Hello, world.
I am going to put more effort into intentionally writing.
Going through middle and high school, I always hated writing. I dreaded any classes or projects that required me to write anything over a page long. I distinctly remember thinking, ‘As long as I get a job that doesn’t require me to write, I’ll be happy’. Writing was difficult, so younger me deemed it as ‘stupid’.
But now that I am older, I realize the great benefits writing provides, which is the main reason I want to practice it and do it more often.
Most importantly, writing helps you clarify your thoughts. It’s a process of taking an abstract thought or feeling and trying to describe it in words that others will be able to understand and find compelling. And if the topic you’re writing about is complex, being able to simplify it for anyone to comprehend is pretty much a super power. I find satisfaction in being able to dump my unorganized thoughts out onto paper and slowly craft them into a succinct message.
I also believe that writing makes you a better communicator, both digitally and in person. Being able to express yourself in a clear and concise manner is key. And obviously being a better communicator will greatly improve many areas of your life - working through tough issues with friends and family, presenting ideas at work, negotiating salary, talking to a cute girl, making new friends, etc.
It also helps establish and eventually market yourself as an ‘expert’ in a certain field. I will most likely write about a range of topics starting out, but will try to focus in on one thing over time. I would love to be able to reach out to a person/company in the future and be able to say:
‘Hey, I’ve noticed you’re working on x problem. I’ve actually writing about that in these posts: y & z. Would you be open to discussing how we might be able to help each other/work together?’
I don’t know about you, but to me that would be such a powerful way of reaching out to a potential employer or someone you admire, versus just submitting a cold resume.
So in summary, this is what I’m looking to achieve by writing:
- Clarify my thoughts
- Become a better communicator
- Establish myself as an expert (most likely in an area in software engineering 🙂)