The First Decentralized Writing Platform Mirror Is Now Open to Anyone with an Ethereum Wallet

Mirror.xyz is the world’s first decentralized blogging platform. It got launched in December 2020.

The Mirror platform works on the cryptocurrency Ethereum. It runs on a decentralized and user-owned network. According to Mirror.xyz, “Mirror’s publishing platform revolutionizes the way we express, share and monetize our thoughts.”

Mirror is a Web 3.0 platform. On Mirror, users own their data and identity. That is different from Web 2.0 social media platforms. In the Web 2.0 model, the owners of the social networks own your data and identity.

Now Anyone with an Ethereum Wallet Can Join Mirror

In October 2021, Mirror announced that anyone with an Ethereum wallet could join the platform and start writing.

Before the announcement, Mirror was only open to a select few writers. The platform held weekly WRITE races. In the WRITE races, existing members voted for who got invited to join the site as writers.

The WRITE races still seem to be running, even though you no longer need to participate to be allowed to join Mirror. I don't know the reason why the races are still running.

So, now you can get an Ethereum wallet and join Mirror. Why would you want to join this crypto-based platform, though? The crypto-based monetization methods are the main reason.

Emily Segal Crowdfunded Her Novel with Mirror, But She Didn’t Always Love Cryptocurrencies

Mirror is similar to the blogging platform Medium, except that it’s not. Everything on Mirror is crypto-based, including monetization.

On Mirror, you can post your content as Entry Editions and put it behind a paywall like on Medium.

The monetization options on Mirror include creating NFTs (non-fungible tokens), holding auctions, and launching crowdfunding campaigns.

Author Emily Segal crowdfunded her second novel with Mirror. Emily Segal told Decrypt that when she first heard about cryptocurrencies, she got depressed! She wasn’t immediately excited about them.

When Segal heard about NFTs, cryptocurrencies gained her interest. She realized crypto crowdfunding could help small artists like herself get monetized.

Segal did get monetized for sure; she raised 25 ETH (more than $50,000) within 24 hours.

If you’re like me, you might be wondering what the heck NFTs are anyway. This article on Decrypt explains everything you need to know about non-fungible tokens.

Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, are fungible tokens. They are divisible. Non-fungible tokens are non-divisible, and they are unique.

With non-fungible tokens, you can prove digital ownership. I’m still in the process of wrapping my mind around the concept of NFTs. But as Emily Segal’s case shows, non-fungible tokens can revolutionize the way writers earn money from their work.

Are You Going to Join Mirror?

I feel tempted to join Mirror, but I need to get an Ethereum wallet first. I have a Bitcoin wallet but not an Ethereum wallet.

I also want to learn more about how to get monetized on Mirror. I already joined Bitclout without understanding how do you actually earn money there. So, I have a Bitclout profile now. But I don’t know what the heck I’m supposed to do with it!

I don’t want to make the same mistake with Mirror. I want to do my research first so that I know if it’s worth my time. It sounds like a dream. The only problem is that I still don’t understand the concept of a crypto-based network. I still can’t wrap my head around how the NFTs work.

I’d like to believe you don’t have to be tech-savvy to understand platforms like Mirror. I have a feeling that I’m not the only writer who is not technology-oriented.

What do you think about Mirror? Are you going to join them now that they have turned into an open-publishing platform?

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A Step-by-Step Guide to Get Started with Mirror, the First Decentralized Writing Platform