Hashnode Bootcamp Day 1: Welcome and Introduction to Writing for Developers

Hey there! Did you hear about the Hashnode Bootcamp? It was a three-day event from May 1-3 that helped developers like us improve our writing skills, connect with other professionals, and get ahead in our careers. Even if you're just starting out in the tech world, this Bootcamp was perfect for you!

If you had participated, you would have had so many benefits! You could have made your voice heard in the tech community, met new people to help you in your career, and improved your writing skills. Plus, you would have inspired other developers to do their best too!

The Hashnode Bootcamp was an amazing opportunity to learn new things and be a part of the tech community. You could have gained so much knowledge and made connections that would help you in the future. So, don't miss out on the chance to grow both personally and professionally!

The Importance of Writing as a Developer by [Ankur Tyagi] @tyaga001

Ankur is an Indian consultant currently in Sweden who has worked in tech for 13 years, switching between service and product-based companies. He also does writing and blogging on the internet. He will be discussing why writing is important for software engineers and references his experience learning different programming languages and technologies, including transitioning from Java to JavaScript in 2014.
Ankur talks about being part of a large distributed team working on a big project from scratch. Communication was challenging, so he suggested setting up a confluence page. He saw an opportunity to contribute to the project by using his expertise in coding React. He were also interested in the writing style of internet blog posts and started his own domain.
Ankur initially began writing without a specific domain or purpose, but found the process helped them get used to expressing his thoughts. In 2020, he were influenced by people on Twitter to share his experiences, and have written many posts since then, including on effective writing for software engineers. Ankur believes clear communication is important in software development, especially in tasks like reviewing pull requests and discussing projects with colleagues.
Effective communication is essential in software development, both verbally and in writing. Writing skills become increasingly important as one progresses in his career and takes on tasks like writing RFPs, self-development and improvement plans for team members, and documenting performance. Writing effectively is crucial for effectively communicating ideas and thoughts about projects or ideas. It is the second most important skill for growth in the tech industry after coding. Seek out advice and resources to improve your writing skills.
Ankur thanks everyone for the opportunity and looks forward to hearing from other speakers. He also invite others to ask them questions through direct message or by joining his newsletter for a better understanding of his writing process.

How to be consistent in writing and getting the intrest in writing
Ankit Singh Mehra
College, India

Ankur shares his experience with writing consistently as a developer, acknowledging that it can be difficult and exhausting. He advise finding a balance between forcing oneself to write on a regular schedule and waiting for inspiration to strike. Ankur suggests taking advantage of moments of motivation and energy to write for longer periods of time, rather than trying to write every day. He explain that everyone's approach may be different and that it is important to experiment and find what works for each individual. Ankur shares that he have experienced success in both consistent writing and waiting for inspiration, and recommends trying both to find what works best. He acknowledge the importance of putting oneself in those shoes to truly understand how writing habits work.

What's the right approach to getting writing ideas
Abimbola Adebayo
Web3bridge, Nigeria

Ankur discusses the challenge of writing about popular topics, but emphasizes that everyone has his own unique perspective and approach, so it's important to share your own ideas and solutions. He suggest using search tools like Hashnode to find inspiration, and keeping a backlog of writing ideas to refer to later. When it comes to staying focused and finishing an article, Ankur recommends time-blocking and tackling more technical topics in smaller, more manageable portions.
Ankur wrote an article about e-commerce for Madusa and recommends writing freely without restricting oneself. He suggest writing down ideas and editing later, and finding a unique writing style. He also suggest analyzing the writing styles of others and replicating his thought process. Ankur admires Monica Lent's blogging style and Judgely's writing style.
Ankur talks about feeling happy to see others copying his style and trying to influence others. He also discuss steps for diving into a technical writing career, including good communication skills, understanding tech stacks, and potentially having coding knowledge. He mention that technical writing can be a good career with remote opportunities and a high demand for writers in the startup world.

How long should a blog post be? I know it should depend on topic but is there a way to determine the length, or should I make a series of blogs about the topic detailing everything about it.
Himanshu Balani
IIT, India

When it comes to blog post length, it depends on the content and audience. It's important to keep in mind that attention spans are low, so headings and subheadings are important to help readers skim through the content. Writing for the audience is crucial, rather than just writing for yourself. Defining and understanding the audience is key when it comes to successful blog posts.

