The trap of the keyboard warriors behind viral X posts: from strong stances to genuine personalities

Want to write viral articles on X with millions of views? Many people’s first reaction is to learn skills and study algorithms. But there’s a common misconception that is often overlooked: twisting “having opinions” into “being a troll.” The line is very thin, but once crossed, no matter how carefully your content is designed, it’s all in vain.

Rosie, in this in-depth summary about content creation on X, points out that over a year of studying viral posts and practicing creation has led her to a core truth: skills are just the shell; authentic personality is the soul. More importantly, she clearly draws a red line—having opinions and being a troll for attention are fundamentally different paths.

Prioritize Opinions: Beware the Temptation to Troll

A clear opinion is indeed a prerequisite, but that prerequisite must be genuine.

Rosie candidly states: if you have no personal views on a matter, you can’t truly attract readers. But here, “opinions” don’t mean daring to oppose or provoke, but rather a stance formed through extensive reading and real-life experience.

Many creators fall into a dead end—they interpret “expressing opinions” as “creating controversy.” That’s exactly the logic of trolls: saying controversial things for traffic, even if they don’t believe it themselves, just to stir up attention. And what’s the result? Algorithms may not distinguish, but readers do. Always do.

Authentic opinions come from thinking. You need to read more, communicate more, and gain more life experience, rather than repeating others’ viewpoints on X every day. Shaping personality has no shortcuts, Rosie admits honestly.

Audience Targeting Determines the Ceiling

Who are you writing for? This question is more critical than “how to write.”

Many people only start thinking about “why no one is watching” after finishing a piece. But Rosie’s approach is the opposite—before you start writing, the first step is to clarify your audience. Because the size of your audience directly determines your potential reach.

For example: if you only write about cryptocurrency topics, your potential audience is limited to people in that circle, and there’s an objective ceiling. But if you write about “how to change your life,” the potential audience could be hundreds of millions. Both choices are fine, but you need to know what game you’re playing.

The key is to choose topics with universal appeal that can interest ordinary people. This doesn’t mean catering to everyone—trying to satisfy all often results in no one being satisfied. Instead, select topics that can touch a broader audience while maintaining your unique perspective.

Five Tips to Lower Sharing Barriers (But Don’t Be a Troll)

A compelling opening can attract clicks, but it won’t keep them. You need to give people a reason to share.

1. Make readers feel smart

This is the core psychological mechanism. When others share your article, their goal isn’t to promote you, but to showcase themselves. The best viral posts make readers feel like they’re part of an “insider” group.

Accept this reality: you’re not the hero of the story; they are. Your article is a tool for them to display their intelligence and taste. It might seem a bit “cunning,” but that’s the underlying logic of viral spread.

2. Help them “pass on the message”

Sometimes, the real reason for sharing is simple—your article becomes their “elegant weapon” to express certain views to others. For example, employees can share an article about the workplace to subtly criticize their boss without direct confrontation.

3. Create “golden quotes”

Prepare some sentences that catch the eye and make people want to screenshot. Not every sentence needs to be a golden quote (that can be tiring), but a few must hit the heart directly. These sentences can stand alone even out of context. They become your “screenshot material.”

4. Show them their stage

Design content that allows people to talk about themselves when they share your article. When they quote or share, saying “this is exactly how I do it” or “I’ve had this experience,” they’re essentially using your platform to showcase themselves.

Negative framing is especially effective. For example, an article titled “Why No One Reads What You Write?” will be shared by those who are “read” to highlight their difference from “failures.” Your article becomes a background for them to show off their superiority.

5. Spark genuine opinion-based discussion

This is crucial: discussions triggered by real opinions are completely different from deliberately creating conflicts for traffic. The former can build a respectful audience, while the latter only makes you a spectacle that no one truly likes.

In other words, if you genuinely believe in a certain viewpoint, say it. If someone gets offended, that’s their problem. But if you just say controversial nonsense to attract attention, readers will eventually see through it—that’s the essence of a troll.

Authentic personality is the best algorithm optimization

All writing skills are based on having genuine opinions and a distinct personality.

You can learn all the frameworks, techniques, and checklists, but if deep down there’s nothing real, and you only want to mechanically cater to algorithms with soulless content, it won’t work. You might succeed by luck once, but then you’ll be forever stuck in the anxiety of “copying viral posts,” gradually losing yourself.

Rosie offers the most practical advice: before learning any skills, ask yourself—do I really have something to say?

If the answer is no, then live well first. Read books that challenge your cognition, do experiences not designed just for “content creation,” and chat with people who have different opinions. Develop some truly your own viewpoints, rather than just parroting big influencers.

If the answer is yes, then don’t be afraid to speak out. The worst that can happen is you’re wrong, but you’ll learn something. The second worst is that no one cares. In either case, you won’t die.

On the other hand, becoming an account that “appears to have opinions but is actually just a troll” is truly hopeless. Because you lose the trust of genuine followers and also lose your voice.

So instead of obsessing over how to write viral posts, ask yourself: what kind of creator do I want to be? A thinker with authentic personality, or a troll who goes to any length for traffic? This choice determines your ceiling.