The last few months have been… weird for me. To summarize, I’ve been studying programming and software development in my free time since the beginning of 2020, trying to find a way into a field I’ve always wanted to work in. I lost my pharmacy job in June due to mental health issues, and over the last few months, I’ve been frantically trying to learn how to code in python so I can get a programming job.
Well, I succeeded! I’ve learned how to code in python, and I’ve independently developed an application called the ProblemProofReader, a command line python app that proofreads .docx and .txt files for problematic targets–clunky, offensive, incorrectly used, or otherwise non-ideal words and phrases. For my first coding project ever, I wanted to develop something that other writers and I would find useful, but which would also force me to develop the fundamentals of software development. The Reader lets you define your own proofreading targets, change how you display your results, disable specific targets that you don’t want to search for; there’s a lot to it, but it was designed for use by non-programmers, so each page has clear instructions that walk the user through file selection, proofreading, and more.
You can download my newly published application here, at GitHub.com. Regular users can just download the file in the “installer” folder, and it will perform the rest of the installation. But python users can download the app’s individual files and pick them apart to see my (rushed, amateur) handiwork.
I intend to use this as a springboard into the programming world, a demonstration that my months of study have given me the chops to find an at least entry-level programming position. If and when I do so, I’ll be able to get back on track with writing and publishing, and I may have other programming projects to publish in the future.
It’s not much, the program I’ve published here. But it’s an exciting first step, and I’m eager to share it.
Crider the Writer 