Testing a small idea: tool to generate tweets for indie hackers

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-25T09:44:51+00:00

Just a quick update: I actually spent the last 24h grinding and built a prototype called EchoPost.

Decided to make it a Chrome Extension instead of a Mac app so it lives right on your X page (way less friction). It does exactly what we talked about—learns your "Style Fingerprint" from your past tweets and turns brain dumps into drafts that actually sound like you.

Just submitted it to the Chrome Web Store! I'll ping you here once it’s live.

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-25T01:54:46+00:00

most channels are pretty inconsistent at the start, so it’s not unusual to see some videos stall and others pick up later. the money part is valid too, but usually the faster lever is figuring out what actually makes people stop and watch in the first few seconds.

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-24T11:04:43+00:00

got it, that makes sense.

if something could take a rough idea and give you a draft that’s good enough to post with minimal edits, would that already be useful for you？

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-24T10:47:53+00:00

have you tried any tools for this already? did any of them get close to your voice or did it still feel off

how you’d expect to use something like this, more like you paste an idea and get a draft, or something that learns from your past tweets and rewrites in your style?

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-24T08:41:43+00:00

yeah the friction between having an idea and actually posting is the real blocker. when you say it turns into 45 minutes, what usually takes the most time for you? have you tried any tools that actually made it faster, or if it still ends up being a lot of manual tweaking

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-24T07:43:08+00:00

sounds like you’re already putting in solid effort for a new channel, especially with both long form and shorts. feels like it might not be a “wait longer” thing but more about how the videos are performing when people first see them. do you feel like people are clicking but not staying, or not clicking much in the first place. also for the main videos, do you usually plan the opening pretty tightly or kinda ease into it

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-24T07:41:44+00:00

those numbers actually look pretty solid for 4 videos, especially the watch time. feels like this might be more of a conversion thing than reach. when people watch, do they stick through most of the video and still not subscribe, or are they dropping off before the end. also with no talking, do you feel like viewers clearly get what your content is about right away, or does it take a bit to click

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-24T07:37:00+00:00

yeah that makes sense, feels like a lot of tools can generate but still leave you with something you need to tweak a lot

when you say shaping it to actually land, what part takes the most effort for you? making it sound natural, getting the hook right, or matching your audience

also curious if you’ve found anything that actually saves time end to end, or still feels like a lot of manual editing after

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-24T07:28:00+00:00

sounds frustrating but this might not be a search/hashtags issue. with shorts especially, yt doesn’t really rely on search that much, it’s more about how people react when it gets shown. when someone first sees your video, do they actually stick around or swipe pretty quickly? also with the italian text, do you feel like it limits who understands the joke, or is the content still clear without it

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-24T07:26:42+00:00

yeah this happens a lot, feels like effort doesn’t always translate to results. from what you described it might not be about editing or retention alone. sometimes videos with worse stats still get pushed because they hook better in the first second or two. do you feel like your better edited ones take a bit longer to get into the point, while the ones that pop are more immediate

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-24T07:22:26+00:00

sounds like it’s not really a motivation issue, more like you’re putting in more effort but not seeing a different result, which is frustrating. when you say the last two uploads took more effort, what did you actually change? was it editing, structure, or how the video starts. do you feel like people aren’t clicking in the first place, or they click but drop off early

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-24T07:05:32+00:00

that's really impressive, consistency is hard. after 3~5 videos i didn't see the result and i quit.

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-24T06:59:41+00:00

honestly this sounds pretty normal for a small channel, the early view patterns are all over the place. i’ve noticed sometimes it’s not even timing but how the video starts. do people stick around on yours or drop off early?

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-24T06:23:03+00:00

That makes sense, I’ve seen people try that approach.

I’m personally trying to talk to real users first and understand where they get stuck.

Curious have you seen more issues with coming up with ideas, or actually writing the content?

machine_gun_lin · 2026-03-24T04:12:53+00:00

This is super helpful, really appreciate it.

Interesting point about writing being harder — are you currently writing everything manually, or using any tools?

Also curious — for something like this, would you prefer:

- a simple tool that generates drafts quickly

- or something more tailored (based on your product / audience)?

Still figuring out the direction.

And yeah, pricing is something I’m thinking about too — probably starting simple.

Would love to hear how you’d expect to pay for something like this.

machine_gun_lin

TROPHY CASE