# How to mint yourself a NFT? By [Deep Kamal Deka](https://paragraph.com/@deep-kamal-deka) · 2022-05-18 --- We all know the hype that NFTs have created since last year. The level of excitement of people making some quick money through making or flipping NFTs is off the roof. Whether you are looking for a quick way to get rich or an artist trying to get appropriate value for your art, this article will help you for sure. The platforms on which the trade of NFTs occurs are called NFT marketplaces. Each blockchain has different marketplaces with its own sets of rules. OpenSea is a well-known marketplace on the Ethereum blockchain,while Solanart and Talis Protocol are on the Solana and Terra blockchains respectively.  You can create your own NFTs in marketplaces like OpenSea and Talis Protocol via a self-service algorithm. Magic Eden is a marketplace on the Solana blockchain which is also planning to introduce such a component. There are also some other marketplaces on Terra other than Talis Protocol which are planning to do the same. Though each one differs in aspects like gas fees or other technical processes, the procedure of minting an NFT in any of these marketplaces is quite similar. Let us first look at the steps on how to mint an NFT on a marketplace and then we shall discuss some of the related terms that you should be aware of while minting your first NFT. How To Mint ? ------------- ### Create your cryptocurrency wallet If you don't already own a cryptocurrency wallet, create your wallet depending on the blockchain where you want to mint your NFT. MetaMask is a popular option for people trading on the Ethereum blockchain while Phantom and Terra Station are widely used on Solana and Terra blockchains respectively. ### Create an account in a cryptocurrency exchange All marketplaces charge a fee while minting your NFT in the form of gas fees or as a fee to create a new account in that marketplace. It is thus necessary for you to have some cryptocurrencies in your wallet. Since the price of buying cryptocurrencies directly from your wallet can be higher, it is better to get them from an exchange. Coinbase, Kraken and Binance are some of the most used cryptocurrency exchanges today. ### Send the cryptocurrencies to your private wallet Once you have bought the desired cryptocurrency, transfer it to your private wallet which you will be using to connect to your desired marketplace. ### Create an account on the marketplace You can now connect your wallet to the marketplace and sign up by following the steps displayed on the marketplace. Now that you have set up your account, you can start creating your NFT. ### Create your NFT on the marketplace Select the ‘create’ option on the marketplace and upload your file and name your NFT. You also have the option to write a description of your work which will be displayed on the marketplace. Now to list your NFT for sale, select on the ‘sell’ option and decide whether you want to sell your NFT at a fixed price or put it up for auction. You can also set the royalty for your NFT. Various marketplaces charge different fees for minting a NFT. We will get back to this later. After you have paid these fees through your wallet, you will have officially minted your first NFT.  With marketplaces which don’t have self-service systems for artists to mint their NFTs, you need to contact the marketplaces directly and work out your minting procedures. ### Cross-Blockchain NFT Transfers Generally, NFTs that are minted on a particular blockchain can not be traded on a different blockchain. But this is changing with the introduction of ‘bridges’ for NFTs.  The Wormhole NFT bridge that was released during late September, 2021 allows NFTs to be traded from the Ethereum to the Solana blockchain and vice versa.  For instance, if you want to send a NFT from the Ethereum blockchain to the Solana blockchain, the NFT would first be freezed within the Wormhole smart contract and a new version of it would be minted on the Solana blockchain. The NFT token could then be traded as any regular Solana token on its blockchain. The NFT can also be bridged back to Ethereum to release the original NFT from the Wormhole smart contract. ### Terms Worth Knowing While Minting a NFT #### Gas Fee Gas fee is the amount that is needed to be paid by the seller or buyer (different marketplaces have different rules regarding gas fees) for verifying their transaction on the blockchain.  It is thus important to know the fees charged by the marketplace to mint a NFT. Due to high gas fees on the Ethereum blockchain, Solana and Terra are gaining popularity.  #### Cloud Storage Once you upload your digital file on the marketplace, they store the file on some cloud storage. Marketplaces which use AWS to store their files are not preferred because of the centralized nature of AWS. Major marketplaces store their files on IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) which is a decentralized platform to store digital files. #### Royalty Royalty is the percentage of funds that is transferred to the creator of a particular NFT each time it is traded after the first minting. Different marketplaces have different policies regarding artist royalties and the artists can set the royalties according to their preferences. You should be well aware of the various royalty policies in order to generate the maximum value for your creation.  Conclusion ---------- Though the thought of creating your own NFT can be considered a hassle to some, now that you have read this blog, it will definitely be simpler than a piece of cake. I hope this article educates you enough to mint your first NFT that you were always so reluctant to. --- *Originally published on [Deep Kamal Deka](https://paragraph.com/@deep-kamal-deka/how-to-mint-yourself-a-nft)*