Around 2011 or 2012, I noticed people using the term “creator economy” to refer to individuals who generate income by producing content in the form of: eBooks, self-published novels, cartoons, tutorials, website templates, graphic design, Etsy and Shopify stores, WordPress themes and plugins, blogs, podcasts, YouTube videos, and even things like streaming gameplay on Twitch.
Coming up with an idea and bringing it to life requires creativity and some level of skill in a chosen format or medium of expression. It could be anything from lines of code to editing a video to homemade jewelry.
The Dream of Self-Sufficiency
More than a decade into the creator economy, a growing number of content creators and influencers have figured out the formula for success and have risen to the top of the mountain. They have been able to quit their day jobs and financially support themselves by building an audience of fans and followers. I think it is awesome that people who work hard can quit their 9-to-5 jobs and earn a living through direct sales, ad revenue, and Patreon support. This provides an exciting “third path” for individuals beyond the “go to college” or “get a job” options.
For every 1 superstar creator or influencer, there are 1,000 more aspiring creators who dream of becoming self-sufficient. Until they become fully self-sufficient, they are basically creating content as a hobby or as a side hustle. As a result of so many people trying to “make it” as content creators, there is a flood of new blogs, podcasts, videos, and other creative works being uploaded, posted, and shared every day.
Tearing Others Down
There is a big hurdle that many aspiring content creators run into: people in the comments section trying to tear them down (also called: haters). As a person who uses social media, I see people tearing others down all the time. It happens in the comments section of every site: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter/X.
A content creator who posts their personal creative work online where others can judge it must have a thick skin to endure the harsh criticisms of total strangers on the Internet.
Internet trolls and haters delight in pointing out the most minor flaws, errors, mistakes, and general criticisms of anything that someone has posted or shared.
Haters and critics exist in every niche, whether in automotive, DIY home repair, renovation, woodworking, or makeup tutorials. Watch a video in any of these subjects, and the comments section is often full of hate, criticism, and judgment from others.
For example, a beginner woodworker posts a video showing them building something. The video may get dozens of comments from people reminding them to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as a respirator, rather than focusing on what was being made. While safety is important, I feel like people ignore the fact that everyone is at a different point in their life and career. Of course someone who has been doing drywall for 2 years and makes a video showing a tip or trick they learned is not going to be at the same level as someone with 20+ years of experience in the skilled trades. But they might have come a long way since they started 2 years ago, and that’s what critics forget.
Why Are You Like This?
The easiest thing to do on the Internet is to tear others down. I don’t know what it is about hiding behind a screen and a keyboard that turns ordinary people into complete jerks. Years ago, I read about the Greater Internet F*ckwad Theory (GIFT), which attempts to explain this phenomenon.
Essentially, when an individual believes they are anonymous and cannot be held accountable for their words, they act out in an uninhibited way. Something about hiding behind a keyboard and a disposable screenname or user handle makes seemingly decent people behave like total jerks on the Internet. Dealing with toxic people has become one of the most difficult parts of being part of any online community.
My Experience
I don’t paint or draw, but I do write long-form travel stories, blog posts, and make YouTube videos. I consider myself a content creator.
Over the years, I have received some harsh comments on my work from anonymous strangers. I have received hateful comments from readers who disagreed with my written thoughts and words. I have received unkind comments from viewers who did not like my videos, to people attacking things about me that I cannot change, like the sound of my voice. That’s to be expected.
What Keeps Me Going
The thing that keeps me going is the one comment that says “This was really well done!” or “Thank you for making this!” Those are the hardest type of comments to get as a creator, but they are my favorite ones.
I love how it feels to read a message like that from someone I don’t know and will never meet, who saw something I made and thought it was cool. That feeling keeps me motivated as a creator, more than clicks or likes or followers or any of that. I just want to make cool stuff that people find informative, helpful, or entertaining.
