Just Write!

Monday June 1st, my little book on Graphs and Data Structures is released on Amazon.

Data Structure Graphs is a big step for me, and it is a a big step for any writer.

I have not always been a "writer", many people that I have worked with will tell you that "documentation" is not my strong suit.

I would even go so far to say that writing is probably one of my weakest skills.

However, writing down the thoughts I have about a topic I have found to be completely invaluable.

Some people may purchase my book, and find it useful. Most people will not.

The process of writing my thoughts down about this particular topic and making a cohesive corpus about it from my perspective only serves to reinforce the topic in my own mind.

Chances are I will speak to more people about using Graphs to analyze Data Structures than will actually purchase the manuscript.

This process taught me a few things.

Amazon has lowered the bar to publishing, anyone can publish a manuscript now.

What does this mean for writers, or people interested in writing?

It means more opportunities to have your voice heard.

If you don't have a voice, just Write more, it WILL come.

LinkedIN Pulse, which is what I am writing on now, gives anyone the platform to share their thoughts. If you have an idea that takes more than 140 characters share it here. If it is a big idea with a number of concepts create your own blog, and break your idea up into sections.

If it is even bigger than that go look at kdp.amazon.com. Amazon will show you how to upload your manuscript and make it publishable.

One of the most effective ways to learn something is to teach that concept to someone else.

Writing is one mechanism for our present self to explain something to our future selves.

That sounds a little metaphysical, but as you write something you change yourself. You don't necessarily write down every thought you have about a topic. Almost all writing is a summary of what we ourselves understand about a topic.

So when we read later what we ourselves wrote earlier we look at our earlier writing with new eyes.

Chances are you will want to change what you originally wrote. This is the beginning of editing.

Either way, just writing down your ideas both reinforces what you already know and forces you to learn more about it.

What will you write about?