I was kicking around some ideas about directions for my writing.
My business had already touched on articles, courses, fiction, editing, coaching, newsletters, and guides.
I settled on Bitcoin as a niche because it’s the only area I want to invest my energy in.
It might sound harsh, but if you are a freelancer, and you aren’t writing in a niche that resonates deeply with you, why do it at all?
The plus side of being a writer in Bitcoin is that there are very few creative professionals in the space with deep skill sets. I’m not saying that to put anyone down. It’s a small ecosystem compared to insurance, pet care, fashion, and other writing niches.
Clients are forthright. They do what they say, and they don’t mess you around.
It’s easy to meet them too — founders, industry leaders, investors, and top minds can all turn you onto projects that need words. All you need is a clear profile and the guts to meet them. Over the last two years, I’ve had dozens of calls and have been to quite a few conferences.
Really, it’s the same as any other industry: success comes from clarity, consistency, reputation, and who you know. (For more on ‘how I built a bitcoin writing business’, read my Bitvocation article.
But in an industry that embraces AI with open arms, why call myself ‘Totally Human Writer’? Four reasons:
- It shows my values.
I believe in communication that is human centric. I’m a fiction writer. How could I not want to write for people? - It’s clear positioning.
If you want someone to pump out social truisms, 3-step guides, and ‘top 10’ articles, that’s not me. Repelling the wrong clients is just as important as attracting the right ones. - It’s a mark of quality.
I aim to work on high value projects, not $50 per keyword-stuffed blog content. - Purple monkey dishwasher
(would an LLM write that???)
Overall, I’m not against AI. That is not a position that’s tenable anymore.
I use Lumo for quick research, lists of items, quotes, and to summarize books and podcasts.
But using it to actually write just takes all the joy and meaning away.
Contrary to what AI shillers say, meaningful writing is worth more than ever before.
LLMs produce millions of words virtually for free. That’s why the internet is filled with shit content and no-one’s marketing is working any more.
There is no magic formula for cutting through the sea of slop.
As with anything, it’s about time, effort, and value.
We’re in the period where entrepreneurs and founders are figuring out what they can and can’t automate. Certain types of writing tasks can be automated. But if you automate your vision, message, and reduce the time spent in your community, your authenticity trends to zero too.
I recently read a podcaster’s book. I’m the perfect age to be in his target audience, so I was keen to see how he’d relate Bitcoin to my struggles. The book was written with AI (maybe 20-30% was the author’s work). It was awful. I felt no connection to his experience, his opinions. If he couldn’t put the work into writing it, why should I bother to read it?
Machine content is always derivative, and derivative work is less valuable than original work.
When ChatGPT started eating freelancers’ lunches (mostly due to short-sighted budgetary decisions), I thought long and hard about what AI can never do:
- Invent novel analogies & frameworks
- Understand biology & the mind
- Generate niche humour
- Vary voice effectively
- Share experiences
- Offer real opinions
- Write with rhythm
- Craft stories
We read to learn things. However, we also read to connect with others.
I don't know about you, but I don’t feel a connection with billion-page internet libraries.
Although technology advances at an exponential pace, human connection is one thing I think won’t change.
Next time, I become a children’s author.
Catch up on previous chapters on Substack.
I certainly found this to be true. Good writing takes effort. And I do still think that effort is visible.
I'd also add that we read to experience new thought. Maybe this is covered by "read to learn things" but I think of it often. The feeling of something new in pur minds is really marvelous. And words are often how we get to it.
We are truly at the proof of work inflection point with content.
If a human put real effort into it (and it shows), we connect with it a thousand time more than a turn-key book of slop.
Interesting idea about experiencing new thought. Words are magic in that they can create wonderful novelty or tired dross.
that might be the most astonishing thing for normies, honestly. Family friend was big-eyes what-tha-fuck?! when I told her I've never had a formal contract or payments in escrows etc ("sometimes people even pay me in advance," I said, "people who've never met me and don't know me"). Admittedly, she's a paralegal-something at the equivalent of DA's office so yeah, go figure.
Not sure why that is... because we so far only attract honest people, or because it's such a small place comparatively that ruined reputation would fuck you royally?
My theory is that if you have a truly aligned mission and incentives with clients, you can be open, honest, and effective.
Signal and Telegram groups that would normally be disorganized are the opposite. Shit just gets done.
Many current bitcoiners are engineers and systems thinkers. They want to check off tasks and get to the next one. Sometimes payment takes 10 minutes, haha.
Of course, clients can have shortcomings in other areas (e.g. tact or creativity), but writers develop pretty thick skins. Mostly it's about setting clear objectives and being honest about the time you need from clients (as well as what you deliver).