Every Developer Should Have a Blog: The Why and How of Sticking With It
As a full-stack developer with over 10 years of experience, I‘ve seen the immense power that blogging can have for a programming career firsthand. I know it can seem daunting to start writing and put your thoughts out there for the world to see. But trust me, it‘s one of the highest-leverage activities you can do as a developer.
In this post, I‘ll share some compelling reasons why every developer should seriously consider blogging, along with hard-earned tips for sticking with it consistently. I‘ll also get into the brass tacks of setting up and growing a successful blog.
Why Every Developer Needs a Blog
The benefits of blogging are almost too many to count. But here are some of the biggest ones I‘ve experienced myself and seen in other developers who write:
1. It makes you a better developer
The process of blogging forces you to deeply learn topics so you can explain them clearly to others. By doing research, breaking concepts down step-by-step, and putting everything in your own words, you gain mastery over your craft. It‘s like the Feynman Technique for technical writing.
As Jeff Atwood, the co-founder of Stack Overflow, said in a blog post:
If you want to be a better writer, you have to write. But if you want to be a better programmer, you can also write. Writing is the path to better thinking, and better thinking is the path to better code.
2. You become a more valuable employee or freelancer
Tech companies place a premium on developers who can communicate clearly and teach others. Blogging shows that you have these skills, putting you at the top of the resume pile and giving you leverage in job negotiations.
Data from the Stack Overflow Developer Survey supports this notion. In the 2020 survey, respondents who considered themselves "competent communicators" earned nearly $13,000 more per year on average than those who did not. And developers who blog tend to be stronger communicators.
Freelancers and consultants who blog are also able to charge higher rates because clients see them as experts. Writing about your services and successful client projects is a great way to attract high-quality leads.
3. It kickstarts your career
Many prominent members of the tech community got their start by blogging. It‘s how they made a name for themselves before ever working at a big company or starting their own business.
Take Dan Abramov for example. He‘s currently a core member of the React team at Facebook, but he first gained recognition in the front-end world through his blog, Overreacted. His in-depth posts about React and JavaScript went viral, leading to a job offer from Facebook.
Another example is Sophie Alpert. She landed internships at Khan Academy and Airbnb in part because of the technical blog posts she wrote as a student. Now she manages the React core team at Facebook.
4. You meet cool people
Some of my closest friends and most valuable connections in the tech industry have come through blogging. When you write thought-provoking posts, people naturally want to reach out to discuss and build on your ideas. I‘ve had many other developers contact me out of the blue because of something I wrote.
This can lead to exciting opportunities like being invited to speak at conferences, getting interviewed on podcasts, contributing to open source projects, or even writing a technical book. I know several developers who turned their blogs into traditionally published books, which is a great way to boost your authority and earn passive income.
5. You become happier and more fulfilled
One of the best feelings as a blogger is getting feedback from readers about how your post helped them. Knowing that sharing your knowledge made someone else‘s life a little easier is incredibly fulfilling.
Countless readers have emailed me or tweeted at me saying that a blog post I wrote cleared up a concept they were struggling with, or helped them solve a hard bug. Every time it puts a huge smile on my face.
Blogging also makes you reflect deeply on your learning journey and appreciate how far you‘ve come. As you write, you realize just how much you‘ve grown and all the valuable lessons you‘ve learned. It‘s rewarding to look back on old posts and see your progress as a developer and writer.
Blogging Consistently is Hard
With all those benefits, you‘d think every developer would have a blog. But the reality is that most who try blogging end up quitting within a few months. They lose steam when the initial excitement wears off and it feels more like a chore.
I‘m not going to sugarcoat it – blogging consistently is hard work. There will be many days when you don‘t feel like writing, when you‘re burnt out from your day job, or when you‘d rather just relax.
But like any habit, blogging becomes easier to maintain the longer you stick with it. It‘s about discipline and building up momentum over time.
Here are some tips that helped me push through the dip and keep blogging for years:
1. Schedule it
Pick a day and time each week for working on your blog and put it on your calendar like any other important commitment. Treat your blog like a second job.
For me, Saturday and Sunday mornings are my sacred blogging time. I wake up early, make some coffee, and knock out my writing before the rest of the day gets away from me. Find a time that works for your schedule and energy levels.
2. Keep an idea backlog
Never sit down to a blank page. Maintain a running list of topic ideas, so you always have something to write about. Jot down ideas throughout the week as they come to you.
Notion, Evernote, a Google Doc, or even a physical notebook are great places to keep your backlog. The exact tool doesn‘t matter, just make sure it‘s easy for you to access and update.
