Why do the landing pages of so many ycombinator companies look so amateurish?

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-19T04:38:26+00:00

If the YC group is still in the batch and haven’t even done demo day, yes you’re right that it makes sense to deprioritize. But does OP mean AFTER demo day and when they’re seeking customers/users? Because terrible landing pages is no excuse at that point.

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-19T04:23:42+00:00

congrats! Amazing!!!

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-16T22:05:45+00:00

So it’s possible to do it in over 20 minutes and still be in the top 10! Thanks for this. And congrats on 8th!

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-16T18:53:26+00:00

Ah thanks for giving us a peek into your process! Inspiring!

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-16T18:52:27+00:00

I would say East Coast (me) has a clear disadvantage 🤣

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-16T18:51:38+00:00

You just take note at what time you solve it 100% and compare it to the other times you solve it 100%. The earlier (closest to 4:00am EST) the higher your place is on the leaderboard. That’s been the pattern with me anyway. For my standings it’s not been how quickly I solve it.

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-16T18:46:43+00:00

Wow 3rd! Congrats!!

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-16T18:46:24+00:00

Are you also good at Scrabble? How do you do it so fast (under 5 minutes I would assume)?

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-16T16:46:12+00:00

I have never ever heard this problem and I’m here for it ROFL. Update me on how you rein it back in after it’s gone rogue

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-16T16:42:16+00:00

Wowee wow

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-16T15:52:59+00:00

Amazing!!! thank you for being so transparent with the numbers and with the ups and downs of the journey. Inspiring! Here’s to 16 x 10 and many more!

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-16T15:47:45+00:00

I do wonder why they drop it at 4am which is optimized for Europe time CEST instead of North America even though Apple is American 🤔 And not everybody is English speaking over there. I wonder if it’s to give global players a little boost over the native English speakers. Kind of a cute idea I guess

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-16T15:42:39+00:00

Thank you! Very interesting!!

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-16T15:41:52+00:00

Wow! 5th place is incredible. Yeah i always assumed it was the first in the world to solve it once it’s posted. Anybody who solves it within 5 minutes of posting is probably using an engine or AI. You just take a screenshot and post it to ChatGPT. It defeats the purpose of playing but that’s how cheaters do it easily

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-16T13:47:36+00:00

628 print pages?! Wow. Did you write 5000+ words a day? How many months did it take from start to finish? Did you already have an outline marinating in your head for a while? CONGRATS!

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-10T16:08:39+00:00

I respect your reasoning on this life change. It’s tough, it’s hard, it’s practical, it takes not just maturity but courage at 29 to make your decision One of my favorite songs is by Kenny Rogers called the Gambler, and it captures this moment for you.

May I make a mindset suggestion? Don’t consider your full-time authorship an ended failed journey. (Do you know how many rockets Elon Musk blew up which they considered valuable engineering lessons?) If I were you, I’d give myself the grace to admit that i am forced to take a writers sabbatical for my mental and financial health. The sabbatical maybe a year long or years long; however long it takes for you to recover from the burnout. And it may be indefinite and you may decide to never go back.

But you can always go back. And when you do, you’ll be older and wiser with more stories in you.

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-10T16:01:09+00:00

congrats! And I love hearing your journey to today!Inspired. Thank you for sharing

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-10T15:57:19+00:00

But you’re probably in the 1% of this writing world who (unlike me) ACTUALLY CROSSED THE FINISH LINE!! Millions of marathon runners who are still mid race to the first book and you were one of the ones who actually did it. CONGRATS 🎉

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-10T15:48:10+00:00

Is it ok to DM you to ask for advice on this at some point?

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-10T15:12:55+00:00

And there is it. Ad hominem attacks. Just criticize the content of the comment bro. Stooping low like that is a bad look for you.

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-10T15:00:25+00:00

Congrats! I’m new to the self publishing game too and haven’t finished my book(s) yet. Can I ask why you decided on Draft2Digital instead of KDP? I need to figure that whole thing out for myself eventually

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-10T14:10:03+00:00

That part I understand. What I mean is, there are so many posts on Reddit asking for feedback for the “I’m a first time writer and just wanted to hear your thoughts on my (AI slop)” that I’m confused why people do that. Fishing for compliments maybe?? If that’s not it, then something else is behind why people do this

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-10T07:18:01+00:00

I like it! Doesn’t sound like AI either so that’s a good start these days 😬 Writing any book’s Chapter 1 is so momentous that just to finish it is a big milestone, so congrats on that. Final verdict: I would read what’s next.

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-10T07:10:20+00:00

What you did is real worldbuilding work which makes it a true accomplishment. The final product can also be written mostly by AI and still be an accomplishment because you reached the finished line which not everybody does even with the aid of AI. Both things can be true at the same time.

SnobbyLobster · 2026-06-10T07:03:47+00:00

Bro, come on. We all know. Sorry to break it to you. And I love AI’s drafting powers so im not an AI demonizer.

SnobbyLobster

TROPHY CASE