With the evolution of Web2 into Web3, digital content creation and distribution is taking new forms. Notably, a major concern for writers in this new era is finding a platform that prioritizes full ownership of their creative expression and opportunities for monetization.
Web3 publishing platforms, which include features like blockchain technology and decentralization, meet those needs. Let’s explore some of the best Web3 publishing platforms you should consider as a writer looking to harness the power of Web3.
What Are Web3 Writing Platforms and What Makes Them Unique?
If Web3 refers to a decentralized, permissionless, and user-focused version of the web, then Web3 publishing platforms are publishing applications with all of those characteristics built in. Web3 publishing platforms refer to digital publishing applications integrating blockchain technology to provide features like ownership, transparency, and direct monetization options.
There are some key features that make Web3 publishing platforms different from regular publishing platforms.
Decentralized Blockchain Technology and Monetization
The biggest indicator of Web3 is blockchain technology. Web3 platforms can ensure transparency and true decentralization through the blockchain.
For instance, Web3 platforms can use blockchain tech to create literary NFTs or tokens from your written works. You could then use blockchain smart contracts to earn royalties for each subsequent sale of your tokenized work or to automatically pay a co-author.
Also, you’ll likely receive payment for your work in cryptocurrencies, which, as we all know, are typically based on blockchain technology.
Privacy
On Web2, there are endless data violation possibilities because users must submit personal information in the name of KYC verification. Web3 publishing platforms solve this issue by prioritizing anonymity and using wallet addresses.
Each user is recognized by an alphanumeric string of characters known as a wallet address. If this is important to you as a writer, then you should opt for Web3 platforms.
Mirror has established itself as one of the top platforms for Web3 publishing. The platform lives on the Ethereum network, which means any user can sign up with their Ethereum wallet and store their writing on Arweave, a permanent information storage network.
Mirror gives you two main ways to earn revenue on content: collectibles and Web3 subscriptions.
The first, collectibles, is possible by minting a piece of content as an NFT. Mirror offers a cost-free way to mint each post or piece of content, allowing the author to set a limited supply and price. Additionally, writers can embed any digital art NFT they’ve purchased into their blog posts or articles. The final literary NFT product will include both the written content and the digital art NFT.
The second monetization option is token-gating, which involves locking premium content behind a paywall that can only be unlocked with crypto.
All in all, Mirror has an easy-to-navigate UI and is a popular option for writers and customers alike. It also offers a fair bit of flexibility to your publishing monetization options.
Sigle is another option for Web3 publishing. It’s built on Stacks protocol, a Layer-2 solution that enables NFT and smart contract functionality on the Bitcoin blockchain. Because of its home network, Sigle uses the Bitcoin ordinal inscription technology instead of traditional Ethereum NFTs to store users’ content on the Bitcoin network.
Sigle has a few features that improve the user experience. First is the user interface, which is as simple as its Web2 rival, Medium. The second feature is a host of writer support tools, including a built-in editor, a custom SEO-optimized blog domain, and an intuitive dashboard.
Earning revenue for your writing on Sigle has the same formula as Mirror: token-gating and literary NFTs. However, a small difference is that writers on Sigle can choose in what currency to receive earnings.
The publishing industry is a competitive space ruled by publishing deals, leading new writers to go down the route of self-publishing through ebooks. Soltype comes in as a Web3 solution to self-publishing; it’s a blockchain-based ebook marketplace where writers can write, mint, and sell their work as literary NFTs.
Each collection of literary NFTs is under the author’s full control, so they can set a supply limit and price it however they choose. To increase the rarity of individual NFTs from the collection, the writer can attach unique cover art to ebooks in the collection.
Purchasing an NFT from the collection gives you full access and ownership of the ebook, which means you can read, trade, and resell on your choice of the best Solana marketplaces.
Paragraph takes a slightly different approach from other platforms because it targets writers who have already built an audience. If you’re a writer who already has a community, Paragraph lets you monetize it by offering three annual subscription plans to writers in different stages of growth. Writers with 100, 1000, and 5000 members must pay 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5 ETH respectively.
As for earning, each post on the platform is minted as an NFT, but authors can take their best posts further by turning them into a collectible. Buying a collectible gives the buyer complete ownership of the post.
Unlike the others on this list, Hashnode is a little niche. It is a blogging platform that caters to software developers and technical writers. Although the platform has Web2 features such as KYC verification and email signup, the platform hosts a large community of Web3 users that can’t be ignored.
Hashnode provides many tools to support the writers on the platform, including SEO support, automatic GitHub publishing and backup, an inbuilt editor, and a newsletter subscription service.
Hive Blog is a social networking and blogging platform built on the Hive blockchain. Like other blockchains, Hive has a native currency that facilitates transactions on all its projects, including the Hive Blog.
This blog does not reward authors for writing but encourages users to curate content and interact with other posts. Users with the most influence get a share of the platform revenue paid in Hive-Based Dollars (HBD), the platform’s stablecoin.
The Hive Blog is a hybrid platform that features various sign-up options to cater to Web3 and Web2 users. So, you could use an email address or remain anonymous with a wallet-based login.
Key Takeaways
- Web3 writing platforms provide full ownership of creative expression and opportunities for monetization through features like blockchain technology and decentralization.
- These platforms use blockchain technology to ensure transparency, decentralization, and privacy, offering options such as earning royalties from tokenized works and receiving payments in cryptocurrencies.
- Some popular Web3 writing platforms include Mirror, Sigle, Soltype, Paragraph, Hashnode Web3, and Hive Blog, each offering unique features and monetization options for writers. Exploring these platforms can offer more control, better earnings, and a fair publishing ecosystem.
Should You Use a Web3 Writing Platform?
Web3 writing platforms offer you more control over your content, better monetization options, and a more transparent and fair ecosystem. These features make Web3 writing platforms a good choice if you would like to make money from writing and remain anonymous while doing so.
The best thing about all of this is how it removes all the intermediaries and makes publishing more accessible. However, it could be a bit challenging to learn how to navigate the world of cryptocurrencies and Web3. But it’s definitely worth trying.
