$ cat ~/writing/index.md → essays + build notes

Writing.
Mostly build notes. Occasionally opinions.

Short essays on AI automation, solo operator workflows, the tools that actually work and the ones I've stopped using. Two pieces are drafting, the rest are queued. Subscribe to the AIOpsForge newsletter (Tuesday 9am ET) if you want delivery to your inbox.

essay index

What's live, what's drafting, what's coming.

Each piece is short — 600–1,500 words. No fluff. Sentence case. Opinionated.

2026-05-20
Why I built my AI stack without n8n or Make
Code-first vs no-code · cost math · the case for owning your automation
DRAFTING
2026-05-22
The 11 AI systems every solo founder needs in 2026
The AOF framework · what each system does · how to ship one a week
DRAFTING
2026-05-27
Claude Code vs Cursor — an honest 2026 comparison
When each wins · my daily-driver picks · the costs nobody talks about
2026-06-03
How to build your first AI agent in 60 minutes
A walkthrough · MCP + Claude Code + Vercel cron · real costs
QUEUED
2026-06-10
Pricing AI services as a solo freelancer
Fixed-price vs hourly · productizing engagements · what I charge and why
QUEUED
2026-06-17
MCP servers explained — the plugin system for Claude
What MCP is · when to build a custom server · 50-line example
QUEUED
2026-06-24
The cost of running a production AI system
Real numbers from 11 builds · what scales linearly vs not · cost-control patterns
QUEUED
2026-07-01
12 months of building AI in public — what worked, what didn't
A retrospective · the products shipped · the bets that lost
QUEUED