This story is a part of Hacker Noon's Meet the Writer series of interviews. The series is intended for tech professionals contributing the most insightful Hacker Noon stories to share more about their writing habits, ideas, and professional background (and maybe a hobby or two). If you too would like to start contributing to Hacker Noon, you can do so here.
So let’s start! Tell us a bit about yourself. For example, name, profession, and personal interests.
Hi, I’m Andy, known as CryptoBadger in the crypto space :-) I’m a photographer and videographer, as well as a photography tutor at a university.
I first became interested in Bitcoin in 2013 and started investing in crypto in 2017, initially only as a long-term hodl portfolio. Over time, I became more and more interested in the crypto space and the technology behind it. A couple of months ago I decided to start writing about crypto and making market commentary and tutorial videos on my YouTube channel.
I believe that blockchain technology is going to change wealth distribution in the same way the Internet changed the distribution and access to information and I want to help people understand blockchain and crypto.
I also hate the overly dramatic videos and clickbait titles about the next 10 coins to do 1000x and EMERGENCY VIDEO ABOUT THE MARKET CRASH and all other similar stuff. I think crypto space is pretty exciting as it is and I prefer to deliver information in a much more level headed way :-)
Interesting! What was your latest Hackernoon Top story about?
My latest article was about Ethereum gas fees. Gas fees can be a bit of a nightmare for anyone doing any transaction on Ethereum blockchain and can result in some nasty or frustrating surprises for many inexperienced users, so I thought that a short guide would be very helpful.
Do you usually write on similar topics? If not, what do you usually write about?
Yes, I write about crypto but from few different angles. I started by simply making notes and documenting my experiences in investing in crypto, which naturally lends itself to various tutorials and informative articles aimed usually at beginners or semi-experienced crypto investors. I also give my thoughts about long-term market predictions based on technical analysis and on-chain analysis, such as this article, where I discuss reasons why Bitcoin is unlikely to reach 100k before the end of this year or more generic thoughts about investing, like an article about renting vs owning property.
Great! What is your usual writing routine like (if you have one?)
My usual writing routine always starts with writing down a rough title of my next article and at the moment I have around 10 of those scribbled down on my phone and my laptop. Then, when I get a chance, I start writing down some bullet points, adding relevant links etc. Then I start expanding these bullet points into paragraphs and eventually, a whole article. Sometimes I do it all in one go, and sometimes it may take a few attempts before the article is ready, but the process is always the same. Finally, I ask my wife for feedback - she’s also a crypto enthusiast, but less technical and a very harsh critic, so her feedback is very valuable :-)
Being a writer in tech can be a challenge. It’s not often our main role, but an addition to another one. What is the biggest challenge you have when it comes to writing?
Lack of time. Especially last month was crazy busy so my writing was put on a backburner. But I kept writing down ideas and have now enough content for the next couple of months. Also, crypto space is developing at a very rapid pace so I sometimes find myself starting one article but then switching to write about something else, as it’s more relevant to the current market situation.
What is the next thing you hope to achieve in your career?
I have few big things planned for the upcoming months. I’m planning to deliver a series of workshops about NFTs to my university students. I’m also planning to write every week on Hackernoon and develop my YouTube channel to keep raising awareness about crypto and provide more quality content. My long-term goal is to help 1 million people to change their financial situation through crypto. It’s a bit ambitious but I’m sure I can get there, one step at a time :-)
Wow, that’s admirable. Now, something more casual: What is your guilty pleasure of choice?
Spending waaay too much on takeaways and going out to restaurants. Also, I do like good rum and various rum-based cocktails.
Do you have a non-tech-related hobby? If yes, what is it?
I have a few actually. I really enjoy training Krav Maga and going to the gym. I’m a bit of a petrolhead and I love motorbikes, especially cafe racers and retro. I currently have cafe racer-styled BMW R NineT. I also love travelling, especially if it involves diving (has to be somewhere nice and warm though!) or hiking in the mountains.
What can the Hacker Noon community expect to read from you next?
As I’ve mentioned above, I have quite a few ideas for articles. My next article will most likely be about various security measures you can put in place to keep your crypto investment safe, probably followed by an article about my thoughts about investing in the Cardano ecosystem and another one covering the psychological aspect of investing and why the next 1000x coin won’t make you a millionaire.
If you’re interested in market commentaries based on technical analysis, you can also check out my YouTube channel.
Thanks for taking time to join our “Meet the writer” series. It was a pleasure. Do you have any closing words?
Thank you for having me :-) It’s a pleasure to write for Hackernoon and create content for other like-minded individuals.