2024-12-30

If I have to boil down what I do for a living to a single activity, then that activity is writing.

I find writing harder than speaking. When I have a conversation with someone, I am able to read their body language, use inflection and facial expressions to add color to my words, and take paths that suit that particular person and situation.

Writing does not have the advantage of immediate feedback. I cannot change direction mid-way, or skip words. Ideas have to built systematically — like a chain, with each link leading to the next.

Work-wise, my writing has two orientations — internal and external.

The internal orientation consists of writing directed towards my colleagues — sharing ideas, suggesting process improvements, and commenting on technical designs. By writing consistently, I help build a culture of written communication, where past experiences and current explorations are well-organized. When I write, so do my colleagues.

Writing for clients is primarily in the form of technical bids and system design documents. Here, good writing demonstrates my firm’s competence, and highlights our capabilities.

One of the things I find most satisfying is when a client reads my description of their needs, and says, “You have written this as clearly as I would have.” What I think they mean is, “You have written this as clearly as I wish I had.”

Writing is valuable, especially in an age where machines have cheapened our words. It is a craft worth honing.