Any Writing WAHMs Ever Thought of Learning to Write Code?

[sherryy]

I'm a coder that stumbled into writing - now, I split my time between the 2.

My tech job isn't freelancing - it's for a big US corporation. I support our web development group, but my specialty involves database development & system analysis/design. If anyone wants to pursue a technical track, I'd suggest .Net (dot Net) - companies are snapping up anyone with those skills.

I would guess that tech freelancers compete with off-shore consultants even more than writers do.

[mommy2onelittleboy]

I've never done in professionally. I took a few computer classes in high school and familiarized myself with HTML. I used it for one of my own sites and when I had Myspace. I
I've done some coding for friends, but I've never been paid for it. In fact, I don't even think I remember enough of it to get paid to do it.

[wahmt]

Interesting post. Essentially, that what's I'm doing now (after various wahm areas: transcription, writing, proofreading). So, I'll post some scattered thoughts, and how I ended up where I'm at.

I dabbled with learning various languages in my spare time over the years, more as subset of reading as hobby, not necessarily for the purpose of practically using them (Java, Perl). I momentarily considered comp sci or comp Inf. Sys as college majors, but quickly dismissed them.

Hubby, though, did major in comp sci, and I've been exposed to the field indirectly over the last decade-plus (on days he works at home, I'm exposed to the other end of numerous conference calls, and you'd surprised what I picked up via that exposure

Two years ago, I also signed up for a SQL course through Elevate America (when they were offering those in various states), with the intent of getting SQL certified and starting out as junior DBA (which hubby assured me I could start off w/ ~ $60K (which I consider pretty good, having never really fully been in the workforce full time as an adult since I became a mom pretty quickly) My longest stretch of full time work post grad school was during my pregnancy for 5 months, so I'd have health coverage.) Anyway, you can imagine my level of "what i'm going to do now that i'm considering returning to work full time" and I've had just mothering and a sporadic part time freelance career for the last ten years!!! I'm NOT employable

Anyway, I'm in the process of launching a game company, and I'm essentially self taught. (Hubby did complete his cs degree at a decently prestigious liberal arts college, and my undergrad was liberal arts as well, so the whole well-roundedness and highly theoretical stuff, i got down) As far as the actual coding, I seek out the resources I need to learn what I need to know: currently, that's ActionScript3, Flash, and SQL/database (for storing user info and game states/player movements, etc.) I do that mostly via books, for example there is a "Bible" series for many language and technologies that's pretty comprehensive, so I read the AS3 Bible from cover to cover.

Hubby doesn't do a ton of straight up coding now, he does a lot of integration now, taking a bunch of stuff others have written and makes it all work (cause it often doesn't) It's an area that's in demand because not many people want to do it. As someone else had mentioned, yeah learning a computer language is similar in many ways to learning a foreign language.

I'm not sure where my career will end up exactly. If I can't make a go of being an indie game developer and entrepreneur, I'll still have a portfolio of the games I plan to launch (which demonstrate the requisite tech. skills associated w/creating them). At this point, I would not go back to college and pay $$ for another degree. I'd probably end up working on projects with the Free Software Foundation and become the expert in a specific niche and then be a paid consultant for companies who use whatever particular technology I focus on. (Essentially, that would involve working for free for some time (but that's what I've been doing for the last 9 months anyway, as I'm trying to launch my own company) For me, it helps that this is hubby's industry, it would probably seem a bit daunting otherwise. But I'm elated that I finally found "work" that I feel such energy about, after spending my early twenties wondering what on Earth I was going to do career-wise.

Tech is great as a career move!! i can't say that enough. I'm glad I got on board because I spent a lot of time working for an hourly rate, but not really learning any new and valuable skills and not feeling really energized about what I was doing or seeing any long term vision. It's not going anywhere any time soon. Every time I walk by the Apple store at the mall, the place is mobbed. A TON of people consuming the technology, but few who want to produce it.

Yeah, I so knew this wasn't going to be short

[wahmt]

Oh, and if anyone has any specific questions on the learning process, ask away. I've got an M.Ed. and since I've spent 2012 learning a few new technologies (which included reading a TON of related books), I feel like I could probably break it down fairly succinctly on how to tackle it. Or at least my process, which has proven pretty good for me so far.

[anng]

I don't know if it is a coincidence or what, but this morning I had an email from a company who said they'd learned I was interested in learning coding and that they're starting up courses in a number of categories (Mobile app/web design seems to be the one most about coding). I looked at the prices and it looks like it's about $1500 through Human Factors International. Not seeing much about them review-wise, other than complaints from past employees.

