A Year on Farcaster (as a non-technical user)

“These values certainly impacted my decision process when I decided to leave my job to pursue my dream of writing fiction full time.”

I onboarded to Warpcast 10 months ago. I wrote about my onboarding experience as a non-technical user here. Creating a Warpcast account was my introduction to Web3 technologies and concepts like NFTs and DAOs. 

My first cast:

Farcaster

Stefanie on Warpcast

https://i.imgur.com/rctZy7H.jpg https://i.imgur.com/VWjhnZI.jpg

Since then the app has grown and changed in incredible ways. On my first day Warpcast was a feed, mostly crypto-focused, and a really great place to start learning about Web3. I was quite intimidated by it, but people were so welcoming that I was encouraged to keep engaging (even while I was googling new terminology daily).

Now, Warpcast is the first app that I open each morning. I continue to use Warpcast every day because of the people, the culture, and community values. 

The culture of Farcaster values authenticity, empathy, creativity, and risk taking. These values certainly impacted my decision process when I decided to leave my job to pursue my dream of writing fiction full time. 

I was reflecting on how much has changed on this app since I joined and wanted to write some thoughts on the most significant changes for me.

I wrote about my experience at FarCon #1 already, as it was a significant part of my onboarding experience. My first ever NFT mint was my Farcon 1 ticket! I can’t say enough positive things about my experience connecting in-person with such a friendly and creative group of people. Seeing the excitement grow around FarCon #2 has been incredible and I cannot wait to meet people IRL in LA!

Channels made casting feel more purposeful and connection-driven for me. They helped me navigate my imposter syndrome and thoughts of “does this non-crypto content belong here?” Some of my favorite channels are /food, /FarcastHer, /gardening, /photography, /birds, and /writers. While the number of channels has become a little overwhelming, I appreciate that when I cast about a certain topic it’s more likely to reach others who are also passionate about it. I've also loved seeing the growing number of artists casting their creations in channels.

Making friends via group chats and direct chats has been another of my favorite Warpcast experiences. I love that earnestness is a community norm and that chats have become supportive spaces for discussion and sharing life updates.

The launch of Frames challenged me to think more creatively about how people can interact with casts. It’s been fascinating to see how many ways people have used them. I had a lot of fun trying out Neynar’s no-code Frame Studio to create a digital travel journal entry about a camping trip. 

Farcaster

Stefanie on Warpcast

A travel journal Frame This is a story about a camping trip to Katmai National Park, Alaska to observe Alaskan brown bears. Use the buttons to navigate through the narrative and photos. 🐻 Inspired by @ted 's recent Farcaster Stories cast https://frames.neynar.com/f/4eb87b7d/b06cee80

With so much happening daily on the app, I sometimes worry that if I don’t open Warpcast for a day I’ll miss something. Media like GM Farcaster and Outcasters has been so helpful in curating updates and interesting content.

Here is what I’m most excited about for my next year as a Farcaster user:

• Connecting with Farcaster friends at FarCon #2 :)

• Building and fostering friendships online and IRL

• Continuing to learn about Web3 technologies from passionate builders and artists

• Using platforms like no-code Neynar Frames Studio and Unlonely

• Continuing to write on Paragraph 

GM :) Welcome to Warpcast! Start by introducing yourself and cast about any topic that you are genuinely interested in. Ask lots of questions because people are generally excited to talk about what they are building. Search for channels aligned to your interests, or start a channel! If you feel overwhelmed, it's ok, I do too! Keep listening, learning, and building genuine connections <3 

Note: I know that 10 months is not quite a year, but I was so excited to reflect on how Farcaster culture impacted my recent career decision that I didn't want to wait for my official 1 year Farcasterversary :)