Why you should write

• Prelude
• On writing
  • Discovery
  • Understanding
  • Growth
• On Publishing
  • Overcoming fear
  • Overcoming criticism
• Finally, Something Tech-Related

Prelude

For a long time, I wrestled with myself - as many before me have - over the question of whether I should start writing in public. It’s surprising how much thought and energy I poured into what seems like such a simple decision. Now that I’ve finally resolved to take the leap, another question naturally emerged: What should my first post be?

This site is going to be my little corner of the internet - a place to unpack my thoughts and learnings about software engineering. But let’s keep things interesting, right? Every so often, I’ll throw in some musings about life, books, or whatever random idea has hijacked my brain that day. It’s like a buffet of my brain, with tech as the main course and everything else as the dessert bar.

Now, back to this first post. I didn’t want to kick things off with a super practical, “Here’s how to center a div” kind of post. (No offense to centered divs - they’re important too!) Instead, I figured I’d go full-meta and write about writing itself. Maybe - just maybe - it’ll nudge someone out there who’s also overthinking this whole public writing thing to finally take the plunge. Because hey, if I can do it, so can you.

On writing

So why do it in the first place? Because it’s not just about expression - it’s also about discovery, understanding and growth.

Discovery

Writing entails more than just putting words on a sheet of paper - it's an act of clarifying thought, of discovering what you truly believe. Whether it’s a blog, a collection of notes, or the raw fragments of an idea, it forces you to wrestle with your assumptions and articulate the vague outlines of your mind. It’s a way to examine your thoughts and create something that, however imperfect, adds new perspectives to both your inner and outer worlds.

Understanding

Thoughts are ephemeral, drifting in and out of your mind, often without notice. Sure, you can try to catch them by thinking deeply - like chasing butterflies with a net - but in my view, only committing them to paper truly gives them structure.

Seeing your ideas laid out transforms the intangible into something real. You are giving them form, substance, and clarity. It’s like holding up a mirror to your mind; examining your ideas with the same focus you use to inspect your face in the morning and turning reflection into understanding.

Growth

In a world drowning in noise and byte-sized distractions, putting thoughts into words offers something increasingly rare: focus.

Instead of doom-scrolling through endless feeds, chasing the next dopamine hit, it invites you to step away and devote your energy to a single, meaningful task. It’s a deliberate choice to slow down - a meditative experience where you’re left alone with your thoughts. And honestly? It’s not as scary as it sounds.

Being alone with yourself isn’t terrifying; it’s freeing. It becomes a liberating escape from the endless cycle of distraction, a way to reclaim your attention and pulling you a step back from the digital frenzy. It’s a quiet rebellion against the constant flood of notifications and fleeting content, a chance to reclaim your time and mind.

Writing is also an exercise in discipline. Showing up, consistently, even when the words feel clunky or your ideas refuse to cooperate turns it from a fleeting burst of enthusiasm into a habit - one that sharpens your mind and strengthens your ability to persevere through challenges.

Through this commitment, you learn to overcome resistance: the blank page, self-doubt, and the temptation to procrastinate. It teaches patience and resilience. Some days, ideas will flow effortlessly; on others, progress will feel like squeezing water from a stone. But sticking with it strengthens your resolve and builds confidence over time.

On Publishing

Putting your first piece out into the world - whether it’s a blog, an article, or even a spicy tweet - is an emotional rollercoaster. One minute, you’re riding high on pride and excitement, the next, you’re a sweaty ball of anxiety, wondering if you just made a huge mistake. But why is that? Writing itself is second nature to most of us. So why does sharing something we’re pretty decent at feel like exposing our soul to the internet?

Here’s the deal: the real kicker is the vulnerability it demands. Publishing is like throwing open the curtains to your brain and saying, “Hey, world, come see what’s going on in here!” and that’s both electrifying and utterly terrifying.

But wait, there’s more! You’re not just sharing your ideas; you’re also signing up for people’s opinions about those ideas. You’re basically handing out free critique passes to anyone with Wi-Fi. And yes, it can be brutal. Nonetheless that’s also what makes it worth it - because growth doesn’t happen in the comfort zone.

With all that in mind: now how to handle all these obstacles?

Overcoming fear

Fear is the first hurdle. Fear of judgment, fear of failure, fear of not being “good enough.” But here’s the secret: fear doesn’t go away - you learn to work with it.

• Start small
  You don’t need to write a masterpiece on day one. Share a short post, a simple idea, or even an unfinished thought. The important thing is to start.
• Focus on the process
  Instead of obsessing over how your work will be received, think of publishing as a step in your growth as a writer. You’re not here to please everyone; you’re here to improve.
• Embrace imperfection
  No piece of writing is ever truly perfect, and that’s okay. The act of putting it out there, flaws and all, is what matters.

Overcoming criticism

Criticism can feel like a punch to the gut, but it’s also one of the most valuable tools for improvement - if you know how to handle it.

• Separate the critique from yourself
  Feedback isn’t about you as a person; it’s about your work. Detaching your ego makes it easier to see criticism as constructive, not personal.
• Filter wisely
  Not all opinions are worth your energy. Learn to distinguish between thoughtful feedback and noise. Take what helps and ignore the rest.
• Use criticism as fuel
  Even the harshest critiques can reveal blind spots you hadn’t considered. Use them to refine your ideas and grow stronger as a writer.

I know from personal experience that these things are far from easy. The struggle doesn’t magically disappear - it lingers, showing up in my day-to-day work and life. But, as I mentioned earlier, growth happens incrementally. Take small, steady steps forward and then one day, almost without noticing, you wake up to find that some of it has clicked. You’ve internalized pieces of the process, even if only partially,and you feel a little more confident, a little more productive.

Finally, Something Tech-Related

Granted, this is just a tiny nod to tech - but it’s no less important. You’re probably thinking, Why read over a thousand words just to get to the programming bit? Fair question. But hear me out: everything I’ve said so far ties directly back to programming.

Think about it. Writing has the power to give thoughts structure, to make them real in a philosophical sense, and to help you discover new perspectives. In a way, coding is its own form of writing - consider what happens when you write code.

• Giving structure to ideas
  Your abstract concepts - how an application works, how a system should behave - become tangible through the act of coding.
• Discovering solutions
  Writing code is often an exercise in uncovering new ways to solve problems, refining your approach as you go.
• Programming demands focus
  It’s one of the rare tasks where you need to shut out distractions and immerse yourself completely to make progress.
• Growing as an engineer
  Every line of code you write, every bug you fix, and every challenge you overcome contributes to your growth - not just as a programmer, but as a thinker. Coding teaches patience, resilience, logical thinking, and the ability to learn from failure, all of which extend far beyond the keyboard.

Every programmer’s been there - you’ve grown as a developer because you wrote code and somehow managed to wrestle your chaotic thoughts into something coherent. But here’s the kicker: why stop at code? Writing articles or other works takes those same brain-boosting benefits and lets them spill over into the rest of your life.

It’s about organizing chaos, finding clarity, and creating something functional, elegant, and, dare I say, beautiful - for yourself and for others who will eventually read or use what you've created