People and Blogs: Zachary Kai

Can you introduce yourself?

Hi! I'm Zachary Kai, a twenty-something queer Australian. I have too many interests, not enough time or brain space, but I'm (slowly) clawing everything back.

My greatest loves are the internet, books, and writing, all centered on: words.

Struggling with socialization combined with compulsive reading in youth created an encyclopedic knowledge and interest in (almost) everything. So if you contact me, I'm sure we'll have something we can talk about, whether it be the physics involved in baseball or the history of earthenware.

What's the story behind your blog?

Can I call it a blog when I only post once every ~three months? I can tell you the story behind my site, which I wrote about in 'Falling In Love With The Internet (Again)' for Good Internet.

It's been up for two years now (already, my goodness!) and I'm proud to say I've redesigned it once. (Not calling anyone out but myself here, considering how easy it is for me to get scattered.)

What does your creative process look like when it comes to blogging?

Process? What process? System? What system? If I actually make the time for it…just pick a random phrase from my 'blog fodder' list (courtesy of Thomas Vander Wal) and begin.

I write it in my beloved Obsidian, proofread it, use an online tool for turning Markdown to basic HTML, arrange it in a HTML file in my site's folder, add it to the sitemap.

Then, I 're-build' the site, which is just a chain of esoteric prompts to update a few pages/the feeds.

I risk sounding conceited saying this, but when I actually sit (usually stand) to write, producing words is of no struggle. Writer's block exists, yes, but not for me. Give me any topic you wish, and I'll (hopefully) churn out something semi-coherent. Words are my everything.

Do you have an ideal creative environment? Do you believe the physical space influences your creativity?

I've been to (several) places around the world, and the only way to survive this earth as a neurodivergent soul is to force flexibility on oneself. So I don't have one. Because why tie something so lifegiving up in arbitrary, never guaranteeably available physical circumstances?

Sure, I'd love a writing shed beside some gorgeous lake in the mountains, but that's why I (aspirationally, at least) write fiction. This planet is a wonderful place, but dreaming of impossibilities sometimes leads to misery, especially when I tangle it in things I need/want to do.

A question for the techie readers: can you run us through your tech stack?

I wouldn't be surprised if this causes gasps of surprise from the programmers reading this, but it's just Static HTML files with a motley bunch of PHP scripts for building the sitemap and the RSS feeds.

Yes, I edit by hand. Yes, it was a deliberate choice. Yes, I sometimes wish I hadn't made it.

Though: simplicity, longevity, sticking to my decisions, and readability for this non-programmer are the things I'd rather have than the one-off convenience of WordPress (though I adore it.)

I use a rented VPS for hosting my sites. As my colophon says: 'hand-typed in HTML/CSS in VSCodium, backed up on my server, transferred through SFTP, hosted by an Ubuntu VPS.'

Given your experience, if you were to start a blog today, would you do anything differently?

I'd start with a cheaper VPS so I don't have to migrate everything (twice.)

Realize just because I can self-host almost anything doesn't mean I need to. (Same goes for almost everything that's possible with internet services.)

I'd also make more time for writing for my site. Because it's when I feel most myself. And given how I (still) have no idea who I am, that's saying something.

Financial question since the web is obsessed with money: how much does it cost to run your blog? Is it just a cost or does it generate revenue? And what's your position on people monetizing personal blogs?

As it stands: ~25 AUD for each domain (zacharykai.net, lunaseeker.com, roadlessread.com, leoflynn.com) a year, ~20 AUD a month for the VPS, and more for the newsletter, and email.

I'll be migrating to a smaller server soon, so that'll help.

It's (mostly) just a cost, one I'm happy to pay given how being on the internet has changed my life. Indirectly, I've worked with various wonderful clients, and been paid for writings published.

My position? Do whatever suits, but do it with intention, clarity, consideration, and care.

Time for some recommendations: any blog you think is worth checking out?

Yes! Plenty, always! Here are a few I've found/rediscovered recently:

• Jack Cheng for thoughts on writing, slow tech, and life.
• The (simply wonderful) Brennan Kenneth Brown is as prolific as he is considered.
• Unsure how (perhaps Bear Blog 'Discover') but I found Anne's blog: a delightful design, and thoughtful writing. (If you're reading this, and wouldn't mind being interviewed, contact me.)
• Honeybunch Of Onion Tops for vegan, gluten-free recipes and gentle words. Despite them being Australian, the only reason I found them is on the lovely Eri's recommendation.
• Card Catalog: thinking like a librarian in the age of AI.

You are the last guest of my 150 interviews cycle but you'll also run this series from now on. What plans do you have for the series moving forward?

'People And Blogs' was one of the first things I discovered when venturing into the wider indie web, after finding James' website, in early 2024. I'd decided I wanted to start a site in 2023, but was still working up the courage to begin. After all, who was I to think I had the right to visibility on the web?

I was looking for reassurance, for commiseration, for community. Finding this interview series gave me all that and more, and thanks to the weekly schedule, Friday became one of my favorite days.

I often emailed Manu with suggestions for folks to be interviewed. My plans? Continue the series in a similar vein with the same questions (for now at least) and hopefully interview folks who might be artists or writers or chefs or creatives first, and bloggers second. I'd be interested in their thoughts.

What made you decide to step in and become the new person behind People and Blogs?

I saw the post where Manu explained his experiences running the project and was touched by his honesty. Running projects like these take effort. While the people who benefit from them appreciate them, how often do we, if we have the capacity, at least even email to express appreciation?

So the motivation split between two underlying feelings: showing my gratitude the only way I (really) know how, offering to help, and wanting a series I loved to continue.

Is there a "dream guest" you plan to have on?

If we're aiming high, the wonderful Austin Kleon, Jack Cheng, Paul Watson, or Phoebe Thorburn. I adore their work.

Do you see yourself running it for many years to come or, like myself, you plan to run it for a limited stretch and then pass it to someone else?

I'd like to run it for the foreseeable future! I'll admit I struggle with imagining the future, but I hope I can continue assisting in cultivating the 'indie web commons' as Brennan Kenneth Brown calls it.

Long live the small and delightful corners of the internet, and the humans who make the place.

Final question: is there anything you want to share with us?

Yes! A few things, if you don't mind, dear reader:

• I run an interview series called 'Shelf Source' on my book blog, Road Less Read, and if you talk about books on your site, I'd love to interview you!
• If you're a creative person, or work with a small-business on the internet, might I offer my freelance services, should you be in-need of something?
• If you'd like to go for a web wander, might I suggest The Forest, a collaboration between Manu himself and Carl. I've found so many excellent sites there!

And most importantly: have a wonderful morning, wherever you are.