85: Roger and Seb ON: Inside the World of Bitcoin Authors

You won’t change the system by shouting at it—try writing a book instead.



What happens when two Bitcoiners become authors—and decide to peel back the curtain on the writing, publishing, and marketing grind behind their books? In this refreshingly honest and unexpectedly hilarious episode, Roger Wang (Senior Marketing Director at Block Rewards and author of Would Mao Hold Bitcoin?) and Seb Bunney (author of The Hidden Cost of Money) go deep on what it really takes to write a Bitcoin book that resonates.

From self-doubt to publishing politics, research rabbit holes to accidental financial wins from Bitcoin appreciation, this is a no-BS conversation about the pain, strategy, and joy of building something that lasts. Whether you’re a curious reader, aspiring writer, or freedom-maxi who wants to orange-pill through storytelling—this episode will shift how you think about content, craft, and conviction.

You’ll Learn:

• How self-publishing unlocks creative control and competitive reach in the Bitcoin space
• Why using a non-Bitcoiner editor can strengthen your arguments and expose blind spots
• How pricing in Bitcoin turns small book sales into high-leverage assets over time
• What note-taking over 10 years reveals about building a citation powerhouse
• How separating writing and editing accelerates creative output and clarity
• Why emotionally charged writing often leads to sharper, more resonant work
• What poor cover design signals about credibility—and how to avoid it
• How evergreen content challenges traditional marketing tactics
• Why structure-first writing reduces wasted effort and kills fewer “darlings”
• What print-on-demand technology reveals about the democratization of publishing

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[00:27] Selling books in bitcoin during a bull run

[03:42] Roger’s process blending Bitcoin and China

[05:18] The challenge of citations and deep research

[06:41] Roger’s structured writing habits

[08:34] Seb’s three-part writing framework

[10:32] Learning from Stephen King's writing process

[12:12] First drafts vs editing efficiency

[13:01] Using notes to support citations

[14:47] Tone and voice in Bitcoin writing

[16:26] Writing emotionally vs analytically

[22:32] Early activism and censorship in diaspora communities

[23:02] Power of personal storytelling in nonfiction

[26:00] Real cost of self-publishing a book

[27:33] Importance of good cover design and layout

[30:11] Missing the chance to narrate the audiobook

[31:06] Roger’s experience with Bitcoin Magazine publishing

[33:21] Tradeoffs between author control and publisher support

[35:11] Why most publishers don’t help with marketing

[36:12] How a non-Bitcoiner editor strengthened Seb’s book

[37:22] How Amazon and print-on-demand changed publishing

[38:44] Challenges of marketing evergreen content

[39:51] Social media tradeoffs for indie authors

[41:00] Three main hooks Roger uses to market his book

[42:07] Hosting meetups to drive in-person sales

[44:47] Selling in Bitcoin as a long-term advantage

[47:11] Seb’s advice to podcast hosts

[48:26] Roger’s wish to talk about more than Bitcoin and China

Resources Mentioned:

Would Mao Hold Bitcoin? by Roger Huang | Book

The Hidden Cost of Money by Seb Bunney | Book

B is for Bitcoin by Seb Bunney and Daz Bea | Book

On Writing by Stephen King | Book

Reedsy | Website

Bitcoin Magazine Publisher | Website

Find more from Scott:

Scott Dedels | X

Block Rewards | Instagram

Block Rewards | YouTube

Block Rewards | TikTok

Block Rewards | Website

Block Rewards | LinkedIn

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