Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: What are good writing tips for software developers?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 70 posts

Re: Ask HN: What are good writing tips for software developers?

#11

Post by soneca »

tmaly wrote: post #2

As a developer myself, I have wanted to improve my writing skill. I have found an older copy of the The Pyramid Principle that I am working through. The whole premise of the book is to better structure your ideas using the pyramid pattern.

As a developer who received regular positive feedback on the quality of my writing, I am starting a side-project to help developers like you. :)

This post is to try to get a more diverse opinion on what constitutes good writing outside of my bubble.

Please check the kick-off post, maybe you find it useful: https://writingfordevelopers.substack.com/

Re: Ask HN: What are good writing tips for software developers?

#13

Post by robotresearcher »

V-2 wrote: post #6
ambivalents wrote: post #4

Some general pieces of advice that I think apply to all writing: - Write like you would speak. Think of your writing as an extended conversation with other developers. - Use the active voice wherever possible. - Strive for clarity and simplicity over overly-complicated industry babble. The smarter you try to sound, the harder you will fail. Of course, there will be some amount of jargon you will rely on, which is fin…

> read good writing That's sort of a Catch-22 right there. Can you tell if "your favorite SF novel" represents good writing without having a grasp on what constitutes good writing to begin with? Is writing like cooking (where you don't really need to cook well yourself to be able to tell)?

There are plenty of writers who almost everyone agrees are great. For simultaneous clarity and beauty of prose, I like Graham Greene.

Re: Ask HN: What are good writing tips for software developers?

#14

Post by 52-6F-62 »

garganzol wrote: post #12

Hemingway App helps a lot: https://www.hemingwayapp.com/

I was going to submit this as well. There's room for improvement with it, but it really is great and a good launching point for reconsidering the structure of your writing. Especially business writing or comms.

Re: Ask HN: What are good writing tips for software developers?

#16

Post by StriverGuy »

soneca wrote: post #8
StriverGuy wrote: post #3

I recommend getting three books and to begin writing at least 500 words per day distraction free (technical, fiction, stream of conscious): 1) On Writing Well - William Zinser https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Well-30th-Anniversary-Nonfict... 2) On Writing - Stephen King- https://www.amazon.com/Writing-10th-Anniversary-Memoir-Craft... 3) The Elements of Style - Strunk & White - https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Style-Four…

I am reading " Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace ", have you read this? EDIT: link to the book: https://www.amazon.com/Style-Lessons-Clarity-Grace-12th/dp/0...

I have not. I'll have to check it out.

Re: Ask HN: What are good writing tips for software developers?

#18

Post by ambivalents »

V-2 wrote: post #6
ambivalents wrote: post #4

Some general pieces of advice that I think apply to all writing: - Write like you would speak. Think of your writing as an extended conversation with other developers. - Use the active voice wherever possible. - Strive for clarity and simplicity over overly-complicated industry babble. The smarter you try to sound, the harder you will fail. Of course, there will be some amount of jargon you will rely on, which is fin…

> read good writing That's sort of a Catch-22 right there. Can you tell if "your favorite SF novel" represents good writing without having a grasp on what constitutes good writing to begin with? Is writing like cooking (where you don't really need to cook well yourself to be able to tell)?

By virtue of it being your favorite, I would think it's doing something right. But glibness aside, you could think about as you read: Is it fully engaging you? Is it communicating a complex idea in a simple and/or novel way? Is it making you feel something? Does it make you want to do something? These are all good markers, because writing is really just about communicating ideas well.

And if you don't trust your own judgment, you could look up some of the time-tested classics. Some of my favorites: The Great Gatsby, To Kill A Mockingbird, 1984 (fiction); Warren Buffett/Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letters (business/sales writing).

Re: Ask HN: What are good writing tips for software developers?

#19

Post by tmaly »

soneca wrote: post #11
tmaly wrote: post #2

As a developer myself, I have wanted to improve my writing skill. I have found an older copy of the The Pyramid Principle that I am working through. The whole premise of the book is to better structure your ideas using the pyramid pattern.

As a developer who received regular positive feedback on the quality of my writing, I am starting a side-project to help developers like you. :) This post is to try to get a more diverse opinion on what constitutes good writing outside of my bubble. Please check the kick-off post, maybe you find it useful: https://writingfordevelopers.substack.com/

Thanks, how often would you send out an email for this newsletter?

Re: Ask HN: What are good writing tips for software developers?

#20

Post by [deleted] »

eropple wrote: post #9

The two pieces of writing feedback I've received that I often regret not following: - Most adverbs are superfluous. I am as guilty of ignoring this as anyone, but most cases where you say "generally" or "usually" you're undermining your point and the use of "very", "extremely", etc. are hyperbolic and breathless and make it easier to regard what you're writing as unserious. - Avoid pronouns unless the antecedent is u…

[deleted]
Post reply on HN