What advice will you give to someone who has just started in tech and also trying to document his journey through blogs??
Shreya Mishra
100dev, India

Ankur realized that he made a mistake by starting his online career late. He suggest that starting to write blog posts about what you are learning on a regular basis can help you develop your writing skills. However, writing is not for everyone and it should not be a cause for pressure. If you want to make money from writing, you need to be effective, innovative, and likable to your audience with a unique perspective to offer. Otherwise, it can be tough to stand out and become a standout developer.

How do you keep your technical writing skills up to date and stay informed about the latest trends and best practices in the field?
Lucky Sikolia
Freelancer, Kenya

Ankur believes that Twitter is a very important source of information for them. He spend about 15-20 minutes scrolling through Twitter and follow people from different industries to see what he are doing and get fresh ideas. He also believe that it's easy to switch to a different technology once you become proficient in it and give your 100%.

After we r done with blogging is there any more way to make our blog reach out to more & more people apert from posting on twitter or linkedin
Aryan Parashar Parashar
Technical Bloqqerstzq & Freshman year Stude...

Ankur believes that it is important to share content on various platforms and to leverage competitors in order to gain exposure as a blogger. However, he emphasize that it's important to avoid spamming and instead find good ways to generate leads across multiple platforms. He suggest cross-posting on platforms such as Devto, Hashnode, Medium, Dzone, and FreeCodeCamp. By doing so, people will become more familiar with the blogger's content and be more inclined to read his blog posts.

how do you combine or balance being a software engineer with being a technical writer especially when you work a 9-5 job in an office setting
Spirit Divine
Loudit and LLDAO, Nigeria

Ankur believes that achieving goals in life requires hard work and sacrifice. He do shift work to capitalize on his energy and prioritize his goals. He see writing as a potential career and may quit his current job in the rat race soon. Moving to Sweden as a consultant has given them more time and flexibility. He advise others to assess his priorities and make decisions based on where he want to be in five years.

Leveraging Technical Writing to Land Opportunities and Boost Your Developer Career by [Swapna Kumar Panda]

This is a discussion led by Swapna Kumar Panda, a freelancing technical writer, on leveraging technical writing to boost developer careers. The session will cover the importance of technical writing for developers, how to improve technical writing skills, and how it can lead to career growth. It will explore the benefits and challenges of technical writing, and show how it can provide opportunities for developers. The aim of the session is to encourage developers to try technical writing as a career option.

Why are we discussing it?

The concept of three pillars of democracy (legislative, executive, judiciary) can be related to the three pillars of a product dock: applications, relations, and documents. Applications refer to the team working towards bringing the product to reality, while relations are the interface between the product and other departments such as marketing and legal. Documentation is the third pillar, and it is crucial for ensuring smooth functioning of the product. Without documentation, new team members may make the same mistakes and not learn from past experiences. Overall, documentation is vital for ensuring productivity and avoiding repeated errors.

What is Technical Writing?

Swapna is discussing the importance of technical writing in the software development industry. He define technical writing as communication used in various technical and office research fields, but focus specifically on software development. Technical writers in this industry typically write user guides and manuals for end users, API or software development kit documentation, training materials, statements of work, standard operating procedures, and white papers. Technical writing is essential in the software industry to ensure clear communication and understanding of complex technical concepts.
The passage discusses different formats for content produced by technical writers, including textual or web browser friendly formats such as blogs or articles with text, ads, and images. The writer also notes that graphic materials, audio content, podcasts, and video content can also be used to create more interactive and engaging content that connects with the audience.

Importance to Developers

Technical writing is important because it allows for the documentation and sharing of important discoveries and solutions. Without the documentation of Pythagoras' theorem, Galileo's findings, Newton's laws of motion, or Einstein's theories, future generations would not have been able to learn from them and continue to advance in science and other fields. Technical writing is what allows for the transfer of knowledge from one generation to the next and allows for continued progress.
Developers are problem solvers who encounter numerous technical problems while developing applications. He solve these problems by conducting extensive research, visiting various websites such as Stack Overflow, and documenting his findings. However, if he do not document his solutions, he may forget how he solved the problem and have to repeat the same research again in the future. Documenting solutions not only helps developers remember his solutions but also helps others who may encounter similar problems.
Swapna discusses the benefits of technical writing and how it can be monetized. He suggest creating a personal brand and offering subscriptions or collaboration opportunities with brands. Paid content and ghostwriting opportunities are also available. Skilled technical writers can benefit from improved communication skills and increased visibility. Full-time job opportunities in technical writing are also available.
If you make money from technical writing, your lifestyle will improve. Other opportunities that can arise include becoming an educator, producing courses, mentoring people, public speaking, becoming a celebrity, and being a brand ambassador for certain products or brands. These opportunities come from sharing your knowledge and experiences with others through your content.

