Contact

Want to get in touch? Drop me a message at hello@vardhanmahajan.com.

I’m most active on email — and I do reply to thoughtful messages :)

All emails are welcome. Whether it’s a question, a project you’re working on, something random you want to share — I’d love to hear from you. I genuinely enjoy helping and connecting.

The format below is just a suggestion — not a requirement. If you’re writing for specific help, it makes things easier for both of us. But feel free to write however you like.

Writing a better email (especially if GPT is helping)

Let’s be honest — most of us write emails with a bit of help from GPT these days (me included). So if you're sending me something, here's a format that works really well and makes it easy (and fun) for me to read and respond.

No need for formality. Just be clear, real, and to the point.

Start with 1–2 lines about who you are and what you’re working on / reaching out about.
Tell me the core issue or question — and how you think I can help.
Bold the most important parts so I can scan quickly.
Keep it short — ideally something I can read in under 45 seconds.
If needed, add a "More context" section after that — I’ll read it if I want to go deeper.
Bonus: Tell me what you’ve already tried. Use the Stack Overflow method: “Here’s what I’m trying to do, here’s where I’m stuck, here’s what I already attempted.” That really helps.
Also: Watch out for the XY problem — don’t just tell me what you’ve already decided to do (Y), tell me the real problem (X) you’re trying to solve. I might be able to help better that way.

If you're unfamiliar, the XY problem is when you ask about your attempted solution (Y) rather than the actual underlying problem (X). For example: “How do I turn this screw with a knife?” when the real question is “How do I open this stuck panel?” Ask the deeper question.

If you're using GPT to help you draft the email, you can use this prompt to format it nicely:

You're helping me write a short, thoughtful email.
Please format the email like this:

1. A 2-line intro about who I am and what I’m working on.
2. What the issue or ask is, and how they can help.
3. Keep it short (45 seconds to read) and human.
4. Bold the most important parts so it's easy to scan.
5. Add a "More context" section at the end if needed.
6. Mention what I’ve already tried — use the Stack Overflow method.
7. Avoid the XY problem — focus on the root problem, not just your attempted solution.

That’s it. Looking forward to hearing from you — especially if it’s weird, wonderful, or worth building.