I like to think writing is a little like hiking.

When you want to go hiking you need to prepare. Where do you want to go? What do you need to pack? To be honest you don’t need a lot of tools to get going. Maybe you need to research the terrain a little. Considering the weather conditions and your personal fitness, is this the right time for the hike?

When all these things match and you start hiking, it’ll be wonderful. Step after step, curve by curve. You’ll gain new insights, new perspectives. Maybe you trip over some stones on the path. Don’t worry, speed and distance are not the most important factors. Experience is what counts. At the end you should be proud. And you can be certain the more you practice the better you’ll become.

Sharing your experience with others allows you to be part of a community. It’ll motivate and encourage the people around you. Maybe they’ll be part of your next adventure and start hiking, too.

When you want to write you need to prepare. What’s the story you want to tell? What piece of knowledge do you want to share? To be honest you don’t need a lot of tools to get going. Maybe you need to research the topic a little. Considering your schedule and mental state, is this the right time for writing?

When all these things match you start writing, it’ll be wonderful. Word by word, paragraph by paragraph. You’ll gain new insights, new perspectives. Maybe you stare at a blinking cursor or your mind wanders into the distance. Don’t worry, speed and length are not the most important factors. Quality is what counts. At the end you should be proud. And you can be certain the more you practice the better you’ll become.

Sharing your writing with others allows you to be part of a community. It’ll motivate and encourage the people around you. Maybe they learn something new and start writing, too.

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I always enjoyed the act of writing, however I rarely took time to sit down and do it. It’s a craft that needs training, just like any other.

After more than a decade in the software industry I can only reaffirm what is now considered common knowledge: software development is about communication.

In times of asynchronous remote work the role of writing as communication becomes even more imporant. As knowledge workers we learn something new every day. Software is also a fast-moving area. How can we keep these new pieces of knowledge in mind? Once we are able to teach our knowledge, we really master it.

Looking at old photographs always brings some perspective and joy to your own development and journey. Writing is the same. Reading old texts feels weird and sometimes even downright embarassing — at least that’s the case for me. But that’s simply a sign of your development and journey.

This blog will be my training ground. I hope to keep it up this time. Welcome to Write & Hike!

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