Back in July 2022, I started writing here on Dev Community, it's been more than a year and a few months now, and if I want to describe my experience which I had through that time period, I'd say it's incredible, even though some of my first posts weren't that good enough, but I still uploaded them anyways, and few people read them, but for me, I had barely started out with programming and C# to be specific, and I felt like sharing something I'm learning from a very beginner perspective, could possibly help someone else who's also in my league, because often times, it's great to learn from those who share the same level of expertise as ourselves.
Why should you bother? 🤔
Some people see writing as a cumbersome task, others like it, but don't know what to write about, and others just don't consider it at all, and that's fine, not everyone should become a technical author or write a top-seller novel.
But the idea of writing about something you're doing or learning, will benefit you A LOT, also, you never know who might stumble upon a post you've published which you thought wasn't worth it at first, and ended up getting help from it, so whatever it may seem to you, there's a likelihood that someone else may benefit from what you write.
Sharing knowledge with others is an amazing opportunity to grow and possibly help some people, but there's more to it than you might think.
Writing helps you learn and get better at what you're writing about, and for that reason, you can see how writing technical posts regarding the technology you're learning, that framework you are starting out with, or maybe a tutorial you're following (Yes, write about those too!) could benefit you in various ways
But there's plenty of content just like the one I'd write 🥲
That's true, but it doesn't matter, you can rest assured that at least someone would read it, and maybe like it, and start reading your upcoming publishings.
You may have a nice way of explaining concepts, which will attract new readers to your posts, they might as well follow you, and your writings will get gradually better over time, but the core idea of wanting to help regardless of how small the help is, should always resonate with you, because like I previously said, you never know who might find value in your content.
What's in it for you? 🥸🤓
That's something you would be looking for, because what you will get is something invaluable, and that is: GROWTH.
And by that I mean skill growth, you'll get significantly ahead in whichever direction you decide to go in your writings, there's a saying I'm sure you've heard at least once, which goes like this:
The best way to learn something, is to teach it.👩🏫
This saying is incredible, it's what got me started here, I was new to the field, and didn't know much, and the concepts I was learning weren't getting cemented in my head, so I decided maybe writing them in a tutorial form would help me out, and it did.
But why is it that teaching something helps us learn? 🚀
Well, do you try making a burger before even knowing what makes up a burger? Do you explain an idea to your friend before understanding or even learning about it first?
That's the key ticket for you to learn and grow through your writings, you wouldn't write a post about some concept/technology you have no idea about, you'd initially get your idea, do some deep research, and then attempt some examples maybe code examples, or see if you've reached a level where you're at least confident that your explanation does in fact hit the degree of understanding which you're aiming for, and that's when you know you're ready to get your hands dirty and begin typing out your thoughts and ideas regarding the topic of the post. So, what are you waiting for? Don't you want to get started? In case you do, keep reading...
Hold your horses 🎠
I have some tips for you, they've helped me through my journey, I'm sure they'll help you out too.
1: Keep things simple 🌟
Don't think that going the extra 10 miles to write the most complex post in history will make you instantly better at the idea the post is dissecting, just keep it simple, and focus on key areas where lies the highest point of contribution to the development of your ideas.
2: Stay consistent, don't over do it 🗓️
You don't need to write 10 posts a day, to learn 10 new different things, or hone your skills in 10 different areas. Pick an idea, research it, learn it well, visit tip 1, and that's it, doing more things doesn't mean doing the right things, focus on what matters, and retain a consistent posting habit.
3: Overload your ideas off of your brain 🧠
I used to walk around carrying some upcoming post ideas in my head, and believe me I always forgot couple of them, so just keep a simple note, whenever an idea pops up, throw it in the note, it'll always be there and your brain will no longer have to be concerned about it, once it's done, just tick it off. That tip was from a book called Building a second brain by Tiago Forte.
That's about it for this post, I hope it got you intrigued and excited about the world of learning through writing and helping others along the way, and I wish you all a wonderful writing journey!
Top comments (9)
well i am taking a full stack developer diploma course and a MBA while creating my own tech start up and i found this post helpfull
Glad you found it helpful ☺️ Good luck with your courses and your new startup 😺
would you care to see what i am working on ?
Of course ! 👀
docs.google.com/document/d/1YJgs27...
The concept is captivating, I read through some main key points and it's really intriguing, it seems like a massive project to pull off, but truly a great idea 💡
All the best pal 🙌❤️
thanks alot for the reply i rencently added to the doc alot of code too if you check it out again
Yeah, I should start it too. But then the laziness kicks in :p
We've all been there tbh 😂
Try making the process a little fun, like accompany the setting with a playlist you like, a drink you enjoy, or maybe pick a different place to sit in while writing, these small changes may seem insignificant, but I assure you they help with solidifying the habit, and once the habit is thoroughly established, it'll last long 🙏