Hey Hackers!
I am glad to announce that I have been nominated for the 2022 Noonies Award.
A huge thanks to the HackerNoon community and staff for considering me worthy of this opportunity. I’ve been nominated in the following categories and if you like my writing, please do check out these award pages and vote for me:
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HACKERNOON CONTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR- BITCOIN
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HACKERNOON CONTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR- BUSINESS
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HACKERNOON CONTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR- DAO
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HACKERNOON CONTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR- FACEBOOK
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HACKERNOON CONTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR- INTERNET
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HACKERNOON CONTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR- SOCIAL-MEDIA
As a tech writer, I believe that one of the most exciting technologies of the present is blockchain and the boom of innovations in Web 3.0. Learn more about my thoughts and opinions on blockchain, Web 3.0, and my writing journey in tech via the interview below.
1. Tell us about your journey. What do you do and what do you love about it?
My interest in tech originally came from my Master's thesis in law where I wrote about IP rights on climate-friendly technologies. The writing process opened my eyes to the gap between advanced technology and traditional legal knowledge. I am interested in the grey area zones. Climate change and green tech are extremely complex areas, hard to write about without an engineering or science degree, and even harder for casual readers to digest. On the other hand, I find that topics like blockchain and Web 3.0 can be understood on a general level by anyone.
2. Tell us more about your work. What do you make/write/manage/build?
I read and write about blockchain and Web 3.0 on a hobby basis to gain more knowledge and to convey my input to readers. I find that trustworthy, reliable sources on Web 3.0 are hard to come by. Most people are educated through search engine top results, short clickbaity articles, and Twitter threads. I try to be critical and dig deeper.
3. What made you choose HackerNoon for publishing your work?
HackerNoon was a game changer for me since it helped me to gain more reach and connect with like-minded writers. Some of the leading personas in tech contribute to HackerNoon, and it’s a privilege to be posted alongside so many skilled and knowledgeable writers. At the same time, the atmosphere on HackerNoon is chill, the editors are friendly, and posts are typically accompanied by plenty of GIFs, memes, and quirky humor.
4. What excites you in tech? Tell us about your favorite technology and why you are passionate about it.
I am excited by many things in tech. Right now, I am particularly interested in the DeFi and Web 3.0 space. DeFi is disrupting traditional finance and presents an opportunity for low-income demographics to explore income streams that are exclusively reserved for the rich in traditional finance. Of course, DeFi is also associated with high risks. The Web 3.0 space provides ways for creators to be fairly compensated for their work without going through social media algorithms and gatekeepers, while they can attain ownership and more control of their work.
5. What were some of the challenges you faced being a tech writer and how did you overcome them?
The hardest part was getting started with online writing. You spend a lot of time thinking about what you want to say and how you should say it, prepare, plan, write, edit, and finally put yourself out there. In the other end, very few people care about what you have to say, or even bother to read it. For most new writers this is the reality. Catching people’s attention for more than a few seconds or minutes is a big challenge. I was mentally prepared for that when I started
my blog and promoted the first posts on social media. My strategy for overcoming doubts and “imposter syndrome” is thorough research.
6. What are you learning/reading currently? Any recommendations for our readers?
I will give a few recommendations for books that I am currently reading or have read recently. In no particular order:
- Jonathan Bier (2021) The Blocksize War: The Battle for Control Over Bitcoin’s Protocol Rules
- Kai-Fu Lee (2018), AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order
- James Dale Davidson (1997): The Sovereign Individual: Mastering the Transition to the Information Age
- Campbell R. Harvey (2021): DeFi and the Future of Finance
- DEFIYIELD App (2021): The Wall Street Era is Over: The Investor's Guide to Cryptocurrency and DeFi
- Crypto Art, NFT Trending (2021), Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Investment Guide; Platforms, Exchanges, Lending, Borrowing, Options Trading, Flash Loans & Yield-Farming.
- Nick Bostrom (2014): Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies
- Kevin Owocki (2022): GreenPilled: Regenerative CryptoEconomics: How Crypto Can Regenerate The World
- Justin E. H. Smith (2022): The Internet Is Not What You Think It Is: A History, A Philosophy, A Warning
- Kai-Fu Lee & Chen Qiufan (2021): AI 2041: Ten Visions for Our Future
7. What is your biggest achievement so far?
I’ve had small victories along the way, including positive feedback from different people, being published on various platforms such as HackerNoon, and seeing a couple of my posts go viral or at least exceed 1000+ views. I also won Third Place two times in the Decentralized Internet Writing Competition hosted by QuickNode’s and HackerNoon’s. As a tech writer without any substantial background in tech, I am proud of these achievements 🤠
8. If we gave you 10 million dollars to invest in something today, what would you invest in and why?
I would invest 70-90% in green tech, AI, and information technology, buy some bitcoins on an exchange and transfer them to a cold wallet, and use the remaining 5% to mess around in DeFi. I am interested in these industries and believe in them long-term.
9. What advice would you give to someone just starting in this field?
I think that persistence is key. Although it’s a difficult exercise, I try not to focus too much on engagement rates and view counts, but more on posting regularly and of course researching the topics I write about.
10. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Fortune favors the bold.
Voting opens on 15th August 2022.
Below is your sign to vote for our amazing nominees 😉!
About HackerNoon’s 2022 Noonie Awards
The annual Noonie Awards celebrate the best and brightest of the tech industry, bringing together all who are making the Internet and the world of tech what it is today. Please be sure to check out our award categories, nominate, and vote for the people and companies who you think are making the biggest impact on the tech industry today.
The 2022 Noonies are sponsored by: BingX, and .tech domains. Thank you so much to these sponsors who are helping us celebrate the accomplishments of all our nominees.