From Programmer to Writer
From writing codes to writing articles
I’m a programmer by trade and write codes for a living. Then 1 month ago, I decided to become a writer. Here are the reasons why I did it and how I do it.
I’m pursuing my hobby
I never considered writing a hobby. I barely managed to pass my literature and English classes. I preferred subjects that did not require writing such as Mathematics, Chemistry, or Physics.
That started to change when I entered the workforce as a programmer. Young and curious, I embarked on multiple initiatives to improve an internal coding framework. As it was used by other people on the team, I needed a way to share information and instruction about the new changes I helped develop. I wrote new documentation, updated existing ones, and was often on the lookout for a better way to deliver them to my teammates. Word documents and emails were the first tools I used to communicate with the larger team. Then came Wiki software, first as a standalone installation, then as part of my company’s SharePoint.
I have been carrying that practice to every other company I worked for. The difference now is that I actively practice it and share my work with a wider audience.
I’m playing to my strengths
“Write what you know” ― Mark Twain
I am good with languages, well, programming languages such as C, C#, Java, Javascript, Kotlin, HTML, CSS, SQL, etc... I had over 14 years of experience developing software, leading teams, and building products. I can definitely write about them.
“I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career” — Taken (the movie, 2008)
Programming requires a great deal of logical thinking and structural design. The same applies to writing, especially with the type of content I want to focus on (above).
In the Five Minimum Viable Javascript Interview Questions article, I stated what problem I tried to address and if it related to my readers, they should read on. For each following question, I again explained the reason I picked it and how relevant it is to them. A sample answer is then provided for the readers’ convenience (if they are interviewers) or for their learning (if they are interviewees).
Developing writing skills agile-style
If you are a developer, you must have heard of the word “agile”. Even if you are not, you probably have heard of it because it is a very trendy word at the moment.
There is a popular Agile methodology called Scrum. Within Scrum, there is a concept called Sprint which is a period of time that normally lasts 1 or 2 weeks long. Developers develop new product features during a Sprint, review their work at the end of Sprint, conclude the Sprint, and then start a new Sprint in the immediately following week.
That’s my “agile” plan. My Sprint will be 1 week long. I will work on a few drafts each week, and try to release at least 1 article per week. And repeat these activities the week after. The goal is to build cadence, sustain the effort and incrementally build up my portfolio.
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If you read my other articles and have any questions or want to leave feedback, please comment there. I’ll acknowledge and reply to you within 1 or 2 days.
If you have any topics to suggest, please comment on this post. I’ll write about it if I can, or I find some links on the internet and share them with you.
Thank you.