The most common reason why developer articles are not readable
is not because the content is incorrect.
In most cases,
it is because they speak different languages.
Developers speak in the language of technology,
while readers understand in the language of life.
If this gap is not bridged,
no matter how good the content is,
it will not resonate with people.
People do not remember code
They remember situations
You may have seen articles like this:
"This function runs in O(n) time."
"This structure is highly scalable."
"This approach is more efficient."
These statements are not wrong.
However, few people remember the content of these articles
after a few days.
On the other hand, sentences like this stick with people:
"Will this code save me when the server crashes at 3 AM?"
This sentence
does not contain complex technical explanations.
But it has a situation.
People understand and remember
through situations, not technology,
and remember through situations.
Common traits of good developer articles
When you closely examine well-written developer articles,
you will find common characteristics.
- Situations come before code
- Context is emphasized before feature descriptions
- Reasons for choices are highlighted over correct answers
In other words, it flows like this:
Situation → Concern → Judgment → Choice → Result
This structure
is more akin to a story
than a technical blog.
And stories
are the most easily accepted form by the human mind.
Translating technology into the language of life
Translating technology into the language of life
does not mean simplifying difficult words.
It is a shift in perspective.
For example:
- "This API is not RESTful"
- "This API makes first-time users keep referring back to the documentation"
- "This structure has high coupling"
- "Changing one part of this structure breaks other parts"
- "Optimized for performance"
- "Even with heavy traffic, I can go to sleep"
It does not eliminate technical terms.
It reveals the 'real-world changes' brought about by technology.
Why this approach is powerful for branding
Technology-centric articles
always face fierce competition.
Someone has already
organized it better,
written more detailed explanations,
and explained it faster.
However, the situations you have experienced cannot be replicated.
- In what context you encountered this problem
- Why this choice was necessary
- How that choice changed your life
Only you can write about these.
Therefore, technology articles translated into the language of life
are not compared
and not replaced.
The moment readers feel, "Oh, this is about me"
Branding is complete
when people start saying things like this.
"This person's articles always resonate with my situation."
When this is said,
regardless of the technical depth,
people keep coming back.
Because
that article does not provide information
but shines a light on themselves.
Try writing like this
Before writing,
start with these questions.
- When was the moment I needed this technology?
- In what state did this choice rescue me?
- What was the difference before and after implementing this?
And start your sentences like this.
- "The most anxious moment when I first implemented this was..."
- "The day I decided to create this feature was..."
- "The reason for choosing this structure was simple..."
By writing like this,
technology naturally takes a back seat,
and the story comes forward.
In the next article
In the next article,
we will explore
where and how to build upon these accumulated stories
to create a brand.
Let's talk about why using many platforms is not the answer,
why you need to choose a 'home base,'
and why branding is not
a scattering game but
a game of accumulation.
Let's continue in the next article.