The Journey of Creating this Platform

Why Did I Build This Platform?

Three months ago, I had no plan to embark on this journey. One month ago, I temporarily stepped away from my job as a product manager to write a book. Not forever, I don't think, but long enough to write the book that has been stuck in my head for over 20 years.

I dug in, and over the last month, I have been writing a lot.

A few weeks back, I realized there's no way to get my book out there if I don't start building a community. I started with YouTube, making a few videos, but then realized that it also wasn't enough on its own. So, after looking through the different options, I decided to build my own platform from scratch.

That brings us to orinhutchings.com, the web application/platform I have built to facilitate the community around this book and any other stories that I write. I hope to use this platform as a foundation for other writers and creators in the future.

Although I do not believe AI will take our voices from us at any point, I do believe it is a powerful tool for building products. That is what I wanted to do: build a platform for the book I am writing, using AI as an aid. Although it's been very useful, it's been a journey to get this platform to where it is today. And it will be another journey to take it where it needs to go.

On the blog, I will be writing more about the overall journey, why I am writing a book, and the book itself, but this is my first post just to get started. I look forward to building this community and continuing to improve this platform.

What's Included

This platform is built entirely from scratch using a modern full-stack architecture, including secure authentication, content publishing, community features, newsletters, author-reader messaging, analytics, automated workflows, SEO, accessibility, and a comprehensive admin system. Developed with technologies including Next.js, Vercel, Neon PostgreSQL, Prisma, Auth.js, Upstash, Resend, TipTap, and Playwright.

Here are the key features available as of today:

• Home – An introduction to "The Atom Project" and the latest updates on my writing progress: https://www.orinhutchings.com

• About – Learn more about me: https://www.orinhutchings.com/about

• Blog – Follow the development journey, writing updates, and behind-the-scenes content: https://www.orinhutchings.com/blog

• Newsletter – Subscribe to receive blog posts, videos, writing updates, and the occasional letter: https://www.orinhutchings.com/newsletter

• Videos – Watch writing updates and videos: https://www.orinhutchings.com/videos

• Create an Account – Sign up with your email or Google account to join the community, comment on blog posts, and chat with me directly: https://www.orinhutchings.com/signup

• Secure Authentication – Email/password, Google Sign-In, email verification, and magic-link authentication keep your account secure.

• Profile – Manage your profile, profile picture, and notification preferences.

• Notifications – Stay up to date with comments, replies, likes, and other blog activity.

• Comments – Join the conversation and share your thoughts on blog posts.

• Author Chat – Chat directly with me anytime through the built-in messaging system after signing in. (It is intentional that this is not an AI chat)

• Contact – Reach out with questions, feedback, or just to say hello: https://www.orinhutchings.com/contact

• Dark & Light Mode – Choose the appearance that fits your preference.

• Responsive Design – Enjoy the platform on desktop, tablet, or mobile.

• Fast Performance – Optimized for quick load times and a smooth browsing experience.

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Built with modern SEO practices so content is easily discoverable.

• Accessibility – Designed with accessibility best practices to provide an inclusive experience.

• Community-First Experience – Every feature is designed to foster meaningful interaction between readers and the author.

• MORE is on the way.
  

What's Coming

• My book, and this platform along with it, will continue to evolve, with new features, content, and community tools being added over time.

• If you have any questions, ideas, or feedback, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment or reach out anytime.