I have been observing several industrious Publish0x-ers blog about their earnings derived from posting their writing on multiple platforms that reward authors in crypto. I feel as if Publish0x is a haven for my writing, so I never quite feel the urge to venture outside. However, since a new year beckons, I tell myself that I should carve out other sources of writing revenue and stop relying on Publish0x as a crutch. So, I took the tentative first step to use a fellow Publish0x author's referral code and make my debut on Torum. 

The first interesting thing I learnt about Torum was that we could not start earning XTM (the token that was used as a reward for active users of this crypto-based social media platform) right away. Instead, we had to prove our commitment to be regular members of the site by accumulating 100 Power-Ups. But of course, since I already decided to give Torum a go, I viewed this as an opportunity to get myself familiarized with its workings, so the 100 Power-Ups weren't a deterrent. In any case, it was easy for me to earn Power-Ups because just the mere act of logging in itself yielded me some Power-Ups! The other 3 actions I performed every day were liking 5 posts, posting an interesting thread as well as publishing my thoughts on the crypto space. 

It took me a month before I gathered 100 Power-Ups. For my effort, I unlocked the referral credit, which was 7.5 XTM. This was proof of my dedication this past month! You could see my 7.5 XTM being credited under the category "Special Mission". 

The rest of this article will be centered on me documenting my initial impressions of Torum, specifically the features that appealed to me and other features that I didn't quite like.

What I Enjoyed

- I am an avid user of Facebook, so I found using Torum quite intuitive. I was given my own profile as well as the space to post my thoughts, so I got used to the site very easily. Having come from Publish0x, I assumed that I had to publish full-fledged articles before they would be deemed sufficient to be recognised as a daily contribution, but I soon realised that I could actually post tweet-like reflections. I stuck to Publish0x for the longest time because I thought I wouldn't have the energy to adapt my writing for different audiences. The fact that Torum allows for short and succinct posts made it less intimidating; I could incorporate its use into my schedule soon enough.

- Similar to Facebook Groups, Torum showcases clans in which you can find like-minded peers and boost your knowledge on your topics of interest. Guess what? It has a Publish0x room! So I leverage this as a chance to publicise my writings on Publish0x. Of course, because I am a newbie at Torum, my postings don't generate much traction (yet). But it's a good feeling how my writings help me earn crypto from both sides - AMPL and FARM from Publish0x as well as XTM from Torum.

- The sheer vibrancy and energy of Torum. It seems that the team behind Torum has a lot up their sleeves, what with coming up with NFT marketplace, Avatar NFT and Decentralised Finance features. I haven't had the chance to explore these features yet but I am looking forward to levelling up my knowledge and skill set on NFTs in the next month or so. 

- The very fact that XTM is listed on so many popular platforms like Huobi, KuCoin, UniSwap and Pancake Swap. Hence, gaining XTM not only enables to convert it to USDT on KuCoin so that I can use it to combine with my Publish0x earnings for higher payouts, but it will also grant me the chance to explore the decentralised finance platforms like UniSwap. I am a total greenhorn at UniSwap and Pancake Swap, so I am definitely very excited to play around with my XTM!

What I Didn't Quite Enjoy

- Unfortunately, I think Torum's Facebook-like layout serves as a double-edged sword. While I like the short postings and the ability to earn XTM just by liking other people's posts, I feel that it hasn't created a conducive environment in which people pen long, thoughtful comments aimed to share experiences, challenge viewpoints and simply show support and encouragement. I think what most users tend to do is to write frivolous one-word responses like "Nice"- which adds neither intellectual rigour nor emotional connection. Being on Torum has sealed my attachment to Publish0x because it makes me realise just how generous people here are with their time and wisdom. 

My Final Thoughts

Always great to try out something new in the new year. If you are with me, here's my referral code: https://www.torum.com/signup?referral_code=diaperfinancingfund