Hashnode Bootcamp Day 3: Monetizing Your Expertise and Exploring Opportunities

Hey there! Did you hear about the Hashnode Bootcamp? It was a three-day event from May 1-3 that helped developers like us improve our writing skills, connect with other professionals, and get ahead in our careers. Even if you're just starting out in the tech world, this Bootcamp was perfect for you!

If you had participated, you would have had so many benefits! You could have made your voice heard in the tech community, met new people to help you in your career, and improved your writing skills. Plus, you would have inspired other developers to do his best too!

The Hashnode Bootcamp was an amazing opportunity to learn new things and be a part of the tech community. You could have gained so much knowledge and made connections that would help you in the future. So, don't miss out on the chance to grow both personally and professionally!

Freelance Writing Opportunities for Developers by [James Q Quick] @jamesqquick

James Q Quick is a full-time technical content creator with over 10 years of experience in software development and developer advocacy. He is excited to be at the Hashnode Bootcamp and hopes everyone will get a lot out of it. He creates YouTube videos, spends time on Twitter and TikTok, does courses, public speaking, and consulting for content. He also focuses on intertwining writing as he builds up his brand and repurposes content across different platforms. James is happy to answer any questions.

So what inspired you to start freelance writing as a developer? How did you get in this journey?

James's kick starting point for creating content was a requirement for his job as a technical evangelist, which involved creating demos and speaking at workshops. He initially didn't have any interest in content creation, but eventually saw it as a way to build his brand, get exposure, and make money. He started by writing an article for a platform called scotch.io and eventually began creating blog posts from his YouTube videos to get more exposure and make money. His personal brand building and content creation eventually led him to a full-time career with ultimate flexibility and control.

What types of freelance writing opportunities would you say that are generally available for developers?

Many companies have guest author programs, such as Auth0, Twilio, Scotch IO, and Pot Rocket. These programs allow companies to bring in outside content creators and pay them for his work. It's a great opportunity to get exposure for your brand, build your platform, and get paid for creating content. Additionally, some companies offer sponsored articles and videos as a way to learn more about other products while prioritizing your time. These guest author programs are a fantastic opportunity to expose your brand and get paid while continuing to build your platform.

How important would you say is having a niche and a freelance writing word for developers?
How do you choose your niche or is that important and should you write about everything and anything?
How do you go with that?

James discusses the benefits and drawbacks of having a specific niche when creating content. While being known for a specific topic can help establish expertise and attract an audience, it may limit one's options in the future if the topic loses popularity. However, James suggests that having a niche is not necessarily permanent and that he personally maintain a general focus on web development and JavaScript while occasionally niching down for specific projects, such as building a course on a framework called Astro.
James plans to focus on a certain topic for six months to build deeper technical experience and potentially create a paid product at the end. This allows for flexibility in exploring different topics and staying up-to-date with new technologies. The goal is to provide value to the community through content creation.

How can writers market themselves effectively to attract new clients?
Amul Gaurav
Cling Multi Solutions, India

To be a successful guest author, it is important to have a portfolio of high-quality articles that demonstrate your writing abilities and expertise in a particular field. These articles should be grammatically correct, technically accurate and reviewed by others to ensure his quality. It is also important to actively engage in the community by sharing code snippets, tips, and responding to other people's tweets. By doing so, your brand exposure increases, and people become more aware of the valuable content you create. Networking is essential, and it is about engaging and showing up for the community, rather than being selfish.

What are some resources or tools that freelance writers can use to improve their productivity and efficiency?
Amul Gaurav
Cling Multi Solutions. India

James advises that people should not let the idea of building his own website or blog hold them back. He suggest that using Hashnode is a great place to start and that users can later customize and build his own website and cross-post to Hashnode. James recommends using a plugin called front matter CMS in VS code to manage markdown content. Lastly, he emphasize the importance of tracking ideas and planning as a content creator.
James has many more ideas for content than he can create and tracks them using a running ideas section in Notion. He recommend writing about topics that excite you and using AI tools like Hashnode and Chat GBT for inspiration. He also recommend using Video Tap to transcribe YouTube videos into blog posts. James also mentions the VS code extension Front Matter CMS for managing embedded markdown.

As content creators, can you advise us on the correct way to work with AI technologies and the incorrect way? Thanks, James!
Michael Larocca

James discusses the fear of whether AI will replace developers and content creators. He mention a tool called "Video Tap" that uses AI to write a blog post based on video content, but emphasizes that the creator still needs to approve and edit the post to ensure quality and voice. He suggest using AI for inspiration and making edits to fit the audience's expectations. James also mentions the importance of using AI to suggest impactful titles and metadata to attract readers among the countless content options online.

What do recruiters see in a candidate when hiring for a technical writer? Also, are there a positions in Technical writing like SDE (Junior, midlevel or senior)
Shashank Sharma
Aspiring Software engineer, India

There are technical writing positions available within companies, often within a dedicated content team focused on creating blog posts and documentation. These positions can be important for building SEO value and establishing trust and expertise within a given field. Companies without a strong content presence may be viewed with skepticism compared to those with proven knowledge and best practices. Such positions are readily available within many organizations.
James confirms that there are different levels within technical writing, similar to other software engineering roles. The most important skill for a technical writer is being able to communicate technical concepts to audiences of varying levels of experience. The ability to translate technical concepts into understandable language for different audiences is crucial. To showcase his skills, aspiring technical writers can write for themselves, contribute to open-source documentation, and reach out to people already in the job title for advice.

