: Re: How does a code monkey become a novelist? I have always loved creative writing, but honestly do not see software engineers that write fiction all that often. Heck, I do not see software engineers

@Nimeshi163

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I'd like to add one more thought that has greatly helped me as a writer, from software development perspective:

Find the right tools.

Just like in software development, you'll benefit from getting the right tools for the job. This applies both to software... and the fiction-writing thing, but mostly to software. Also, as in development world, not all tools are appropriate for all jobs. Use whatever tools you need to get the job done. Remember that there's no magic tools that can make you mysteriously not suck overnight, but everywhere around you, you can find tools that can help you learn and help you make better fiction.

And the really fun part is, a lot of the software development tools can be repurposed for fiction. I really like git, darnit, so I use git for versioning and syncing my work. If you've run across a neat program for real-world use, don't be afraid to use it to help it for fiction writing. (A recent example from my own case was that I picked up Gramps, a genealogy package, and found it to be extremely useful for character data as well.)

Also, remember that there's always time to design and time to write code. Similarly, there's a time to plan and time to write. Writing whatever comes in mind may be a viable strategy but it can produce junk. Planning stuff meticulously may be a viable strategy but leads to the analysis paralysis. Finding the right kind of equilibrium between the two ends is probably easier in fiction writing than it is in coding.

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