Hashnode Bootcamp - Monetizing Expertise & Exploring Opportunities (Day 3)
My notes from the Hashnode Bootcamp - Day 3
Table of contents
Welcome Notes
Starting this AMA styles session, Dani Passos talked about freelance writing opportunities in the developer world with a focus on how you can leverage your skills to generate income.
Speaker: James Q Quick (Full-time technical content creator & Teacher)
James opened with his experience doing content creation which was a requirement in his job as a Technical Evangelist - demos, videos, speaking at events, and writing. After looking at several years of building a brand by using written content to make money and grow his audience, he took all his content, including videos, and blog posts, and linked them to create a bigger audience.
Takeaways
Guest author programs such as scotch.io, Logrocket, Twilio, and tons of other companies are looking for content writers.
Finding a broad topic and focusing on something you are learning by creating a journey around that is crucial to having a niche in freelance writing. Spend six months building deeper technical experience in a given topic, and then it is okay to change the niche.
Blogging is a great way to create quality content and have a reference for your work. Build a series of technically and grammatically correct articles that showcase your expertise. Engage with communities to increase exposure and connect with like-minded individuals. Attend networking events and connect with others to expand your reach and influence.
Start immediately, you can use Hashnode using tools and plugins like Front Matter CMS for VS Code. Another thing is tracking ideas and planning how to write those ideas you get. Write about stuff you are excited about because it's going to get a lot better.
Use AI tools to reformat and provide bullet points and titles for your writing. Videotap will take a video and write a blog post for you.
AI will not replace content creators and software developers. AI is never perfect; you have to be part of the process. The incorrect way is to auto generate a blog post, and then ship it to your site or blog. Using AI tools for suggestions for titles is ok. The questions you should ask are: does your title give people a reason to read your blog post? How and why would people choose to read your blog posts?
Blog posts offer SEO benefits and build credibility in the developer community. Content teams and roles specialize in documentation writing, which requires the ability to communicate technical concepts to diverse audiences. writers can simplify complex content for non-technical individuals or provide in-depth explanations to technical audiences. Writing makes you prove that you're good, and contributing to Open Source documentation can showcase expertise.
Making a lot of money from working on content is a definite yes. You can leverage your audience by building a business around it by providing value first. The benefit is ultimate flexibility and ultimate control. If you want to know what you're capable of doing, Do something for yourself.
It is better to focus on quantity first when starting out, and then improve your quality by refining your content over time.
Consistently do things you are excited about because if you take a break and come back to it, you're going to be excited to get back. Consider how you feel about the things you do daily and switch between writing content and doing other things.
Participating in #100daysofcode can keep you accountable and engaged in learning consistently over an extended period. Engaging with the community is also a great way to continue learning through teaching and reinforcing what you've learned. Writing, blogging, and creating videos about a particular topic can help you perform better in interviews by showcasing your technical skills and creating a portfolio of your work. Sharing your content genuinely can also help you gain visibility and credibility within the community.
As you're learning, you are the most relevant person to create content on that topic, because you intimately remember what it's like to learn that thing just now.
James Q Quick
AI only enables technical writers, content creators, and developers to do more and do it more efficiently and better than before. More roles are evolving for developer experience and educational content, and tools are evolving the way we do it, but not replacing the fact that we have to do it.
Have an idea beforehand of the points you need to get across. Get your first draft down to about 50% to make it as concise as possible. Pay attention to how you consume content and avoid long paragraphs and text. Plan, take out excessive text and draw readers to certain keywords and headers, bullet points, and callouts.
Conclusion:
Balance Daily Activities:
Reflect on your daily tasks and emotions.
Switch between content creation and other activities for a well-rounded approach.
Code and Create Synergy:
If you're a software developer, integrate coding sessions into your writing routine.
This blend enhances creativity and generates fresh ideas for content.
Transform Problem-Solving into Content:
When solving an issue with a specific framework or language, convert the learning into valuable content.
Share your experiences and insights with the developer community.
Run Series on Specific Topics:
Don't shy away from running a series on a particular topic.
The demand for content exceeds the current supply, making it a fruitful endeavour.
Overcome Fear of Redundancy:
Don't let the fear of others covering similar ground hinder your creativity.
Your unique perspective is valuable and can resonate with a different audience.
Address Content Consumption Habits:
Recognize that many individuals consume multiple pieces of content to find answers.
Embrace the opportunity to contribute and share your insights in response to common questions.
Bootcamp Wrap up.
The Hashnode Bootcamp was a mind-blowing experience that lasted for three days, packed with practical advice and valuable insights on technical writing, from creating compelling content and building a personal brand to leveraging your expertise for profit, it was truly an amazing learning opportunity.
Thank you, Dani Passos and the Hashnode community!