Writers and their Struggles in the Creator Economy Era
Writers pour their heart and soul into their work, just like dedicated scientists. Their toolkit consists of words and ideas, which they tirelessly transform into relatable and attention-grabbing content. Their challenge is to make readers feel like they’re not alone in their experiences and instantly connect. Each word they write is a testament to the stories they hold within. It’s not easy to impress today’s internet audience.
Picture a budding writer crafting her unique brand on Instagram, where the primary canvas is self-expression. For writers, the mission of this platform is to cultivate their tribe of avid readers, ultimately guiding them toward their blog, website, or newsletter. But, in the beginning, it’s not about showcasing their full creativity. It’s about mastering the essentials and striking a chord with Instagram’s diverse audience. To do that, they must distill complex ideas into engaging and relatable nuggets, presented in catchy and concise phrases that resonate with simplicity.
Understanding that ‘simple is the new trend’ is tough for beginners on Instagram. They often get confused with the algorithm, suggestions, other creators' content, and too many ideas in their heads. Oh god, so bad!
You might say, there are plenty of platforms for writers to monetize their work if the case is to only gain an audience and make money. But will that really turn into income? Pay the bills? Offer a living for a writer? I know it will but damn slowly.
Apart from the common phrase ‘any craft would take time to turn into money,’ writers suffer the most in this scenario. You can get this clear with the factors I am going to explain below:
1. Competition:
Many budding writers are joining the field, which is a very good thing on the internet today. In fact, the world needs more writers. The digital landscape is teeming with writers, making it challenging to stand out. There’s pressure on Writers though they work under a brand or build a personal brand. Aside from creativity, writers also should get a damn good idea about how to run income, how to stand out from other masters in the field, and what are the platforms that pay for their genuine work. Writers must work diligently to build an audience and maintain reader loyalty, which is tough in recent times.
2. Burnout:
Writers constantly need to catch themselves with the emerging trends that suit their niche. Most of the time they have to think about how to present their content with a relatable situation that’s booming on social media. I mean, they should be geniuses rather than creative. There’s a lot of pressure in their heads to catch that trending thing put relevance for their niche, and build community. Eventually, they stress the most.
3. Monetizing hurdles:
We know many platforms pay for writers. But 90% of writers do not know how to do that. How to put their work out there, how the platform works, what to do to gain readers, and many such unanswered questions in their heads. Each platform has a different algorithm, which is the greatest enemy for a writer. A writer cannot perform with a creative flow if they have restraints like algorithms, SEO, keyword research, and most importantly unique content. Writers have a unique perspective but they fail at combining it with SEO etc., to reach readers. Every writer does damn well at their work, and some readers read every writer’s work. There are more readers than writers. Therefore, finding an effective platform and creating work that gains readers and finally pays their bills is indeed a tough one to win.
4. Income Instability:
Writers experience this more than any other creators. Because writing is a challenging task to do. A writer gets an idea, notes it down somewhere, tries to form a situation with it, takes a break (writer’s block), cannot continue it for a while, and finally writes again. A writer does so much work with the brain to imagine and fill it with the right words, whether they write for free or for payment. Isn’t it fair to ask for money for this much hard work? Still, there are people in the world who don’t value writing. They think it is an art but not worth paying for. Sad!
Please stop being that.
5. Algorithm Changes:
A very crucial role in a writer’s journey is an algorithm. This week the algorithm gives something good to a creator and next week it puts fire on their heads. Why did the content that worked last week not work this week? This is a constant question in a writer’s head. Sometimes, it takes weeks to understand how often the algorithm is changing. Majorly for booming platforms like Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., there’s a drastic change in algorithms. Writers never know when the trend will come, when it will become trending, and when they have to join the list of other 1000 creators who have already done that. This is the reason why many people are teaching writing courses to help writers understand such chaotic situations. But there’s no other way to promote their brand. They have to get used to it and understand it to make their work speak out loud. Taking help from firms that predominantly work for writers and brands is a great way to start a writer’s earning journey. Personally, I believe that working under a firm, which gives a space to grow personally and professionally will help writers a lot.
Why does it work this way?
In recent times, writers have been flocking to platforms like Instagram, Medium, Substack, WordPress, and many more. More and more of them are taking the leap, leaving their traditional jobs behind to pursue writing as a full-time passion. These platforms are witnessing an influx of new writers every day, and when something like this hits unexpectedly, it can stir up quite a whirlwind of change.
What's driving this overflow? Well, it's the mounting pressure in corporate roles. Many talented writers find themselves stifled, unable to harness their creative energies. It's a glaring warning sign for anyone with a passion for the written word. They yearn for the freedom to craft something genuinely unique, but the relentless corporate grind tends to snuff out that creative spark.
On the flip side, there’s a disheartening scarcity of opportunities and meager pay for writers in some sectors. It’s like the value of a writer is still lost on many companies. However, there’s a silver lining. Startups are emerging with a singular focus on writers, creating spaces for them to showcase their craft and finally earn the recognition they deserve.
Considering all these, writers create their own blogs, and newsletters, to build their community and make money with it. If you’re a writer, feel proud that you are. You deserve the best!
You can see more of my stories here
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I hope this helps some writers feel free for a moment by reading a few relatable things.
Happy reading ☺