How to improve your skills?

Swapna discusses the importance of having certain basic skills and knowledge for someone starting out in technical writing. Firstly, it is important to have some research or experience in a particular area before attempting to write about it. Secondly, it is essential to know how to present the information in a clear and concise manner, including having an effective title and outlining the problem and sub-problems. The goal is to write in a way that will connect with readers and provide useful information to those facing similar issues.
Swapna suggests that when writing an article, it is important to explain the problem and its solutions clearly. It is recommended to include a summary of the entire article for those who don't want to read the entire thing. Additionally, using helpful visuals and correct language for the intended audience is also important. Technical writing requires attention to detail to avoid spelling and grammatical errors.
Swapna suggests that it's important to avoid basic language mistakes when writing content and recommends using Hashnode as a platform to publish. He highlight the benefits of using Hashnode AI to assist with writing and improving content, such as producing good titles and outlining ideas. Swapna emphasizes the importance of connecting with the audience and addressing his questions and concerns to maintain a good relationship with them. As a developer, it's important to balance technical content with approachable writing style.
It's important to maintain a work-life balance when taking on additional opportunities. You can diversify your content by learning and writing about new topics, such as React or Node.js, to expand your audience and connect with more people. This way, you can start from one field but expand to many other areas and grow your following.

Success Story

Swapna discussed the importance of technical writing for developers and how it can lead to career opportunities. Swapna then shared his personal success story, beginning as a junior developer in 2006 and progressing to senior developer until having to quit due to health issues. After a difficult five years, Swapna turned to technical writing in 2021, sharing his content on Twitter and blog platforms, which eventually led to his first paid opportunity in 2022. Swapna continues to learn and grow in this field.
The session discussed the importance of documentation and how developers can benefit from technical writing. Technical writing offers career growth opportunities, such as public speaking and becoming a brand ambassador. Swapna invites questions and can be contacted on Twitter.

Hi Swapna, Chintan Here Can you highlight on how to increase Our Blogs visibility and connect and reach more audience. I have been sharing my coding journey on daily basis and to my surprise I wrote 50+ blogs
Chintan Jain Jain
India

Swapna explains that when he joined Twitter in July 2021, it took around three months to gain visibility. During that time, he shared his content and connected with other like-minded creators on the platform. He suggest sending cold DMs and having coffee chats to build strong connections. By doing this, he were able to connect with more people over time, which helped them grow. He also recommend giving genuine feedback or replies on other people's content to get more profile visits. It's important to share quality content so that people will connect with and engage with your profile.

What kind of research do you do when creating technical documentation?
Vaibhav Jain
India

Swapna believes that when encountering a problem, it's important to research the solutions that others have found and replicate them in his own environment. He aim to simplify the information he find in order to help others who may not understand the technical jargon. He do this by reviewing several documents and finding similarities before explaining it in a way that most people can understand. He acknowledge that many others may have already written about the same topic, but believe that there is value in writing about it in a different way to reach a broader audience.

How many articles does one need to write before applying for jobs/projects?
Abdullahi Hamisu Hamisu
Nigeria

Certain platforms, such as those that allow users to write on his platform, require at least three recent articles to be submitted. These articles should relate to similar problem segments and showcase the writer's ability to explain topics clearly and without errors. Sharing content on social media platforms, like Twitter, can also help establish a writer's knowledge and abilities. Overall, it is important for writers to demonstrate his domain knowledge and writing skills through his articles.

What do employer look for in a technical article??
Abdullahi Hamisu Hamisu
Nigeria

When writing as a technical writer, it is important to avoid simple mistakes such as spelling and grammatical errors. Using tools available can help with this. It's also important to outline the entire structure of the article to keep the reader engaged. Try to explain things in a way that people can relate to. Employers want to see a good outline, a clear explanation and some humor to keep the reader interested.

Wrap Up

The Hashnode Bootcamp's first day was super cool! Ankur Tyagi @tyaga001 and Swapna Kumar Panda talked about how important it is for developers to write well. When developers write better, they can talk to people better, share what they know, and make themselves look good online. That can help them get new jobs or work for themselves. And we can't forget to thank Dani Passos @danielapassos for being an awesome host! Thanks for making the session so fun and interesting!

Thank you for reading!
Soumyadeep Mandal @imsampro