The IndieWeb Made It: My First Post Interview (On Coding, Writing, And Side Projects)

17 May 2026 #misc

Another victory for the IndieWeb and my blog: My first “post interview.”

Wait! Did I just invent a word?

Last week, Ismael from Turkey found my blog and reached out. After some emails, I accepted his invitation to answer his questions.

Here are Ismael’s questions—I’m answering in a single-take with no editing, apart from fixing typos and adding a few links:

1) Can you introduce yourself?

Hi, I’m Cesar from Colombia (not Columbia). A lifelong learner, I’ve been coding for over 10 years now. I’ve seen bad code and written my own. And I’ve broken a lot of things in all these years.

These days, I code in the mornings as a contractor/freelancer and write the rest of the time. I’d like to think I’m a simple man making my way through the galaxy, writing as I go.

2) How did you get into this field?

I don’t have a fancy story. My father didn’t buy a computer, and I got hypnotized when I saw it.

I’ve always had many interests. When I finished high school, coding wasn’t my first option. Younger me started to narrow down options until Software Engineering (the equivalent) was the one left.

3) What is the most difficult part of starting to develop a project?

Professionally, trying to figure out what clients truly need. Then, keeping a balance between quality, working code, and deadlines.

For personal projects, finding the time to work on them and keeping yourself grounded. You don’t know how many times I’ve heard from friends dreaming about the next big startup without writing a single line of code.

Funny story: one of them asked me to sign an agreement before sharing his idea. It wasn’t that good.

4) What motivates you most in this work?

Is money a valid answer? LOL.

More seriously, seeing the software I help build being useful for someone.

I remember the first piece of code I wrote professionally. It was a migration from an old tech to a C# desktop application. When I showed it to the colleague who needed it, seeing him smile was motivating and rewarding.

5) What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Do you have any hobbies?

These days, reading, writing, and watching TV shows.

After binge-watching a TV show, I need to write about it to feel less guilty. But they end up being a good source of writing ideas.

I’ve been paying more attention to my health, so I’ve been going to the gym and running lately.

6) Which technology blogs, podcasts, or communities do you follow? What resources would you recommend? (Blogs, YouTube channels, books, movies, TV series, etc.)

From the top of my head, here are a couple: Scott Hanselman, Joel on Software, The Pragmatic Engineer… The first two aren’t that active anymore, but they were inspiring on my journey.

I tend to keep an eye on r/programming, dev.to… And now with more blog aggregators, I sneak around every other day to see what blogs keep popping up.

Books? Everybody talks about Clean Code, but I like The Clean Coder more. You shouldn’t miss it. Check mine too. LOL!

TV Series? Mmm…I like spy shows. Recently, I finished PONIs and Slow Horses season 5… Oh, House M.D. I loved it.

7) What advice would you give to those who want to enter this field? Everyone is entering through AI or other means. What advice would you give to those who want to improve?

There’s a lot of hype in the headlines. Understand CEOs saying “coding is dead” have other incentives to make those statements. Hype is real.

We’re in the best time to learn coding. Decades ago, our parents had to pay for compilers, buy magazines, and learn from instruction manuals. Today, we have a coding coach in a text-box for free. Just don’t use it to think and code for you.

While you’re learning, don’t ask AI to generate code for you. Otherwise, it’ll be like sending someone else to the gym, then complaining when you don’t see your muscles growing.

8) What tools do you use?

I don’t have a fancy setup.

I use Visual Studio (not the “Code” one, the other), Notepad++, Notable (it’s dormant. The guy found a job or something and forgot about the tool), pocket notebooks… The regular tools: multiple browsers, terminal, etc.

9) Do you have an application you want to develop? Which platform or application would you like to be the founder of?

Not exactly an app. But the other day I had the idea of vibecoding a dozen of small websites I’d like to use: like a pill-time optimizer, a bullet list “my way,” a time-off finder…

These days, I’m more into writing. Before I retire, I’m leaving everything I’ve learned in books.

I’d like to start an indie creative studio. To help people write their books and businesses with their online presence.

Instead of founding a platform, I’d like to be an investor. Maybe, after I retire. Who knows!

10) Who else is currently working on fun or creative projects?

I don’t have a name on the tip of my tongue.

I like to sneak into people’s /now pages to see what they’re up to. That reminds me I should write mine too.

But I bet there are a lot of people in the IndieWeb doing cool things. For example, just recently,

• Someone started Bubbles, a blog discovery platform
• Someone else started Discover, another blog discovery concept.

11) How do you write so well? :) Share the secret to your fluent writing. While reading your blog, I suddenly found myself on page 25 and thought, “Wow!” :)

The other day, I checked my stats and saw some visits to page 25 and I thought it was a bot. But it was you. LOL!

Thanks for that compliment. Seriously, read a lot and write a lot.

That’s not a secret, but here it is: Hand-copy your favorite writer. Literally, grab a pen and paper and write a post or a book passage you like. Then, notice the headline, the first line, the introduction, sentences you like…

And when reading, read through a writer’s lens and see how the piece is written.

Oh, more recently, I’ve learned to write every sentence in its own line.

12) You have a book, a newsletter, and projects. How do you manage to keep up with all of them?

That’s a challenge.

I’ve been trying to simplify and create systems. These days, I’m considering quitting social media, for example.

It all comes down to having a writing system. My reading habit feeds my newsletter. My best posts feed my books. I don’t do coding projects that much anymore.

I put all my attention into one project or experiment at a time, even when that means letting everything else suffer a bit.

13) I’m curious, why don’t you use a custom domain name?

I should blame younger me.

I started my blog to improve my coding and wasn’t serious about my online presence or writing. And when I tried to buy one, the domain I wanted wasn’t available. But that’s one of the improvements I’ve planned for my blog.

Funny thing: trying to find a domain, I realize there’s a soccer player, a movie director, and a singer with my exact name.

14) Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Let me blow my own horn here for a second… If you’re learning to code, check out Street-Smart Coding. If I’ve done my job well, you’ll find it in the top of Google or ChatGPT results. That’s the book I wish I had 10+ years ago when I started coding.

And thanks for taking the time to reach out and for your questions. May the Force be with you…Live long and prosper…Happy coding…Peace!