In the first of our new series, we asked Dave Poole to share a brief overview of his writing career with Redgate.
I think it is fair to say my writing has evolved over the years since I started writing for SQLServerCentral. It will be 20 years in August since I submitted my first article.
I have been told explicitly that my writing was the reason I was offered a job from two separate employers. It has also been part of interview conversations for others. Unlike a few lines on your CV, writing reveals your thought process and the quality of your work. You are not just saying you can do a job you are actually demonstrating that you can. Writing and communication are also soft skills. Tech skills are easy to recruit for, soft skills are much harder to assess.
My writing has to be good enough to publish on someone else's site. When dealing with Andrew Clarke at Redgate I really have to be on top of my game. I am extremely grateful for feedback both from Andrew and also from Tony Davis. Thanks go to Steve Jones for his guidance and feedback and also for the response from the SQL Server community. Without an Andrew, Tony or Steve I'm not sure I would reach the quality bar I would like.
Another aspect of wanting to produce quality is the amount of study and experimentation that is required as background for an article. It really is a case of "teach once, learn twice". One of the hardest parts of learning a new skill is finding a use for that particular skill. Unless we practise our skills it is a case of "learn it on Monday, forget it by Friday". The intensity of the writing experience helps retain knowledge.
Thank you Dave, and here's to many more articles!
In the first of our new series, we asked Dave Poole to share a brief overview of his writing career with Redgate.
I think it is fair to say my writing has evolved over the years since I started writing for SQLServerCentral. It will be 20 years in August since I submitted my first article.
I have been told explicitly that my writing was the reason I was offered a job from two separate employers. It has also been part of interview conversations for others. Unlike a few lines on your CV, writing reveals your thought process and the quality of your work. You are not just saying you can do a job you are actually demonstrating that you can. Writing and communication are also soft skills. Tech skills are easy to recruit for, soft skills are much harder to assess.
My writing has to be good enough to publish on someone else's site. When dealing with Andrew Clarke at Redgate I really have to be on top of my game. I am extremely grateful for feedback both from Andrew and also from Tony Davis. Thanks go to Steve Jones for his guidance and feedback and also for the response from the SQL Server community. Without an Andrew, Tony or Steve I'm not sure I would reach the quality bar I would like.
Another aspect of wanting to produce quality is the amount of study and experimentation that is required as background for an article. It really is a case of "teach once, learn twice". One of the hardest parts of learning a new skill is finding a use for that particular skill. Unless we practise our skills it is a case of "learn it on Monday, forget it by Friday". The intensity of the writing experience helps retain knowledge.
Thank you Dave, and here's to many more articles!