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Anyone can (and should) have a technical blog. Here is why, and how.

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Technical writing is a skill anyone can develop. Writing online for technical audiences brings many benefits with little to no downside other than the time you have to spend. In this short article, we review the main reasons why technical writing is good for you, whatever your profession and interests, and give you some tips on getting started. But before getting there, let’s talk briefly about what we mean by “technical writing.”

What is Technical Writing?

Technical writing is the type of writing that is meant to transmit information or knowledge about a technical topic. We can contrast it with creative writing —e.g., fictional storytelling—, political writing, humor, and news. Frontiers are fuzzy, of course, and technical writing can incorporate elements from, e.g., creative writing to make it more compelling to readers —if you need inspiration, read

Breaking the Rules

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The difference between technical writing and other forms of writing is in its purpose: technical writing is primarily about producing some novel understanding of a concrete topic in the reader. Technical reading can and should be entertaining, inspiring, etc., but that is always a complementary objective.

Technical writing is not necessarily restricted to technological or scientific topics. In the broadest sense, “technical” just means something related to a specific discipline or technique. You could write about coding, math, or science, but also about cooking, gardening, drawing, playing a musical instrument, or even, like this article, about writing itself. You can write about your job, your hobbies, or anything you’re currently learning.

Why you should do it

The previous section underscores the simple fact that anyone can do technical writing. There’s always something that you know and someone else would benefit from knowing. And that’s probably the most common motive for someone to engage in technical writing: giving back to the community. But even if you’re not interested in sharing knowledge, you will still get concrete benefits from having your own technical blog.

A technical blog is great for people who like learning and thinking clearly. There are many reasons why it's helpful.

It improves your thinking

When you write down your thoughts, you can see them in front of you, which helps you think more clearly.

For instance, if you're trying to make an important decision, writing down the pros and cons of each option can help you analyze the situation more effectively and make a better decision. That process can then become a guide for future people facing similar challenges.

Additionally, when you keep a journal of your thoughts, you can look back at old entries and see how your ideas have evolved over time. You will find connections among topics you didn’t know were related. For example, you might notice that you used to be more anxious or negative, but now you're more positive and optimistic. This can give you insight into your own personal growth and help you learn new things about yourself.

It helps you grow intellectually

When you share your ideas online, you open yourself to new perspectives and opinions that can help you grow intellectually.

For example, if you share your thoughts on a particular topic in a discussion forum, someone else may offer a counterargument that you hadn't considered before. This can help you refine your ideas and broaden your understanding of the topic.

Similarly, if you share a blog post or article, others may offer feedback or suggestions that can help you improve your writing and communication skills. If you are really interested in having the best ideas, there’s nothing like feedback from your peers.

It works as an external memory

Writing down your thoughts will be invaluable next time you’re arguing about that same thing again. Don’t waste time rethinking all those careful arguments. Share a link to your blog.

Let's say you wrote a blog post about the benefits of a particular type of exercise. If someone asks you about those benefits, you can easily share the link to the blog post instead of typing a lengthy response. Or, perhaps you wrote a tutorial on how to make a certain recipe. If someone asks you for the recipe again, you can quickly share the link to the tutorial for them to reference.

It works as a curriculum

A blog is also a great way to showcase your knowledge and interests to potential clients or employers.

For instance, if you are passionate about cooking, you can create a blog that features your favorite recipes, cooking tips, and food-related news. Or if you are interested in fashion, you can use your blog to show your personal style, share fashion trends and news, and connect with others who share your interests. And if you’re into coding, you can show off your technical knowledge.

This can lead to job opportunities in whatever industry you’re writing about. Your writing works as a curriculum that is more than just a list of skills on a LinkedIn page. It’s an actual showcase of those skills, demonstrating that you possess the technical abilities and the communication skills to make yourself understood.

It gets you to meet people

When you write in an online community like Substack or Hashnode, you can collaborate with people who share similar interests. For instance, if you are a writer who specializes in science fiction, you can connect with other science fiction writers to discuss your craft, share ideas, and give each other feedback. By working together, you can help each other grow as writers and develop your skills.

Similarly, if you are a software developer, you can join a community of developers on Hashnode to discuss your coding projects, ask questions, and get feedback from other developers. This can help you learn new programming techniques, discover new tools and resources, and improve your coding skills.

Ultimately, writing in an online community can be a great way to connect with like-minded people and collaborate on projects that interest you. Whether you are a writer, a developer, or someone with another passion, there will surely be an online community where you can find people to work with and grow alongside.

But what if…

I hear you. Even if you agree with the above, many things keep you from starting. Let’s debunk some of the most common fears.

…I have nothing to share

That’s just not true. Let’s do a quick experiment. Think of something you’ve learned in the last year: a new professional skill, an interesting topic you’ve been obsessing about, whatever. Don’t struggle to find something you’re a world-renowned expert at. Just something you didn’t know a year ago, and now you know a bit about.

Got it? Well, there you go. Write for the person you were 1 year ago. That’s your audience.

There is someone out there, right now, who is in the exact spot you were 1 year ago, and you can help them get to where you are today. Think about how awesome it would have been to find someone like who you are today, for who you were 1 year ago. Be that person to someone else.

What? Someone already wrote about that topic? It doesn’t matter. Your perspective on it is unique. You went through a specific process to learn that thing, and no one has written about it from that exact perspective. Share your specific struggles when learning this stuff and what you did to overcome them.

Believe me, there is someone out there for whom your story is the exact thing they need to read.

…no one reads what I write

So what? Most of the benefits we’ve mentioned don’t require a large audience. You can write for yourself and still get a lot of value out of it.

However, I get it. It’s a real concern. And let’s be real. At first, no one will care —maybe your close family and friends. But I can assure you that people will notice you in time, and a small core of real fans —or friends— will grow around your writing. And if you use one of the many platforms, like Substack or Hashnode, with strong network effects, you’ll grow much faster than you believe.

Even better, join the Tech Writers Stack community, and you’ll get at least a couple dozen guaranteed readers. Not only that, many of us are also technical writers, so that we will look at your stuff with the eye of a friendly critic. Tag me whenever you post something, and I promise to read it and give you feedback.

…it takes too much effort

Yeah, writing does take some effort. You have to develop ideas, research, write, edit, polish. But there’s no rush. You don’t have to match any goals here other than your own. You don’t need to commit to a weekly article, or monthly, or anything. You can set your own pace. As you become more accustomed to putting your thoughts on (electronic) ink, it will get much easier.

Plus, there are some concrete things you can do to make writing more enjoyable and productive at the same time. Check out our Tech Writing Bits sections for some insightful articles on techniques and mindsets you can use. Also, read our Tech Writer Highlight series to understand how other technical bloggers approach their craft. You’ll notice there’s no formula, and everyone has their own process.

Conclusions

There’s really not much else I can say. You can start your own technical blog today. Or you can come and write with any of us if you’re undecided. Technical writing is something you can master, and it will pay you back in more ways than you can imagine.

Leave us a comment if you want to find collaborators or mentors. All of our community is here for you.

So don't wait any longer. Start your blog today.