Why Writing Blog Posts Sucks (and doesn't suck!)
Tags: productivity, learning, codenewbie
Published: 2020-04-06 00:24:31

---
title: Why Writing Blog Posts Sucks (and doesn't suck!) 
published: true
description: 
tags: #productivity #learning #codenewbie
cover_image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1453928582365-b6ad33cbcf64

---
When I started my career transition I knew there were certain things I would have to do to leverage myself. Becoming part of the Twitter community was one thing, being involved locally was another, and of course writing blog posts. But writing blog posts isn't easy. Each time I think about writing a technical blog post 3 things cross my mind: 

1. Does this make sense?
2. What will people think?
3. Who cares what a code newbie has to say? What do I know right?

This brings me to explaining (from a career changer / code newbie perspective), why writing blog posts sucks - but also, the importance of hitting 'publish' even when you're too terrified to do so.

## Ugh, Blog Posts!
I think as someone early in my career (or career change) it's common to wonder if what I'm writing makes sense. I haven't written many technical blog posts for this reason, it's still a very scary hurdle to jump. A lot of research goes into what I want to write, and the fear of being judged for not using the most efficient or clean code gives me anxiety. I know this is a common feeling (or I hope it isn't just me lol), but like they say, anything worthwhile doesn't come easy. So It's just like the fear of a technical interview, or pair programming. The more often you do it, the more comfortable you'll be. Some wise words my mentor shared with me in regards to blogging really helped me feel more confident. He says that even though there are others more experienced than me, there are also others who are earlier on or who have gone through the same process as I did (career changer who went through a bootcamp program), and they'd like to hear my perspective as it's more relatable. So try to keep that in mind when you're blogging - there are so many different paths to tech, everyone has an audience. 

## The Positive Side 
Yes, of course - there is a positive side through the fear of publishing a blog post! I can only speak for myself, but the main benefits I get include:
1. **Learning something new**: Be open to comments and the feedback people share! A lot of times I'll learn something new from what someone has shared with me. Usually others will share additional resources, and I'll gain a new perspective.
2. **Connecting with other devs**: Just like Twitter, you can build relationships with other devs through blogging. If you share your blog post on other platforms as well, you'll be surprised how much reach it can get and how many people you can meet because of it. 
3. **Opportunities**: I've written a posts on my job hunt ([Junior dev on the job hunt](https://dev.to/heysarahpaz/junior-dev-on-the-job-hunt-1dfl)) and shared it on Twitter and I was surprised to see that it was retweeted over 100 times! This resulting in few recruiters reaching out to me, and others willing to help. So really, you never know what opportunities will come from writing a simple blog post. :smile:

## How to Make the Process Less Terrifying
Now that I've discussed why blog posts suck (but not really, just the fear of writing them is what sucks lol :laughing:). I wanted to quickly share how to make the process less terrifying. Mindset is key! Remember, there are so many paths to tech and your perspective can (and will!) be helpful to someone. Don't compare your journey or opinions to others who are more senior or experienced. Change your mindset from feeling like your opinion doesn't matter, to knowing that your opinion is something that someone else out there wants to hear and will find helpful. Stay open-minded as well! Be open to learning from feedback you will receive, but also do not take anything personally if someone shares something negative (because this does happen sometimes). Take everything as part of your growth process, and stay positive.

To end off, when you're reading blog posts remember to be respectful! Share constructive feedback when asked, and do not reply in a way that would discourage someone. Make a positive impact in the dev community - be that person who will help others grow, not dim their light. We all start somewhere! 

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Photo by [Lauren Mancke](https://unsplash.com/@laurenmancke) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com)