This article summarizes my experience as a writer during the pandemic year 2021

Below you will find lots of resources and tools and my method and tips for heavy writing.

My Background

• I have a degree in computer science. 👨🏽‍🔬

• I use the scientific method and Occam's razor.

• I have researched for 30 years both in the academic and industrial fields.

• I don't have the absolute truth.

• I try to support my opinions with evidence. 🔍

• They are my opinions and are very subject to change.

My tools and secret sauces

• I Have a (very) long list of draft articles.

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• I often skip the waiting queue and write about some inspirational source (and cite it).

• I use a different template in all my series.

• For example, I have an empty Code Smell template.

• I write Everywhere 🗺️

• I proofread all my articles with HemingwayApp, Grammarly, and Google Translate (all free) 🔡

• I parse the markdown in my articles and convert them to HTML to republish on many platforms at once.

• I heavily use the canonical URL tag to avoid search penalties. 🔎

• I Follow very interesting people on Twitter and blogging platforms. ✨

• I take a new course every week, usually on a subject that is far away from my comfort zone.

• I add many references and quotes to my articles.

Time management

• I read a lot of articles early in the morning and bookmark them during the day. 🌅

• I use Trello, Inoreader, Pocket, and Obsidian.

• I Use The Pomodoro technique to focus when writing. 🍅

• I avoid perfection. I publish them when they are ready.

• Then I make corrections with other people's comments. Even after months.

• I Garden my articles.

Dealing with Criticism

• I have different opinions than many other developers.

• Software Design is a creative activity.

• My articles are suggestions and not rigid rules.

• I try to have smart discussions.

• I have zero tolerance for hate speech and unprofessional comments.

• I never feed the troll.

Common Criticism

• I get the same comments over and over again, so these are the common critics I get and my opinions.

Readability

I need to see the complete code in a sheet

• If you need to see long methods/scripts to understand your solution, that's fine.

• I prefer to have small/reusable/testable functions.

The code in your articles is not Compiling/Working/has errors

• I try to add code samples for clarity.

• Most of the code snippets work.

• Some of them are pseudo-code for educational purposes. 👨‍🏫

• I have used 25+ different languages in my articles.

• I am not an expert in ANY of these languages.

• Languages are accidental, Software design is essential.

I Have a trick in INSERT LANGUAGE to improve the code.

• Most of the articles are language independent.

• The solutions try to avoid language perks and cleverness.

Your solution is not performant/optimal

• I write about backend business software. 🖥️

• This is the domain I've been working on.

• I am aware that some tasks require more performant solutions (for example DApps).

• I will always choose long descriptive names over smart performance optimizations.

• First, make the code right. ✔️

• Then, optimize it only if you have strong evidence.

• Complexity is not enough evidence.

• You need a real benchmark in real use case scenarios. 📈

• If I need to sort 20 elements in a collection, I will always choose bubble sort because it is easier to read.

Premature optimization is the root of all evil. 😈

Helpers, DTOs, Singletons, Nulls, Setters, Metaprogramming, Castings, Comments are standard. 🙈

• I write a lot on these anti-patterns with the reasons why I think we should avoid them.

• You can keep thinking they are good and that's fine.

• My arguments against them are in all articles.

-I reply polite comments about them.

A 15 lines long method is not 'long'

• IMHO, a 6 lines method is too long

• You can always break them using refactorings. 🛠️

• You don't need to see the big picture and the details at the same time. 🌳

• Trust your implementation and write good tests.

Your solutions have too many indirections

• Coupling is our worst enemy. 🙅

• We need to avoid direct relationships.

You have too many rules and constraints

• There is just one rule.

• Always follow the bijection 🔀