I don't consider myself a great writer. But I do consider myself a writer who cares. And that might be even more important.
I've been writing articles for a while now. Some are good. Some could be better. Some I'm proud of, most I'm ashamed of. But the articles that resonate most with readers aren't the ones with the fanciest words or the most perfect grammar. They're the ones that provide the most value.
And that's really the whole point, isn't it?
Value over everything
In order for your writing to improve, it needs to be valuable. And in order to be valuable to your readers, you need to know your readers.
Sure, it needs to be clearly written. Organized. And you need to appear knowledgeable and persuasive. But if it does not have any value for your readers, they won't be willing to read it.
What does that mean, to know your readers? You need to imagine who they are. Are they experts? Novices? Your friends? Your colleagues? Are they senior developers with 15 years of experience, or junior devs just starting their first job?
I write primarily for developers like me. People who care about building good software, who want to learn, who appreciate a practical example over a theoretical lecture. And that shapes everything I write.
Your work does not have to be original
You don't have to be the first person to ever write about a topic. You don't have to invent a new programming paradigm or discover a revolutionary concept. Most of the best articles I've read aren't groundbreaking, they're just really good explanations of existing ideas. Or just written in a way that resonates with me better.
What you do need to do is provide value. Your writing needs to change the way your readers think about a problem. It needs to help them see something differently, understand something more deeply, or apply something more effectively.
Think of it this way: you're not a researcher discovering new truths. You're a guide helping others navigate truths that already exist.
Write to change minds, not to explain
In school, we're taught to write to explain. We're taught to write so that our teachers can see if we understood the matter. We're not taught to provide value to our teachers. Or to our classmates. Or to anyone else, really.
But that's not how good writing works. Good writing isn't about proving you understand something. It's about helping someone else understand something.
So don't write to explain. Write to change or shift perspectives. Write to make your reader think "Oh, I never thought of it that way before."
The structure that works
A simple structure that works for me is this:
Open with a problem
Start with something your reader is struggling with. A pain point. A frustration. Something that keeps them up at night (or at least makes their workday more annoying).
Then move to the solution
Not just any solution. Your solution. Your approach. Your hard-won wisdom. The thing you wish someone had told you when you were facing that same problem.
That's it. Problem, solution. It's simple, but it's effective.
You don't need a fancy introduction. You don't need to define every term. You don't need to provide a complete history of the topic. You just need to help someone solve a problem they actually have.
Write for yourself first
There's another aspect of writing that's often overlooked: writing for yourself.
As Addy Osmani writes in his excellent article Write Learn, writing is one of the best ways to learn. When you try to explain something to others, you force yourself to understand it more deeply. You spot gaps in your own knowledge. You clarify your own thinking.
So don't just write for others. Write for yourself. Write to learn. Write to clarify your own thoughts. The fact that others might benefit from it is just a happy side effect.
I've learned more from writing articles than I have from reading them. There's something about the act of putting your thoughts into words that forces clarity in a way that nothing else does.
The courage to explain who you are
"We write for the same reason that we walk, talk, climb mountains or swim the oceans - because we can. We have some impulse within us that makes us want to explain ourselves to other human beings. That's why we paint, that's why we dare to love someone - because we have the impulse to explain who we are. Not just how tall we are, or thin... but who we are internally... perhaps even spiritually. There's something, which impels us to show our inner-souls. The more courageous we are, the more we succeed in explaining what we know." -- Maya Angelou
That's the thing about writing. It's not just about the information. It's about the person behind the information. It's about your unique perspective, your experiences, your voice.
And that's what makes it valuable. Not the perfection of the prose. Not the length of the article. Not the number of fancy words you use. But the authenticity of the person writing it.
Practical tips that actually work
Okay, enough philosophy. Let me give you some practical advice you can actually use.
Before you write
Pick one idea. As I wrote in my article One idea, one article, trying to cram too many ideas into one article is like stuffing 10 clowns into a tiny car - chaos!
One clear idea. One focused article. That's the way to go.
Know your audience. Who are you writing for? What do they already know? What do they need to know? What problems are they facing?
The more specific you can be about your audience, the better your writing will be.
While you're writing
Write like you talk. Your writing should sound like you. Not like a corporate press release. Not like a academic paper. Like you, talking to a friend.
Use simple words. Use short sentences. Don't try to sound smart. Try to sound clear.
Use examples. Nothing makes a concept clearer than a good example. Especially in technical writing. Show code. Show your real-world scenarios. Show what happens when things go wrong.
People remember stories and examples long after they've forgotten the theory.
Be honest. Don't pretend to know things you don't. Don't be afraid to say "I don't know" or "I'm not sure about this part."
Readers appreciate honesty. They can spot BS from a mile away. And they respect authenticity.
After you write
Edit ruthlessly. Your first draft is for you. Your second draft is for your readers.
Cut anything that doesn't add value. Remove filler words. Shorten long sentences. Break up long paragraphs.
Ask yourself: does this sentence add value? If not, cut it.
Read it out loud. This is one of the best editing tricks I know. If it sounds awkward when you say it, it'll read awkward when someone else reads it.
Get feedback. Show your writing to someone else. Ask them: does this make sense? Is it valuable? What's confusing? What's missing?
You don't need a professional editor. You just need someone who's willing to give you honest feedback.
What about SEO and all that?
I'm not writing for Google. I'm not writing for robots. I'm not writing for SEO.
I'm writing for you, and me.
Does that mean I ignore SEO completely? No. I still use descriptive titles. I still use clear headings. I still try to make my articles discoverable.
But I don't let SEO dictate what I write or how I write it. I don't stuff my articles with keywords just to rank higher. I don't write 3,000-word epics just because Google supposedly prefers long content.
I write articles that provide value. And if Google rewards that, great. If not, I still have the satisfaction of knowing I helped someone.
The most important rule
Here's the most important rule of writing: write.
Not "write perfectly." Not "write when you have time." Not "write when you feel inspired."
Just write.
The best way to become a better writer is to write. A lot. Consistently. Even when it's hard. Even when you don't feel like it. Especially when you don't feel like it.
You don't need to publish everything you write. You don't need to show it to anyone. But you do need to write.
Because here's the thing, you can read all the articles about writing. You can watch all the videos. You can take all the courses. But none of that will make you a better writer. Only writing will.
Why write at all?
Good question. Why should developers write?
This article from Evil Martians covers it well, but here are my reasons:
It helps you learn. As I mentioned earlier, writing forces you to clarify your thoughts and identify gaps in your understanding.
It helps your career. Developers who can communicate well are more valuable. They get promoted faster. They get better jobs. They have more influence.
It helps others. Every article you write has the potential to help someone else. To save them time. To save them frustration. To help them avoid a mistake you made.
It helps the community. The developer community thrives on shared knowledge. Every article, every tutorial, every Stack Overflow answer makes us all better.
Top comments (0)