Ever since I started blogging people ask me why is it that I write. And one of the reasons I write is to answer frequent questions in a compelling form. Because of that, I decided I should share what motivates me to spend my time forming thoughts into coherent words.

To Share My Knowledge and Experience with Community

I might not be the wisest or the best-experienced person in the room, but I’ve seen things, and I’ve done things. Sometimes I succeeded, sometimes I failed, but I always tried to learn my lesson no matter the outcome. And during both my professional career (over ten years now) and my personal life (much longer) I gained some experience that might be worth sharing.

It is fascinating how what we usually take for granted might be a great epiphany to someone else. I would’ve never guessed that my article on tmux would gather over 8000 visitors. Not only that, some friends who read the article switched to using tmux and thanked me for the increase in productivity. Even if we think something’s obvious and not worth mentioning, it may reach people at the beginning of their career and help them realize their potential.

I believe that humanity benefits from exchanging ideas and sharing what we know. Experience backed by examples has a more significant impact than dry bullet points. I no longer want to take. I want to give as well. And what better way there is to share knowledge than through writing?

To Answer Frequent Questions

I like sharing good findings with others that may be interested in it. I used to do it directly, saying the same story to every person that asked (or not) for the advice. Recently, I noticed there are so many people interested in similar things. Unfortunately, answering case by case in detail might be a bit time-consuming.

So I borrowed the idea of 10x productivity. I thought that if I write about a topic, I can serve not one, but probably tens, and maybe even more people. All while investing the similar amount of time as talking to each one of them. This is what productivity is all about right? More effects in less time.

To Learn

Are you aware of the rubber duck effect? To put it shortly: if you have a problem take a rubber duck and explain your problem to her. Chances are by the time you complete the explanation, the solution has already formed in your head. The epiphany occurs because the act of verbalizing thoughts engages both brain hemispheres leading to increased brain activity. And increased activity helps us solve the task at hand.

In words of John Dewey:

It is a familiar and significant saying that a problem well put is half-solved.

Writing has similar effects. When I write about a particular problem or experience, I suddenly see things more clearly. I need to pause and think. And at this moment I learn from it myself. I also learn from the research I need to do to finish the articles. Usually, when I start writing, I have a vague idea about the topic, and by researching it further, I gather some new knowledge — a perpetuum mobile.

Coach Tony compiled this into a practice you can use in your everyday life. It’s called Interstitial Journaling. You work as always, then write about your work, then work again. When properly executed, the breaks in which you write will guide you to solve the challenges you faced.

To Build a Personal Brand

When you freelance or do consultancy, you need to be trustworthy. And one way to boost your credibility is to create a personal brand that showcases all your expertise. Software developers working in Open Source projects don’t need fancy CVs to list their skills. Their code speaks for itself. It becomes their brand.

Same goes with writing. When you write about a topic, you show the whole world what you know. It becomes a part of your resume. And prospective clients, employers or employees can verify if they want to work with you. Best thing, they can check it even before contacting you. Another productivity hack that saves time for both parties!

To Learn How to Write Better

It’s called deliberate practice. You try something, learn from your mistakes, and then you incorporate the feedback into your next performance. The more we experiment, the more we learn. Each performance should be better than the previous one.

Do you think your previous works are mediocre? Or maybe even terrible? Do you wonder how you could be so naive back then? How could you make the choices you made?

I often do. And that’s perfect because this means I‘ve progressed. I’d be worried if I saw that my best works are all in the past. That what I can produce is but a shadow of my former performance. Fortunately, I am not yet there.

Because I Enjoy It

Writing is fun. Playing with words is fun. Crafting words into sentences brings me some joy. And knowing that I have an audience that connects to what I write is also very rewarding. The mere presence of an audience is a pleasure (though a vain one, I admit), but it’s precious when I can see that my writing changed somebody. Maybe it made somebody laugh, maybe cry, maybe learn something new, or perhaps it made somebody annoyed. Making someone think and reconsider one’s view is the ultimate point.

What’s Your Reason?

It’s possible I missed a thing or two, but I believe I’ve mentioned the most important ones for me. But I am curious about what motivates you to spend your time looking for words, editing, revising and publishing your work. So maybe you would share with me some of your reasons? I’m eager to learn.