Getting the first miles in

I finished the draft of the third chapter today. After some proof reading of my own, it will be off to the editor for the first review. After writing a couple of chapters, it's a good time to do a bit of reflecting on the go.

I really enjoy writing this sort of content. Having the structure of the entire book laid out beforehand also really helps in making sure that I focus on a specific topic at a time. Without, I think I would be tempted to start drifting off topic by elaborating on more niche or advanced techniques.

With the structure in place, I already know that I will gradually introduce these topics. So it helps me better than expected.

So far the pace I've been able to keep is better than expected, but I'm sure I'll hit a snag somewhere, so best be working ahead of schedule. (Teenage me would have laughed at this 😅)

I was planning on measuring the time I've spent, but I haven't started, so I'm not sure if I will start to do that. I would need some automated tool I suppose. On a weekly basis, I tend to have a Tuesday evening and some other evening where I can dedicate a couple of hours on writing. And then there's some filler hours, when I can squeeze in a paragraph or two. So far it feels like it does take time, but it is not too much pressure.

I believe I have a good mix of introducing new concepts and gradually increase complexity of the topic. I'm learning a lot about underlying concepts on to go. The approach of writing and explaining is very different from looking up a solution to a problem. I've found that I really start to enjoy building a small application to flesh out a concept, or to demonstrate and try out different approaches.

The first part of the book will be completed after the fourth chapter, but unfortunately I'm not going to be able to finish it before my upcoming trip to Iceland. I think I'll spend the time with building a first version of the project that is part of the chapter, so I can start the writing process once I return.

Oh and I am well aware about the capabilities of AI tooling. I don't necessarily think it's a threat to the whole way we learn things. In my mind, AI can act as a solid companion for you to learn coding, but having a book (not just any book, mind you!) which offers a logical structure as well as explanations with context, is and will be valuable.

So far so good! I'm pleased about the progress, curious about the first review process (nervous, maybe?), but looking forward to working on the book still!