This weekend I was at WordCamp Berlin, met a lot of great people, and watched a lot of interesting presentations. WordCamps are actually quite informal by themselves, but at the afterparties, people are really letting their shoulders down and it often seems like people are long-time personal friends. If you open up to it, it won’t take long until people will give you feedback on whatever you have released in public.
So here are six reasons why I will continue to release code, write blog posts, give talks at WordCamps – and go the afterparties!
People coming up to me and saying:
1/2: “I like/dislike your plugin because […]”
3/4: “I enjoyed/disagreed with your blog post because […]”
5/6: “Your talk inspired/disappointed me because […]”
I actually experienced all six versions of these sentences this weekend and had some really good conversations. I got so much valuable feedback. All of the feedback was so constructive. Some were affirmative, and people thanking you for what you do is, of course, a great thing to experience. Other feedback gave me insights, new ideas and perspectives. That part is what helps me develop myself as well.
As an example, my talk was titled “How to be a REAL developer”, and was my attempt at giving an inspirational talk helping experienced coders to overcome the impostor syndrome and helping beginners to overcome the fear because everything seems so difficult. It was not my best talk, and some of the feedback I got will help me improve it. But hey: Two people told me afterwards that they now were inspired to try start coding. What a #win!
Such a grateful experience! WordCamps are an excellent stage to get feedback from people who actually use/read/listens to the things you create. Actually meeting people who do that – and make you realize that someone actually does – can be a little overwhelming in itself too :-)
So everyone who arranges WordCamps, speaks, sponsor and/or attend: Thank you!
Auf wiedersehen!