Write your launch post before you talk yourself out of it
It's 11:52 PM. The thing works. The post box on r/SideProject has been open for twenty minutes and you've typed "Introducing" and deleted it four times. Every version sounds like a press release for a company that doesn't exist. Here's the secret the posts that get replies all share: they aren't announcements. They're the story of one bad afternoon, told by the person who fixed it. Answer six questions below and you'll get four first drafts (Reddit, Show HN, Indie Hackers and X) built on the one part nobody else can write for you.
Six questions, four drafts
Write the way you'd explain it to a friend at a bar, not to an investor. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Posting to Reddit next? Read how to launch on Reddit without getting removed before you hit submit — sidebar rules, soft vs hard launch, timing. These are first drafts, not finished posts. Read each one out loud, change every sentence that doesn't sound like you, and fill in the bracketed lines. A post that sounds generated gets treated like one.
The five beats of a launch post people answer
- The moment. One specific afternoon: the invoice you forgot, the spreadsheet that ate your Sunday, the client who asked the same question for the ninth time. Specific details are what make a stranger believe you.
- The problem, in their words. Name the people who share it ("if you're a freelance designer…") using the words they'd type, not the category name from your pitch deck.
- The thing, in one line. A verb and an object. "It reminds you to chase unpaid invoices." If it takes a paragraph, readers stop before the ask.
- The honest status. "Live, almost nobody has tried it" is a feature, not a confession. It tells readers they'd be early, and early people like being early.
- One small ask. Not "check it out." Ask for something a stranger can say yes to in a minute: blunt feedback, five testers, one person with this exact problem.
Before and after
A made-up example, so you can see the difference in one glance.
Before. Introducing Nudgeinvoice 🚀 the AI-powered, seamless way to revolutionize your accounts receivable workflow! Sign up today!
After. I forgot to chase a $1,400 invoice for three months. So I built Nudgeinvoice: it reminds freelancers to chase unpaid invoices, politely, before the money goes cold. It's live and almost nobody has tried it yet. If you've ever lost money to "I'll follow up next week," I'd love you to try it and tell me if it actually helps.
The second one has no adjectives doing the selling. The $1,400 does it.
Same story, different room
- Reddit. Read the sidebar first. Many niche subreddits ban links in the post or allow self-promotion only on certain days, so the draft offers the link in the comments. Answer every comment for the first few hours. See which subreddits welcome builders.
- Show HN. The title starts with "Show HN:" and Hacker News caps titles at 80 characters. It has to be something people can try, not a landing page or a waitlist. Never ask for upvotes. The first comment should explain how it works, because that's what HN readers ask first. Full rules in how to do a Show HN.
- Indie Hackers. Readers there are builders, so they want the journey and the numbers, even if the numbers are zero. Share what you tried, what didn't work, and what you'd do differently.
- X. 280 characters, and a link counts as 23 of them however long it is. Lead with the moment, not the product name. Post it from an account with a bio that says what you build. More in how to find your first users on X.
Not sure which room your users are in? The free Where do my users hang out? finder suggests niche communities for your problem.
FAQ
How do I write a launch post that people actually reply to?
Tell a small true story in five beats: the moment you decided to build it, the problem in the words your users use, what the product does in one line, an honest status (including zero users, if that's the truth), and one small ask such as blunt feedback or five testers. Skip hype words like "revolutionary" or "game-changer".
Can I post the same launch post on Reddit, Hacker News and X?
Not word for word. Each room has its own shape: Show HN titles start with "Show HN:" and stay under 80 characters, X posts fit in 280 characters, and many subreddits ban links in the post body. Keep the same story and change the shape. That's what the four drafts above do.
Does this tool post for me or store what I type?
No. The drafts are written in your browser and nothing you type is sent anywhere. You copy a draft, rewrite it in your own voice, and post it yourself.
What if I have zero users?
Say so. "Nobody has tried it yet" is a stronger opening than a vague claim, because it's specific and it invites people to be first. Readers forgive small numbers. They don't forgive being sold to.
Where should I post my launch post?
Wherever your users already complain about the problem, which is usually a niche subreddit or forum rather than a general launch site. Try the community finder, then the free launch directories for the long tail.
Want the post written and the rooms picked for you?
Get100Users finds the rooms where your users already hang out and writes the first post for each one, for you to approve and post yourself. Free for the first 10 indie builders. Or reserve a $9 done-for-you launch map (nothing is charged yet).