Starting out on Steemit can be a confusing and daunting prospect for many newcomers.
My friend @lucylight has just taken the intrepid step of opening a Steemit account. We have had several conversations in which she asked questions about Steemit and I answered them as best I could. Although I'm by no means an expert on how Steemit works, I feel it may be useful to some people for me to share these conversations with you – as a sort of beginner's guide.
@stillgideon I shall abbreviate to SG and @lucylight to LL
LL: I just read your steemit piece. It is really good. You inspired me to sign up. I think I could write free-er on Steemit.
SG: That's good news about you joining steemit. Yes, it's a good place for writing.
LL: I signed up as lucylight.
SG: Suits you
LL: Maybe it's weird that I have different names for different parts off myself.
SG: It's not that unusual. Especially for artists.
LL: Yeah
I don't know
I think that embrassing our whole selves is probably a better way to go.
SG :
Could be. I feel like hiding under a rock after everything I've revealed this week on the internet
LL
That piece I just read was great.
Do you have a lot of followers on steemit? How does it build?
SG
Thanks. It's somehow worth it if it means something to at least one other person.
I think I've got about 300. But that doesn't mean much. The thing is just to start posting stuff and seeing how it works and what response you get.
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LL
I haven't heard back from steemit for some reason.
SG
When did you sign up? I think it can take a few days sometimes. It's very high security.
LL
Yesterday
SG
Ok. I'll be glad to see you there. I don't have much time for it these days, but hopefully it will improve as an alternative to facebook.
LL
I'm hoping that I will have something to say
not much is coming through lately but maybe because facebook feels like the wrong place to share these days
SG
One thing about steemit that you should know.. nothing can ever be deleted or edited. It is also made searchable on google.
In those respects it is different from facebook.
It may be possible to shut down the account. But maybe not. I'll look into it.
Those sort of things can make it a bit daunting, if you think about it . At least for me it does. Other people aren't bothered at all. I guess they realise just how much content there is on internet and how little of it really matters. It all disappears down the timeline in the end..
There's also something quite liberating about going to a new place where no one knows you and doing your thing - not being concerned about what (certain) people might think of you after seeing whatever part of yourself you put out there.
The money is a bonus too, if you make any. You'd probably do quite well because you're honest and open, interesting, profound, poetic and vulnerable as a writer - and people like that. And you've got a cool name.
And you're friendly.
The sum of money you see at the bottom of the post is Steem Dollars, not American ones. Their value goes up and down. A few weeks ago, one steem dollar was worth $12 USD. I think it's about 5 now. It's possible that at some point one steem dollar could be worth 1000 dollars. The more people who use the platform, the more likely that is to happen. It's also possible that steem dollars may become completely worthless.
LL
Can you cash these dollars in? How does one aquire them?
SG
Yes, you can cash the dollars in. I'm not sure exactly how, but I know it's possible. Quite a few people are making a living from it.
Personally I'm leaving mine where it is in the hope that one day it will somehow increase in value to the point where I can use it to buy a piece of land to live on.
One aquires them by getting upvotes on posts and comments.
LL
Where does the money come from?
SG
The money originally comes from investors or is created by a mysterious system of 'witnesses' which I don't quite understand. Something like bitcoin 'mining' but without the massive waste of electricity.
When you upvote someone else's post or comment, they get some money. The more 'steem power' you have - based on how much steem you have, as well as other factors such as your reputation (the number next to your name) determine how much someone will get from your vote. It could be $0.01 or hundreds of dollars.
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LL
So Steemit finally accepted me. I wonder what they checked.
So do you like Steemit?
It seems a bit weird to me.
SG
A bit. I'm not that into it, but I'm interested to see if and how it develops
LL
The whole money thing especially. That it shows.
SG
Yes, that is kind of obscene. I also have issues with that.
LL
I guess it makes it competitive.
SG
At the same time, some people are quite engaged in a positive way. The spirit can be more of mutual support than of competition
And the idea that the money is being shared out instead of going to billionaire directors
LL
Is there advertizments?
SG
No
Have you posted anything?
LL
no they just accepted me
im a bit scared of it
is there a lot of trolling?
who will see it anyway if i have no followers?
SG
Trolls.. Not really.
I don't know who'll see it. Try it and see what happens
LL
thats what you did?
and people started reading you?
SG
I was just posting all sorts of random stuff at the beginning to figure out how it works and responds
...............
LL
K I posted something.
SG
I'll go and see it and comment something...
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LL
did you find me?
SG
Yes. I thought what you wrote was brilliant. About half of the people who commented are robots, but there seem to be a couple of actual people who read what you wrote and appreciated it.
LL
what do you mean robots?
SG
I mean non humans. Computer programs made by people which will comment on posts and sometimed upvote too.
LL
eww weird
SG
Sometimes they pretend to be people, sometimes they'll tell you that they're robots
I don't bother with the ones who pretend to be people, but the other sort are ok.
LL
Just looked
Interesting
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@lucylight is a true artist. She is an amazing painter and writes from deep in her heart. Since you're here, go and visit her and give her a warm welcome and an upvote. She did write half this post after all.
steemit.com/introduceyourself/@lucylight/hello
You might also want to check out @ecotrain to see what a positive Steemit collective looks like...
Thanks for joining