commit: dc8f9fd84cd365ddea3ca798b340ee97c952a2ee
parent f8c274e9148d6924e05cb0018dc09f5bf78601dd
Author: Drew DeVault <sir@cmpwn.com>
Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2023 15:49:20 +0100
A new focus
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+---
+title: Setting a new focus for my blog
+date: 2023-01-22
+---
+
+Just shy of two months ago, I published [I shall toil at a reduced volume][0],
+which addressed the fact that I'm not getting what I want from my blog anymore,
+and I would be taking an indefinite break. Well, I am ready to resume my
+writing, albeit with a different tone and focus than before.
+
+[0]: /2022/12/01/I-shall-toil-quietly.html
+
+> Well, that was fast.
+
+-- Everyone
+
+Since writing this, I have been considering what exactly the essential subject
+of my dissatisfaction with my writing has been. I may have found the answer: I
+lost sight of my goals. I got so used to writing that I would often think to
+myself, "I want to write a blog post!", then dig a topic out of my backlog
+(which is 264 items long) and write something about it. This is not the way;
+much of the effort expended on writing in this manner is not spent on the
+subjects I care about most, or those which most urgently demand an expenditure
+of words.
+
+The consequences of this misalignment of perspective are that my writing has
+often felt dull and rote. It encourages shallower takes and lends itself to the
+rants or unthoughtful criticisms that my writings are, unfortunately, (in)famous
+for. When I take an idea off of the shelf, or am struck by an idea that, in the
+moment, seemingly demands to be spake of, I often end up with a disappointing
+result when the fruit of this inspiration is published a few hours later.
+
+Over the long term, these issues manifest as demerits to my reputation, and
+deservedly so. What's more, when a critical tone is well-justified, the posts
+which utilize it are often overlooked by readers due to the normalization of
+this tone throughout less important posts. Take for instance my recent post on
+[Rust in Linux][1]. Though this article could have been written with greater
+nuance, I still find its points about the value of conservatism in software
+decision-making accurate and salient. However, the message is weakened riding on
+the coat-tails of my long history of less poignant critiques of Rust. As I
+resume my writing, I will have to take a more critical examination of myself and
+the broader context of my writing before reaching for a negative tone as a
+writing tool.
+
+[1]: https://drewdevault.com/2022/10/03/Does-Rust-belong-in-Linux.html
+
+With these lessons in mind, I am seeking out stronger goals to align my writing
+with, in the hope that the writing is both more fulfilling for me, and more
+compelling for the reader. Among these goals I have identified two particularly
+important ones, whose themes resonate through my strongest articles throughout
+the years:
+
+1. The applicability of software to the just advancement of society, its
+ contextualization within the needs of the people who use it, a deep respect
+ for these people and the software's broader impact on the world, and the use
+ of free software to acknowledge and fulfill these needs.
+2. The principles of good software engineering, such that software built to meet
+ these goals is reliable, secure, and comprehensible. It is in the service of
+ this goal that I beat the drum of simplicity with a regular rhythm.
+
+Naturally many people have important beliefs on these subjects. I simply aim to
+share my own perspective, and I find it rewarding when I am able to write
+compelling arguments which underline these goals.
+
+There is another kind of blog post that I enjoy writing and plan to resume:
+in-depth technical analysis of my free software projects. I'm working on lots of
+interesting and exciting projects, and I want to talk about them more, and I
+think people enjoy reading about them. I just spent six weeks porting Helios to
+aarch64, for instance, and have an essay on the subject half-written in the back
+of my head. I would love to type it in and publish it.
+
+So, I will resume writing, and indeed at a "reduced volume", with a renewed
+focus on the message and its context, and an emphasis on serving the goals I
+care about the most. Hopefully I find it more rewarding to write in this manner,
+and you find the results more compelling to read! Stay tuned.
+
+$ rm ~/sources/drewdevault.com/todo.txt
