All bloggers started as beginners. We picked things up, learned them, and got to the point where we wanted to start sharing our knowledge. The problem is that most of us moved on to talking about advanced topics and left people to fend for themselves on the difficult entry-level learning curve. My blog, Simple SQL Server, was actually created with me saying I was going to fill that gap, right up until the time I figured out the best way to learn advanced topics was to write things down as I learned.
Entry-Level Content Challenge
Tim Ford (b|t) noticed how we moved to advanced topics and asked us to remember where we came from in his Entry-Level Content Challenge.
It’s very simple. Create one blog post a month that someone just learning your job could understand and benefit from, use the #EntryLevel tag on your blog and notification on twitter, and link to his original post.
This is for everyone, I don’t care what job you have. I’m a SQL Server DBA, Tim’s a SQL Server DBA, but every profession has beginners that could use some help.
We’re Outnumbered
One of the things, if not THE biggest thing, you hope to do with a blog is to make a difference. Then you talk about advanced topics to help other people near your level keep moving forward. You also realize that teaching the details on these topics accelerates your learning and confidence faster than you thought possible. It’s great; I recommend everyone does it.
However, there are a couple problems with this logic. By the time people feel confident enough to blog, they aren’t talking about the fundamentals anymore. Also, for every advanced person in any field, there are many, many more entry-level people who could benefit from learning the fundamentals properly from the start.
Bloggers aren’t talking to the largest portion of their potential audience, who just happen to be going through the most difficult part of the learning curve.
It’s the Right Thing To Do
In no specific order, here’s why it’s the right thing to do. This list contains selfish reasons, moral reasons, and everything in-between.
- You want to reach a larger audience, and there’s more people who need this content.
- You were a beginner once and learned off of others.
- You wish you learned the fundamentals right from the start, but you didn’t always.
- You learn everything you teach better, even if you consider it simple.
- Tim challenged you, and it’s hard to say no to a challenge.
- You always wanted to make a difference.
New Bloggers
This is also a great opportunity for new bloggers. Talk about subjects you know well, even if you’re not at the level you feel comfortable teaching advanced topics.
The content is the only difficult part of blogging. Setting up a blog and creating a post is practically identical to setting up a new email account and sending an email. If you want to get into blogging and need help, let me know.
If Einstein Can Do It…
Einstein said “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” I took this quote to heart enough to name my blog after it. Try explaining the fundamentals simply, you’ll see how much your understanding of the topic increases to accomplish that feat.
