Blog Writing? Developers Should Steer Clear

Photo by Bookblock on Unsplash

Listen. I’ve been a developer for a good few years. Now I’m blogging regularly.

In both domains, I’ve seen trends come and go. Programming methodologies pass like the wind. Languages evolve and morph into something entirely different than their starting point.

Now I see a new wave of thought that engineers should be writers for their development.

I’m here to offer a definitive perspective.

Why “they” think engineers should waste their time writing

Let me get this straight. Software engineers should spend their time doing software engineering.

As weird an idea as that is.

So why on earth would anyone want software engineers to spend their time writing?

To help organize your brain

The so-called proponents of writing argue that you can use it to organize your brain. Cement knowledge they say.

Let me tell you something. I’ve written thousands of lines of code and can’t remember any of them. 

Since starting this blog I’ve lost my keys. Many, many times.

What does that tell you?

Status: disproven

To help learn something new

You might have heard the claim that writing is a great way to learn something new. 

You can understand how JavaScript works without writing a hateful blog post about it. That’s because it isn’t that hard.

Status: disproven

Writing helps you identify mistakes

“They” (don’t ask who) claim that writing helps you identify errors in your own thinking. Write a design document and you’ll spot the flaws in the design. 

Who would ever create a design doc? Designers, that’s who.

Come up with your own punchline for this.

We document code because we have to. Not because it’s likely to give a profound insight into our understanding.

Status: disproven

What you should be doing with your time

Code, Breathe, Code, Sleep and Eat Ramen.

Anything else is simply wasted time.

Conclusion

We can leave the last comment for The Secret Developer.

If anyone thinks that I don’t want other engineers writing, because I don’t want the competition, are wrong. Who suggested that anyway? A wrong person from wrongsville.