We’re excited to feature another one of our authors, Arnab Roy Chowdhury, on the blog! Arnab is extremely hardworking and enthusiastic, and his commitment to improving as a writer shines. He’s great at breaking down complex concepts by using simple situations readers will recognize. Some of his areas of expertise include DevOps, Agile, JavaScript, automation frameworks, Angular, and other UI/UX tools and technologies.
Today, Arnab shares how transformed from being uninterested in programming to the passionate techie he is today. While he’s at it, he gives some good insight on his experience writing for Hit Subscribe too. And he also shares advice for those just starting out in the tech world. Let’s hear what he has to say!
HS: Tell me a little bit about your background and how you started in the tech industry.
Arnab: Back in my schooldays, computer science was one of my favorite subjects. This led me to pursue engineering in computer science. But frankly speaking, I initially didn’t find programming very interesting.
Slowly, I became one of those guys that pursued a degree just to get a job. But once I started my career, my interest in programming grew, especially when I started working on the latest programming languages and got into UI development.
I discovered how the coding that I do can transform into an amazing product that people can use in their daily lives. That’s when I became a passionate techie.
HS: When and why did you start writing for Hit Subscribe?
Arnab: I’ve been writing for programming-related and technical blogs for quite a few years. Angela from Hit Subscribe connected with me and said that they were looking for a writer and provided me with all of the details. After finding out more about Hit Subscribe and looking at some blogs, I thought this could be just the place where I could improve on the art of blogging. It also gave me the chance to fulfill my wish of writing only programming-related blogs. Finally, I started working for Hit Subscribe in July.
HS: How do you see writing? As a hobby, side-hustle, or passion?
Arnab: Writing is more like a hobby for me. I love to channel the way I feel about new programming languages or project methodologies into my blog posts. Blogging is one of the many ways to let the world know about my opinions or how I do what I do.
HS: How has your writing changed since you started writing for Hit Subscribe?
Arnab: Yes. My writing has changed a lot. Previously, I didn’t give much thought to the questions that may arise on the mind of a reader after going through my blog. I only used to put together facts, share my opinion, and draft that into a blog post.
But the editors helped me a lot and are still helping me to improve my weak points. Currently, while writing a blog, I think from a reader’s perspective and address all of the sections in my blog where the reader may have questions.
HS: What advice do you have for those just starting out in the tech world?
Arnab: For people who are just starting out, find a path. If you want to go into development, do some research on technologies and frameworks that are currently trending and focus on learning about them.
If you want to go into testing, invest in learning automation frameworks. You can also try to improve your observational and manual testing skills. A skilled manual tester can become an excellent test automation engineer. Apart from that, hone in on your soft skills by maybe participating in team-building and bonding activities with your friends. Carry out some exercises and learn how to deliver work faster by working as a team.
Finally, don’t stop after learning a few languages. As we all know, the technical domain is constantly evolving. New programming languages or frameworks are released regularly. Keeping yourself updated will help you propel your career forward.
HS: What advice do you have for software developers looking to improve their writing skills?
Arnab: The one thing that can help anyone excel in any domain is if they practice. If you want to improve your writing, keep on writing blogs. Also, start reading more. You can refine your grammar and writing style by reading. Go through top ranking blogs and find out how the writers are communicating with the readers. Go through YouTube or google for advice from top writers. Apart from that, if you’re writing for a company, ask the editor for tips on how you can avoid writing shortcomings. Just like at Hit Subscribe, I’ve been getting helpful tips from the editors on where and how I can improve my writing.
HS: Why do you think it is important for software developers to improve their writing skills?
Arnab: If you’re a software developer, your work isn’t just done after you’re done coding. The customer may ask you how you did a certain thing or why you did that. You should have good writing skills to draft an email or document and explain why your project needs something that you implemented.
And what if your project needs to migrate to a new framework? Then the management is unable to explain to the client why they need to implement it. Being a developer having required technical knowledge, you know the reasons for which the migration is needed. Being a good writer will help you draft your voice and share it with the client or management. This will improve your image and position in the company. Besides, the management will see you more like a leader besides being only a developer.
Thanks to Arnab for allowing us to feature him on the blog today! If you’re interested in having him write for your tech blog, you know where to find us. Or if you’re an author and want to enjoy some of the same benefits of writing that Arnab has, apply to be one of our writers!