 13, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Your goals tell you where to aim. Your systems determine if you'll get there.
Most people spend 95% of their energy on the goal, 5% on the system.
Reverse that.
Most people spend 95% of their energy on the goal, 5% on the system.
Reverse that.
Goals expire.
Systems compound.
The first makes you feel good today; the second makes you unstoppable tomorrow.
Systems compound.
The first makes you feel good today; the second makes you unstoppable tomorrow.
December 13, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Goals expire.
Systems compound.
The first makes you feel good today; the second makes you unstoppable tomorrow.
Systems compound.
The first makes you feel good today; the second makes you unstoppable tomorrow.
1/ A quiet revolution is happening in AI developer tools. Gemini 2.5 Pro has become the default brain inside Cursor and Windsurf, two of the most popular AI coding tools. Here's why that matters... 🧵👇
December 13, 2025 at 11:46 AM
1/ A quiet revolution is happening in AI developer tools. Gemini 2.5 Pro has become the default brain inside Cursor and Windsurf, two of the most popular AI coding tools. Here's why that matters... 🧵👇
1/10 Google's Gemini just changed the economics of AI infrastructure, and no one seems to be talking about it.
A quick breakdown of why this matters more than chatbot personality contests: 🧵👇
A quick breakdown of why this matters more than chatbot personality contests: 🧵👇
December 12, 2025 at 10:01 PM
1/10 Google's Gemini just changed the economics of AI infrastructure, and no one seems to be talking about it.
A quick breakdown of why this matters more than chatbot personality contests: 🧵👇
A quick breakdown of why this matters more than chatbot personality contests: 🧵👇
AI infrastructure follows the cloud playbook: become the default dev tool through price, performance, and reach.
Gemini 2.5 Pro just got a major coding upgrade and easier API access.
OpenAI's chatbot supremacy won't matter if Google owns the plumbing.
Gemini 2.5 Pro just got a major coding upgrade and easier API access.
OpenAI's chatbot supremacy won't matter if Google owns the plumbing.
December 12, 2025 at 8:31 PM
AI infrastructure follows the cloud playbook: become the default dev tool through price, performance, and reach.
Gemini 2.5 Pro just got a major coding upgrade and easier API access.
OpenAI's chatbot supremacy won't matter if Google owns the plumbing.
Gemini 2.5 Pro just got a major coding upgrade and easier API access.
OpenAI's chatbot supremacy won't matter if Google owns the plumbing.
"Write in my voice" is half a prompt.
The other half is showing AI what your voice is NOT. I feed Claude the corporate drivel that makes me physically recoil—the "per my last email" and "leverage our learnings" flavor of prose.
Voice isn't just what you say. It's the vast territory of things
The other half is showing AI what your voice is NOT. I feed Claude the corporate drivel that makes me physically recoil—the "per my last email" and "leverage our learnings" flavor of prose.
Voice isn't just what you say. It's the vast territory of things
December 12, 2025 at 7:14 PM
"Write in my voice" is half a prompt.
The other half is showing AI what your voice is NOT. I feed Claude the corporate drivel that makes me physically recoil—the "per my last email" and "leverage our learnings" flavor of prose.
Voice isn't just what you say. It's the vast territory of things
The other half is showing AI what your voice is NOT. I feed Claude the corporate drivel that makes me physically recoil—the "per my last email" and "leverage our learnings" flavor of prose.
Voice isn't just what you say. It's the vast territory of things
The economics of Gemini 2.5 Flash are brutal for competitors: $0.10 per million tokens in, $0.60 out. That's 91% cheaper than GPT-o4-mini—and developers say it's "just as good at coding as Pro."
The math ain't complicated.
The math ain't complicated.
December 12, 2025 at 5:02 PM
The economics of Gemini 2.5 Flash are brutal for competitors: $0.10 per million tokens in, $0.60 out. That's 91% cheaper than GPT-o4-mini—and developers say it's "just as good at coding as Pro."
The math ain't complicated.
The math ain't complicated.