In 2019, I got invited to attend a large tech conference...for free, complete with airfare and lodging. It was all because someone from the conference committee read my blog. While this experience may not happen to everyone, here are 5 other great reasons for any developer to create a blog.

1. Communication Skills

   Communication is huge for developers. Contrary to many incorrect stereotypes, developers need to be able to clearly explain topics to people. Customers need to know why a certain feature works in a specific way. Management needs to know why the solution is more technically challenging than expected. Other developers need to understand the details of what you are building. Starting a blog is a great way to build those communication skills.

2. Build Community

   More than likely, someone else is interested in the topics you are blogging about. A blog is a great way to begin a like-minded community. The blog will attract more interested readers which will enhance the community. Attract enough readers and you may find yourself hosting a community event of your choice.

3. Demonstrate Expertise

   Authoring a blog on a specific topic is a great way to display your knowledge. This can lead to job opportunities, consulting work, book writing, or just introductions to interesting people. If you are not yet an expert, that is fine. Be honest with the readers and many people are happy to learn along with you. Blog for a while, and you might find out you became an expert.

4. Thought Clarity

   It is often said, that one does not truly understand a topic until one can explain it to someone else. Writing a technical blog forces you to break down a topic into its very basic building blocks. This helps you to truly understand the fine details. It often leads to numerous blog posts, which can easily become a blog series. A blog series leads to deep clarity of a topic.

5. Your Choice of Topics

   Let's be honest, most of us do not get paid to work on the framework or open-source project of our choice. That is why a blog can provide great motivation to explore some new technologies. Thus, write blog posts about topics of interest.

   With that said, make sure to find a blogging rhythm that is sustainable for yourself. It should be fun and not stressful.

So, what blog posts are you going to write? Let me know in the comments.