So here I am, writing another book. It’s always really exciting writing a book, planning it, knowing that I’m writing something that will help people do their jobs. Sometimes I get bored writing about the same topic for 30 or so pages in a row, but every once in a while, I start a chapter with very little idea about what to say. I find these chapters the most exciting, because it means that I need to do research to figure out what to write.

Right now I’m working on one chapter in particular that has completely taken on a life of its own. My initial outline has been nearly thrown out the window as I’m discovering more and more useful and cool stuff that I’m sure everyone will love. I’m actually excited to see what happens in the rest of the chapter…and I’m the one that’s writing it!

There’s an old saying about novelists, that they don’t write their characters, their characters write through the author. Sometimes that’s how I feel writing about programming, sometimes, it’s the topic that writes through me.

Any yes, I’m being purposely vague about the topic. Wouldn’t want the competition to get wind and try to beat me to the punch, now would I?