Beginner’s Nostr Guide

The easiest way to earn bitcoin via the creator economy

Hi there, 

Hope y’all are having an amazing July 4th weekend! Before all the fireworks and hot dogs, I’d highly recommend downloading a Lightning Network-friendly wallet and a Nostr mobile app like Plebstr, or get on the waitlist for ZBD. You might earn small amounts of bitcoin (nicknamed “sats”) for posting summer selfies. Lately I’ve been encouraging and editing Forbes how-to guides for complete beginners who want to try the decentralized networking platform Nostr. And I finally took the plunge myself! 

https://damus.io/note1xrjt99hl6nrl0p66wnmcy9wf33tc3cdhsf7f3zg7zncawfresszsz3hrte

To find me on Nostr, look for my public key: npub1xgnw5yrcghhj5c5gufjhp46l5dlfum8d9l5gjn2r64r78kt79eyqarnp4u 

Of course, as luck would have it, less than two weeks after I downloaded Damus the Apple Store removed it because it doesn’t give Apple the 30% transaction cut via Apple Pay. (Apple Pay doesn’t support direct bitcoin transactions.) In the next few weeks I’ll have to try a new mobile app if the Damus developers aren’t able to appeal this decision. In the meantime, here’s how I at least got started on Nostr.

I used a custodial wallet, Wallet of Satoshi, and also had Strike downloaded on my phone and ready to go as a backup. That means I’ll eventually need to transfer the funds to a non-custodial wallet (one where I hold the private keys), just like I cash out my Venmo balance to a bank account every once in a while. I haven’t connected my mobile app to using my at-home bitcoin node and server yet. I found it really annoying with Sphinx (the bitcoin messaging app) that I could only use it at home near my node. I prefer the option of messaging on the go as well. 

Just like most people using Twitter, I’m relying on other people’s Nostr servers (which collect my IP address and know when I’m online). However, one major difference is that I have my Nostr account’s private key, meaning that no one can kick me off the networking platform. I could just restore my account using another Nostr app and the same public/private key pairing! This will be important if I need to switch from Damus to another comparable mobile or web app. All my content and followers should still be attached to that key pairing.

Unlike nodes and self-custody bitcoin wallets, like Elecrum, I didn’t ask any techies for help when I ran into trouble, yet still managed to earn $20 worth of bitcoin in my first week of posting cute pics and writing tips via Nostr. I did have one connectivity issue at first, where all my mobile apps except Damus worked fine. I turned my phone off and on again, updated my phone and Apple ID settings (overdue), unplugged my router and plugged it back in, then was back in action. No fancy tech support needed! 

This is the best advice I can offer a bitcoin newbie. Any bitcoin setup, no matter how cypherpunk or normie-friendly, will require some maintenance eventually. Out of all the times I’ve needed bitcoin node help over the past 4 years, 9 times out of 10 what fixed the problem was just checking my devices for updates, then turning them all off, unplugging, then turning them back on again. I’ve probably needed engineer-level help roughly 10 times over the years I’ve experimented (and usually only when I’m doing something tricky, like using BTCPay server). 

All things considered, so far Nostr is the *easiest* bitcoin experiment I’ve ever tried. Think of it like downloading the Twitter mobile app. The important difference is you MUST save your password (private key) in a password manager or tattoo it on your butt, because you cannot lose it. It can never be recovered. 

After downloading the Nostr app and linking it to your bitcoin wallet apps, find followers by perusing hashtags like #grownostr or #foodstr, finding other accounts you like and engaging with them. Then click on their list of followers to see who else seems cool. If you can’t afford to buy bitcoin, earning it by posting the same photos or random thoughts you’d already share on Instagram or Twitter is a low-stakes way to join the bitcoin economy. 

Are you on Nostr? If so, what’s your pub key? I want to follow you!

By August I should have some more details to share about the next step in this year’s adventure. So stay tuned! 

Until next month, take care everybody!