Introducing one of our authors! Meet Peter Grainger. Peter is a senior engineer at Sage with over 10 years of experience in diverse industries such as satellite communications, public sector, and finance. He’s content to automate himself out of most jobs and is the happiest deleting code rather than writing more. Peter has deep knowledge of Java, JavaScript, Node, MongoDB, and GitLab.
Maybe you think as a developer, it’s okay to avoid refining your writing and communication skills. Peter is here to tell you that’s definitely the wrong way to look at things. He can fill you in on some great advice and more.
HS: Tell me a little bit about your background and how you started in the tech industry.
Peter: My background is pretty typical for someone in the tech industry. I was lucky that my Dad used to work for the technology department in the BBC and brought back home an Acorn Archimedes. After that, I spent much of my time making games run, which sparked my interest in technology. I ended up taking a Computer Science course at University that led to a job in the industry.
HS: When and why did you start writing for Hit Subscribe?
Peter: My first post was around a year ago. I’d started to write on my own blog at grainger.xyz, mainly to keep a note of problems I’d solved in the past to help my future self and others. One day I was referring back to an old post and I found it hard to understand. After that, I knew I needed help and started writing for Hit Subscribe.
HS: How do you see writing? As a hobby, side-hustle, or passion?
Peter: Probably none of those! I see writing as the only way I’m going to improve my skills. In other words, teaching is the best way to improve your own skills and reach thousands of others treading the same path.
HS: How has your writing changed since you started writing for Hit Subscribe?
Peter: My writing now is unrecognizable from my pre Hit Subscribe days. I can recognize my voice from those old posts, but my new ones are much more concise, ordered, and, if I’m being honest, less boring!
HS: What advice do you have for those just starting out in the tech world?
Peter: Stick to one subject and go deep. If you had a problem with your knee would you rather go to a specialist or a general surgeon? Above all, it’s important to understand one subject area inside and out. Which subject area? It doesn’t really matter, but it’s probably best to pick something current and specific like mastering browser APIs rather than learning the whole web developer landscape.
HS: What advice do you have for software developers looking to improve their writing skills?
Peter: Write, and then write some more. Get lots of feedback from everyone you can. This advice holds for pretty much any skill—just get out there and do it!
HS: Why do you think it is important for software developers to improve their writing skills?
Peter: Writing is a great asynchronous form of communication, and communication is key to everything, inside and outside of work. As software developers, we focus on the technical side. So it’s comfortable and easy to block others out and work alone. However, if you are part of a team, at work or at home, communication is the way that we humans work together to produce something that we never could have achieved alone.


Thanks to Peter 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 Peter has, apply to be one of our writers!