The writer in residence project involved writing five long-form essays for a blog called Ribbon Farm, which the speaker considers the most underrated piece of culture. Even though the blog is niche, it is highly influential in Silicon Valley circles. The speaker spent over 50 hours on each essay, seeing it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The project has significantly impacted the speaker's writing career, as they have been unpacking and unraveling those essays for almost 10 years, using the insights gained from the project to shape their future work.