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Writing

Why write?

Because writing is a helpful form of communication:

  • Journal: organizing thoughts, summarizing feelings, planning for next
  • Blog: transferring knowledge, explaining is the best way to learn
  • Work setting: just write it down for the future, to align everyone

Be clear and concise.

Resources​

  • Write It Down | Deb Liu
    • Context is writing things down in a work setting, but should be helpful in other settings as well
    • How writing clearly can drive alignment, ensure clarity, create accountability, pass on knowledge, and achieve success
  • Why Write? Bastian Rieck (HN)
    • Focus on academic writing but the same applies to other forms of writing
    • Sort your thoughts: forced to explain in a clear and concise manner
    • Increase audience: an investment to entice readers from different disciplines
    • Improves research by narratives: a story is more compelling and makes it easier for readers to understand
  • Why engineers should focus on writing? (HN)
    • Writing to organize thoughts, learn something new, and help identify mistakes
    • Writing requires practice. Write as if it is a challenge and strive to improve every time
  • Nobody cares about your blog | Alex Molas (HN)
    • But there are reasons to continue writing. The cons listed in the blog aren't cons to me.
  • Some tactics for writing in public | Julia Evans (HN)
    • Content: facts, experiences and stories, provide context and preemptively add common suggestions
    • Avoid starting common debates like Vim or not, functional v.s. imperative, etc.
    • Ask technical questions and ask for examples/experiences, not opinions
    • Set boundaries for the conversations, analyze negative comments, don't argue and fix mistakes
  • Write about what you learn. It pushes you to understand topics better. | Addy Osmani (HN)
    • Explore, articulate, reflect and reveal gaps in knowledge consistently
    • The Feynman Technique: research → explain → fill in holes → simplify and make analogies → explain …
  • Why I still blog after 15 years (HN)
    • To stay focus, to document and do reviews, to improve writing
    • Evolution of tech stack of the blog and content of the blog
    • More importantly, motives aren't external:

      I keep this blog for me to write, not necessarily for others to read.