Why Do I Blog/Write?
Earlier this year, I completed the editor training process and officially joined the editorial team at InfoQ, an online community site that aims to help facilitate the spread of knowledge and innovation in professional software development. Needless to say, I am very excited for this opportunity, as I have been a follower of InfoQ in the last 3 years and have attended two QCons, an annual tech conference organized by infoQ for senior engineers and architect for industry-leading topics and one of my all-time favorite conference.
InfoQ offered a very informative and educational training process that helped me succeed in getting started in writing articles in the tech industry. And I wish this article can offer some insights and sanity if you are like me two months ago, inspired to become an writer/editor but had very little clue where to start.
Joys of Sharing
There are many motivations behind my wanting to write tech articles, and the first one is simple - I love teaching and sharing. I find a jot of joy from that. That’s rare to find a reliable dopamine booster, especially in today’s saturated attention economy. Helping others, especially those new to tech and trying to break into tech, break down complex topics in a more digestible way is my way of paying it forward, doing my small part in making a difference in the world. Just like
how Shawn Axsom inspired me to join Here To Help and offer coffee chat to the community;
how I learned to show empathy towards legacy systems from this article by Philip Heltweg;
how this article Maria Popova helped me find my solace in dealing with imposter syndrome;
I can only hope that someone randomly on the internet(like you right now!) can find my articles and knowledge sharing helpful and inspiring. That’s my way of making meaningful contributions to the overall body of knowledge in the tech industry. We are living in exciting times, the dawn of technology innovation. I believe that technology can play an important role in making the world a more equitable and just place for everyone.
Personal identity
That leads to the second why - that is for me to build confidence and establish my personal identity in the tech industry. Over time, the article that you write about often will have a subtle but directly reflection on the topics & subjects you personally deeply care about. This is another dimension of you outside of your current job that can be showcased for your audience. For example, maybe you don’t have opportunities to work extensively on AI/ML features at work, but data privacy is something you personally care about, you may write an article or two on the subject like this.
Professional Growth
Writing is a perfect way to showcase your written communication skills, your ability to articulate with clarify and purpose. As a leader, what you write in particular can affect productivity of your team. Writing formally for professional, high-caliber audiences can help you practice creating clear and concise messages. You can then apply these skillsets in your daily activities on the job and become an more effective engineering leader.
Tech industry is one that celebrates diversity and loves helping each other. And the tech author/blogger/speaker community is the one that. You will fine lots of interesting people from all kinds of background, at different levels of success, and are all rooting for your success.