How improving your writing skills helps advancing your tech career
A thread 🧵
A thread 🧵
Writing isn't really a skill that aspiring devs think that'll help their careers.
Most of us spend all of our time learning new languages and frameworks, but improving your writing skills advances your tech career and helps you standout in the tech industry as well!
Most of us spend all of our time learning new languages and frameworks, but improving your writing skills advances your tech career and helps you standout in the tech industry as well!
In this thread, we'll mostly talk about the benefits of technical writing, & a few tips on how to become a better writer.
Benefits ✅
-Writing === Learning
-Networking
-Problem solving
-Team communication
-User empathy
-New career opportunities
Tips:
-Get to the point
-Clarity
Benefits ✅
-Writing === Learning
-Networking
-Problem solving
-Team communication
-User empathy
-New career opportunities
Tips:
-Get to the point
-Clarity
1️⃣ Writing === Learning
Technical writing benefits all; you teach others about the concepts you've learned, all while reinforcing your own knowledge about those concepts.
Explaining a concept means that you gotta do your own research and be sure of what you're saying!
👇
Technical writing benefits all; you teach others about the concepts you've learned, all while reinforcing your own knowledge about those concepts.
Explaining a concept means that you gotta do your own research and be sure of what you're saying!
👇
Personally, I've learned plenty new things I didn't know while researching methods or loops for a thread/blog.
It's been a great learning experience; I know I really understand something when I can explain it in simple terms.
If you can't ELI5, then you probably don't know it
It's been a great learning experience; I know I really understand something when I can explain it in simple terms.
If you can't ELI5, then you probably don't know it
2️⃣ Networking
Learning in public >>>>
Technical writing is one way to build an audience, it shows people what you're currently learning and what you're passionate about.
It also shows people your personality😆
👇
Learning in public >>>>
Technical writing is one way to build an audience, it shows people what you're currently learning and what you're passionate about.
It also shows people your personality😆
👇
It allows other learners and possible recruiters to reach out to you, as it shows your skills and serves as proof of your work.
It serves as a window for possible recruiters because they can see your understanding of concepts and decide if you can handle the work.
It serves as a window for possible recruiters because they can see your understanding of concepts and decide if you can handle the work.
3️⃣ Problem solving
Being a dev means that you're able to solve problems.
Sometimes, you'll have to solve problems in new ways that you haven't tried before.
Just like journaling helps you clear your mind, technical writing helps you organize your thinking process as well
👇
Being a dev means that you're able to solve problems.
Sometimes, you'll have to solve problems in new ways that you haven't tried before.
Just like journaling helps you clear your mind, technical writing helps you organize your thinking process as well
👇
Technical writing helps you better organize/structure the steps you need to take in order to solve a problem.
It also helps you put these new, complicated concepts into understandable words for your future self, and the next person.
It also helps you put these new, complicated concepts into understandable words for your future self, and the next person.
4️⃣ Team communication
As a developer, understanding how to work in a team and communicate with them effectively is also important.
This is because to reach a certain goal, you have to share ideas, goals, and solve problems together.
👇
As a developer, understanding how to work in a team and communicate with them effectively is also important.
This is because to reach a certain goal, you have to share ideas, goals, and solve problems together.
👇
Technical writing helps you to better communicate with your coworkers, and helps them understand what you're doing, whether it's fixing a bug or updating a feature.
This way, you'll be able to avoid common misunderstandings and work faster, and in a more efficient way.
👇
This way, you'll be able to avoid common misunderstandings and work faster, and in a more efficient way.
👇
I talked with @iamaponte, a front-end manager, and he agreed that there's a lot of writing on the job!!
From what I understood, there's a lot of writing as a means to communicate with the team, and documentation explaning the software you wrote, code reviews, explanations, etc.
From what I understood, there's a lot of writing as a means to communicate with the team, and documentation explaning the software you wrote, code reviews, explanations, etc.
5️⃣ User empathy
Technical writing also helps you empathize with people that are using your software, and beginners wanting to break into the industry.
Technical writing helps you explain your software if it's difficult for the average user to understand.
👇
Technical writing also helps you empathize with people that are using your software, and beginners wanting to break into the industry.