Do you believe we can make good living from blogging + youtube + paid course creation instead of being a full time developer?
Amit Thakur Thakur
United Arab Emirates

James is not sure if he should feel offended by a question, but he say he can definitively answer that he make good money in his line of work. He are willing to discuss his income transparently, as he believe some people doubt it's possible. As an example, he made six figures in one year by only working on content for half of it.
Creators can make a lot of money by building a large audience on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram and then leveraging that audience to build a business. By providing free value and then offering paid products or services, creators can make a good living from blogging, creating online courses, and other forms of content creation. Doing this also provides ultimate flexibility and control over one's work, as well as the ability to definitively prove what one is capable of.
James plans on continuing to build a business around content creation and learning about marketing. He emphasize that as a full-time content creator, everything is his responsibility, including figuring out taxes and logistics. While it is a possibility to become a full-time content creator, it requires consistency and practice. James has been doing it for years leading up to his current position.

Initially focus more on quality or quantity to attract the audience?
Vaibhav Jain
India

The biggest recommendation for creating content is to just start. Don't overthink it or try to make it perfect, just publish it and use it as a learning experience for your next project. Focus on quantity early on and then work to increase quality with each piece of content. Iterate on your process by paying attention to what worked and what didn't and continually strive to improve.

How do you get back to creating content after a vacation? This is when the procrastination kicks in for mee
Supriya M

To stay consistent in your work, focus on doing things that excite you rather than just doing things because you feel like you have to. This applies not just to creating content but to your whole career. Look at everything you do and figure out what aspects you enjoy and try to do more of that. This will make the experience more enjoyable for you and it will show in your work.
James suggests having a conversation with a manager or looking for a different role to spend more time doing things you're excited about. It's important to reevaluate tasks that don't excite you and pivot your time to do more of what you're passionate about. Building a routine is also important for productivity and accountability. Getting back into a routine after vacation is essential for productivity. Spend time doing things you're excited about and make sure he're incorporated into your daily routine.

How do I deal with writer's block?? Also is it safe to run a series on a particular topic?
Joy Akhanolu
OneSocialCode, Nigeria

James acknowledges the issue of writer's block and suggests that it's okay to pivot to other things. He encourage individuals to intentionally consider what he're excited about to help overcome writer's block. James also shares his personal experience of going through phases of creating content and emphasizes the importance of taking breaks to focus on technical work such as coding. This not only helps break up mental space but also generates fresh ideas for content. James concludes by emphasizing the importance of acknowledging personal needs such as going for walks or coding to overcome writer's block.
James suggests taking time for oneself to do things that bring joy before coming back and doing something exciting. He also encourage creating content on topics that have already been covered because there are always people searching for answers and consuming multiple perspectives before finding the solution that resonates with them. Therefore, one's unique voice and experience can provide value to those searching for answers.

Should I be making content alongside learning? Like talking to people, recording and also sharing it with people when you are just starting?
Shreya Mishra
100devs, India

The most important advice for people early in his careers is to share his learning journey, according to a bootcamp teacher who has taught over 300 people. Sharing what you learn makes you a more successful learner and reinforces your knowledge, while also giving you an opportunity to practice communication skills important for interviews. Additionally, sharing your learning journey can serve as a portfolio to provide credibility and showcase your knowledge and experience to potential employers.
The idea of 100 days of code is great because it keeps you engaged and accountable for an extended period of time. Sharing your progress can lead to more people following you, potentially leading to job opportunities. As you learn something new, you are the most relevant person to create content on that topic because you intimately remember what it's like to learn that thing.

How do you see the role of technical writing evolving in the future?
Shashank Sharma
Aspiring Software engineer, India

The importance of technical writing and content creation roles is growing, particularly in terms of developer experience and marketing. Effective documentation and content can lead to increased conversion rates and revenue for a company. The use of AI can augment these roles and enable individuals to do more efficiently, but it will not entirely replace them. The evolution of tools and technology can be taken advantage of while still ensuring a personal touch in the final approval of generated content. Overall, these roles are seeing growth and recognition in his importance.

What are some best practices for writing clear and concise technical documentation?
Shashank Sharma
Aspiring Software engineer, India

To effectively communicate ideas in content creation, it is important to plan ahead and focus on being concise rather than trying to fill space with unnecessary words. Consumers of content prefer shorter and more direct materials, with headers, bullet points, and call outs emphasizing important information. Breaking up paragraphs and sentences further improves readability by drawing the reader's attention to relevant information. Attention to detail in content creation ensures maximum engagement with readers.

James expressed gratitude for being invited and admires Hashnode and its work. He invite listeners to reach out with any follow-up questions or engagement. James also invites people to join his community on Discord called Learn Build Teach at learnbuildteach.com.

Wrap Up

And Finally, a wrap for the last day, Day 3 of the Hashnode Bootcamp on Monetizing Your Expertise and Exploring Opportunities with some cool tips on how to make money through social media and freelance writing. James Q Quick @jamesqquick , who's a full-time content creator and freelancer, shared some awesome advice with us.
And last but not least, a big shoutout to Dani Passos @danielapassos for being an amazing host! Thanks for making this session so interactive and fun!

Thank you for reading!
Soumyadeep Mandal @imsampro