What's odd is that I haven't expressed any interest in learning coding, and the only thing I think that possibly links me with coding is this post. I just don't have a clue as to how they would have gotten my Yahoo email (It's not one I use for much other than online forums/surveys/contests/freebies). But if anyone is interested, I can forward the details they sent me. Looks like their classes are being held in five cities: Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, New York, San Diego, and Wash D.C.

[BloggingToolsforMe]

Thank you for all the wonderful posts everyone! Seems I'm not the only one with the niggling suspicion I should buckle down and start learning how to code. I follow tech companies via social media and blogging (and I post their writing jobs on my site), and I see on a daily basis the thousands (seriously, no exaggeration) of startups looking for coders/developers/software engineers. There are millions of dollars being invested in these startups by venture capitalists and the one variable they can't seem to control is their need for software geeks. (Like Wahmt is doing, many coders are themselves developing apps/games/etc. and then turning their ideas into their very own startup company). From LA to NYC and Australia to Istanbul, they're all in need of the staff to actually write the code for their "ideas" and make their idea a reality.

Wahmt: Can you provide the specific name for this "bible" series of books you referenced? Also, if you had to recommend a series of coding languages for newbies to learn, which languages would you recommend us learning, and in what order? Thanks!

[wahmt]

I should preface this by saying, after college and grad school (numerous exams, etc.) I feel fully aware of precisely how I learn best, so I can't say for sure if it would work as well for everyone else, but if you love reading and learn best that way, as opposed to hands on, then this method might work. (I take fully advantage of the fact that there are numerous printed resources and manuals on the technologies I need. (For example, in dh did some Palm development in the early days (think: iphone and android predecessors, and the technology was so new, there were no books on the topic. And some people learn best by diving right in and experimenting.) I like to READ, read, read, if i can.

The Head First Series is a good place to start (if they offer a book on the language you're interested in) BARNES & NOBLE | head first

Their guides are fun and make the material less intimidating and more accessible. You finish this type of book thinking I CAN do this.

The Bible Series (Here's the SQL Bible, for example) BARNES & NOBLE | SQL Bible by Alex Kriegel | Paperback

is very comprehensive. If you knew in everything cover to cover, you'd be ahead of the game.

Sam's Teach Yourself series (in 10 min a day or in 24 hours) BARNES & NOBLE | sams teach yourself java in 24 hours

is great for having something small to carry around with you in those lapses of time when you have 10 or 15 minutes with nothing else to do but wait.

I also have a Safari Oreilly subscription, so I can have 10 books on my bookshelf and download 5 chapters a month. (I use my Nook to read, and now that I got an Ipad, I've discovered they have a really great ipad format that I like better than their mobile version of the site I had to use on my Nook.)

I'm learning AS3 because that's the language of Flash, and I had already decided my goal was to create Flash-based games. So, Adobe has language specifications available online for AS3 (I'm guessing other languages have those as well.) 5+ years ago, ActionScript wasn't big enough to specialize, i think. Now, it's solely enough to be a way to earn a living.)

Online tutorials are good as well, but I could never use them as a standalone method of learning a new language, although less detailed ones are a great confidence builder as you're starting out.

DH seconded the .net suggestion, and if i have a chance later, I'll see what else he has to say about other languages. Talking to tech recruiters would be good too, if you can get one on the phone. Some tech positions sit vacant for years because they can't find anyone w/ particular skill sets.



I initially started learning Microsoft SQL because the Elevate America program was funded by Microsoft. But Oracle is a competitor, and they also offer their own database certifications.

More info: But even if you use an ereader, I'd recommend the Head First Series in actual print, they're phenomenal!

More, more info: And I also have my bibles in print versions too because they're so comprehensive, and i refer to them often. But my Nook has been great for reading large volume of books on overall theory books, not language specific.

[anng]

As I'd said earlier, my son's in his first year of a four-year software engineering program. To graduate (this changes from time to time), they have to know:

HTML and Java (First year)

Other things on his programming course list (so not everything will include coding specifically) include:

PHP
SQL
XML
C
Perl
AJAX
CGI scripting
X11/Qt

Then there are a bunch of "advanced programming" courses that don't specify exactly what is taught, but I have a feeling the list is a mile long.

[BloggingToolsforMe]

Thank you Wahmt and AnnG - that's really helpful info. Given me plenty to think on...

[quillgenius]

I actually studied programming at college. I did mainly independent study where I had a book and very little instruction. My professor simply provided guidance and graded my projects. I have to say, learning on my own was much more challenging, yet it stuck with me better than traditional classes. I've seriously considered getting back into programming this year.

One suggestion I might make is to learn to create blog themes. Many sites allow you to sell Wordpress and Blogger themes or you could sell them yourself from your own website. Wordpress themes in particular are extremely popular right now. For an idea of what I'm talking about check out Themeforest.