Technical writing helps you explain your software if it's difficult for the average user to understand.
👇
You’ll have a better understanding of your average user, and an easier time helping your user have a better experience with your product.
Technical writing also helps you communicate with beginners breaking into the tech industry, or people in other departments!
👇
Technical writing also helps you communicate with beginners breaking into the tech industry, or people in other departments!
👇
Taking difficult technical terms and simplifying them for people who have limited technical knowledge is a fucking skill😆
You have to find plain English words, sometimes even metaphors, to describe what TF you're talking about😂
This is a valuable skill because...
👇
You have to find plain English words, sometimes even metaphors, to describe what TF you're talking about😂
This is a valuable skill because...
👇
You'll be able to teach someone else, which feels fucking amazing😆
But also you'll be able to communicate with clients, and team members you work with from other departments that maybe aren't that tech savvy, in a way that makes sense to them.
But also you'll be able to communicate with clients, and team members you work with from other departments that maybe aren't that tech savvy, in a way that makes sense to them.
6️⃣ New career opportunities
Having both writing and programming skills opens the door to new career opportunities, and its UNDERRATED AF!!!
My friend @kvncnls pointed out that that might be the reason why the tech industry is harder to break into...👇
Having both writing and programming skills opens the door to new career opportunities, and its UNDERRATED AF!!!
My friend @kvncnls pointed out that that might be the reason why the tech industry is harder to break into...👇
The tech industry lacks people who explain shit well to the average person that has limited tech knowledge...and I agree with him!
In my opinion, the tech industry needs more writers.
Combine your technical background with your ability to communicate it...that's rare AF!😁
👇
In my opinion, the tech industry needs more writers.
Combine your technical background with your ability to communicate it...that's rare AF!😁
👇
A writing job may not be as lucrative as a dev job, but theres a bunch of hybrid roles such as, technical writing, dev rel, dev advocate, etc. that pay well and may also advance your career opportunities.
What's good about a writing job is that you can also do it as a side gig!
What's good about a writing job is that you can also do it as a side gig!
You can also get book authorship roles and public speaking opportunities.
If you know your shit & explain it well, I don't see why people wouldn't reach out to you to speak/write about the concepts you know!
You can also turn your blog posts into a smaller self-published book!
If you know your shit & explain it well, I don't see why people wouldn't reach out to you to speak/write about the concepts you know!
You can also turn your blog posts into a smaller self-published book!
Also, writing a book or speaking at a conference makes your resume attractive AF!!
I believe that it definitely makes you stand out from other developers.
I believe that it definitely makes you stand out from other developers.
The main tip I have to improve your writing skills is to be clear and get to the point ASAP.
It may be important to have a professional voice and a more formal way of saying things.
However, I think that making your audience understand your point should be your #1 priority.
It may be important to have a professional voice and a more formal way of saying things.
However, I think that making your audience understand your point should be your #1 priority.
Be clear with your writing and cut off the filler words. Get to the point ASAP. People are here to learn, not grade an essay like your English teacher would😂
@tanoaksam from @hashnode does an amazing job at explaining this and giving out writing tips!!
@tanoaksam from @hashnode does an amazing job at explaining this and giving out writing tips!!
I also like @jmoserr, I think hes more of a business/marketing guy, but I love his tweets.
He has a bunch of informative threads on marketing and copywriting, which are awesome to learn how to become an effective writer.
I can't wait to start his copywriting course!😆
He has a bunch of informative threads on marketing and copywriting, which are awesome to learn how to become an effective writer.
I can't wait to start his copywriting course!😆
I started my technical writing journey at @hashnode.
I'm a bit biased because I'm an advocate there😂 but I personally think that it's a great platform to get started, and the community is fucking awesome and super supportive💙
I'm a bit biased because I'm an advocate there😂 but I personally think that it's a great platform to get started, and the community is fucking awesome and super supportive💙
This was a fucking long thread 💀 so thank you for reading this whole thing!😆
I mostly tweet about JavaScript, Web3, and building an audience.
If you liked this thread, make sure to check me out @codingyuri 🤪
I mostly tweet about JavaScript, Web3, and building an audience.
If you liked this thread, make sure to check me out @codingyuri 🤪
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