3. Create templates
Speed up your writing process by creating templates for different types of posts, such as tutorials, opinion pieces, or case studies. Having a go-to outline reduces friction when starting a new draft.
My template for coding tutorials looks like:
- Intro (why the topic matters)
- Prerequisites
- Step-by-step instructions
- Code examples
- Common mistakes or gotchas
- Conclusion and next steps
- Further reading
With this structure in place, my tutorials almost write themselves.
4. Don‘t strive for perfection
Your blog posts don‘t need to be polished masterpieces. What‘s more important is that you ship something and stick to your publishing schedule.
Fight perfectionist tendencies by setting yourself a time limit for each post. For example, commit to publishing a draft within 2 hours of starting. You can always go back and revise later, but get that first version out the door.
Remember done is better than perfect. An imperfect post that helps someone is infinitely more valuable than a "perfect" post that never sees the light of day.
5. Experiment with video
If you struggle to write, try turning some of your blog post ideas into videos. Record yourself explaining the concept and then embed the video in your post.
Many developers, myself included, find it easier to talk through ideas than to write about them. You can use slides, live coding, or just you talking head to get your points across.
Video is also a great way to build a more personal connection with your audience. Seeing your face and hearing your voice feels different than just reading your words.
6. Promote, but don‘t spam
Share each new post on your social media channels and relevant online communities. But don‘t be spammy about it. Add value to the conversation instead of just dropping links.
Some of my posts have really taken off because I posted them in:
- Facebook Groups for developers
- Reddit programming subreddits
- Tech Twitter threads
- Hacker News and Lobsters
- Slack communities
The key is to participate authentically in these groups and share your content in context.
Also, make a point to link to other bloggers in your niche and let them know. They‘ll often reciprocate by sharing your post or linking back, which brings you more traffic.
7. Engage with readers
When people take the time to leave a thoughtful comment on your post or mention it on social media, respond back and continue the conversation. This turns one-time readers into loyal fans.
Some of my best blog post ideas have come from conversations with readers. Listening to their questions, pain points and perspectives can give you a gold mine of things to write about.
Remember, your blog is a two-way street, not a megaphone. Treat your readers like friends and build genuine relationships with them.
The Business of Blogging
Once you have a few dozen posts under your belt and a loyal audience, you might start wondering how to monetize your blog. Luckily, there are several ways to turn your writing into income:
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Freelance writing – Use your blog as a portfolio to land freelance writing gigs. Many companies will pay you to write guest posts or ongoing content for their blogs.
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Affiliate marketing – Recommend products or services you use and love, and get a commission when your readers make a purchase through your unique link. Just be sure to disclose your affiliations.
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Digital products – Package up your knowledge into ebooks, courses, or printables and sell them on your blog. You can also create a paid newsletter or membership community.
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Sponsorships – Partner with tech brands to write sponsored posts or run ads on your site. As your audience grows, sponsors will be eager to get in front of them.
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Speaking and consulting – Leverage your blog to get invited to speak at conferences or consult with companies on your area of expertise. Speaking fees and day rates can be lucrative.
To be clear, I don‘t think you need to monetize your blog, especially not right away. Blogging has intrinsic benefits outside of money, so don‘t put pressure on yourself to turn it into a business.
That said, when you‘re ready, monetizing is a great way to justify spending more time on your blog or even turn it into a full-time gig. I know developers who have quit their jobs to work on their blogs and associated products full-time. It‘s entirely possible with the right combination of hard work, luck, and a valuable niche.
Closing Thoughts
Blogging has hands-down been the highest ROI activity of my career. I can trace almost every major opportunity and inflection point back to something I wrote on my blog.
But even if my blog didn‘t lead to monetary rewards, I would still do it for the intrinsic benefits. Blogging keeps my skills sharp, gives me a creative outlet, and allows me to help thousands of people. It‘s immensely fulfilling.
If you take away one thing from this post, let it be this: every developer, no matter their experience level, can benefit from having a blog. It‘s a long-term investment in yourself that pays massive dividends.
You already have valuable knowledge and experiences to share. You don‘t have to be an expert or a polished writer. The key is to start small, stay consistent, and stick with it even when it feels hard.
I‘ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes, from author and marketing expert Seth Godin:
If you know you have to write a blog post tomorrow, something in writing, something that will be around 6 months from now, about something in the world, you will start looking for something in the world to to write about. You will seek to notice something interesting and to say something creative about it. Well, isn‘t that all we‘re looking for? The best practice of generously sharing what you notice about the world is exactly the antidote for your fear.
So notice something in your world today and start writing about it. Your future self will thank you.
