So You Want to be a Content Creator....

Hey, remember this?

That was December 2006.

I have been writing on the web under my own name about professional topics since October 2007. I had been writing and goofing around on it much earlier anonymously but I think we’ve collectively forgotten what a pain the butt it was and how inaccessible it was to non techies before the early 2000s.

Getting content on the web is easier than ever but I think more importantly, making money off of your content is easier than ever.

Except Twitter. I keep giving my hot takes away for free there like a sucker.

(You guys know I absolutely don’t take myself seriously and think no one should pay attention to anything that I say, right? Okay, good.)

(It’s not that I don’t think I’m brilliant and usually right, because I am, I just don’t care if anyone else believes it.)

(That was another joke. Sort of.)

Anyway, money. Unfortunately important and necessary in Western culture. I don’t really need excesses of it and am not very materialistic but I still need some. I also really enjoy creative endeavors, especially writing. I like my 9-5, but like any job, in exchange for money I must hand over control to part of my life.

Is it possible to combine my love of creating content, telling people what they’re doing wrong, wearing sweatpants all day AND STILL have money?

This isn’t me making an announcement, y’all. Calm down.

I made that logo a few years ago mainly to justify getting press passes to conferences. But it is a very very tempting idea. I really hesitate because while my depression is currently well controlled, an episode could absolutely destroy my ability to create content. But even without a mental health crisis, like any “be your own boss” situation, you need a lot of self discipline.

There’s also my general commitment to open content and other community support work. I really like sharing knowledge and skills and creating a barrier to that by requiring payment is hard to wrap my head around.

Anyway, I thought I’d write up a listicle of the state of content options circa January 2021. As I tell people at least once a week in my 9-5, the tech/platform/container is EASY. Coming up with the content is the hard part. But I would really love for more people to get their voices out there and also to realize that you have options beyond just words. A lot of these have built in monetizing options but there’s always Patreon or a PayPal tip jar.

I Like To Write

• Self Publish a book with a company like LuLu (print, ebook) or Amazon (print, ebook). If you want to give away for free, you can make ebooks with Pressbooks or Sigil (slightly more tech skills needed) or just distribute a PDF.

• Blogging allows you to go as in-depth or short as you like. I’ve never been super hyped on Medium but people like it. LexBlog puts you in front of the legal community and gives support. It runs on Wordpress and if you’d rather strike out on your own, I would definitely suggest that.

• Newsletters aren’t wildly different from blogs functionally except they seem to be easier to monetize and easier for people to have sent to their email. (Neither of these is HARD to do with blogs, mind you, it’s just…easier.) I use Substack while I figure out to do with my website, and thus far no complaints. They have a “thread” option that I haven’t tried yet which seems more forum like.

I Like to Talk

• I am not bullish on podcasts but I also don’t think we’ve reached Peak Podcast, especially in the legal world. It seems like most of them are one person monologues or interviews. Which is fine and even if we just stuck to that format, there’s such a wide variety of topics available we could have more. But I think the creative limits have not yet begun to be pushed. I will not be satisfied until someone does a history of legal publishing and rise of open law. I played around with the medium a decade ago and I can’t even remember the company, but people I know have liked Podbean. If you are going to do one, while you can do this with your phone, invest in a microphone.

• There are so many white dudes sitting behind a desk having a pretend talk show on YouTube, why can’t you? Again, that’s table stakes. Is there anyone doing something visually creative on YouTube in the legal world? I think there’s a big opportunity for product demonstrations and reviews, either first impressions or after some use. A big category on YouTube is “reaction videos” where a creator watches someone else’s content and reacts to it. There are a lot of webinars and conference presentations being put up that you could probably use under fair use, but you know…I shouldn’t have to tell you this but don’t be a dick.

• I guess Twitch started off as platform for people to watch other people play video games - WHICH I DON’T GET AT ALL, I was the youngest I spent enough time watching people play while I waited my turn - but it’s been used recently as more of a talking head and interaction with audience livestream thing. AOC has been really great about this. I keep threatening to do this for, like, CLIO’s ClioCloud9 Jack Newton keynote because they always reveal something great that causes me to lose my mind. I think there’s some interesting academic office hours opportunities or virtual “lawyer in the library” type things.

I Like Community

Even before covid, I think people were CRAVING community and places to meet and talk to people. You can charge for entry or use these as way to build audience for other things. Also, it’s nice to meet people? Here’s the thing, though…communities require moderation, at least any community that I want to be part of. If you think people need to “suck it up” and deal with harassment in order to participate, you are a damaged individual and should seek help.

• Do we need more Slacks? The software and platform is great. My problem is that there are so many and with so many mixed uses (workplaces, help desk and subject interest groups) that I have no solid emotional connection to it. I don’t know if that makes sense, but like the same platform that my boss uses to tell me to work in something and also that I go to find out why software project isn’t working is not where I want to otherwise hang out.

• Discord is a forum/community software. I’ve used it and I can’t immediately say any pluses or minuses over slack except that it’s NOT SLACK.

• If you’re reading this it’s likely because you found me on Twitter, where obviously I am hilarious. Seriously though, because I have been on Twitter for so long and before I received treatment for my mental health issues, the personal/professional line is gone. As I told co-worker, that horse left the barn, got trailered and it down the road at another farm. I can’t keep it professional, some do. Professional only accounts bore me, but that’s fine, I don’t have to be target audience. I have met so many great people on it and it’s great for forging personal/professional connections.

• Clubhouse is just starting and I have account and honestly the possibility of me cussing a bunch of people out is high. We’ll see how it goes. Lots of hype right now but I think people are starving to talk to people since covid shut down conferences and it’s new and exclusive. You need an iPhone or iPad right now.

• Facebook groups and LinkedIn exist and I know people have had great success and enjoyment of them. Personally, I keep Facebook personal and LinkedIn as my online resume and don’t spend a lot of professional time in either place. I do like the LinkedIn newsfeed but it’s gotten super weird recently? Bad vibes, I can’t explain it. But anyway I just thought I should mention them.

I Like to Explain Things

• I am an old lady so I don’t fully get Tiktok, but I see people like Irene Mo using it to break down complicated topics. I am a HUGE believer in meeting people where they are, whether that’s digitally or outfitting an old school bus into a mobile law office and driving to the holler. If “the kids” like tiktok, and you want to reach them, go to where they are.

• Video explainers (which can be shared on social media, YouTube, embedded in websites) are really impressive looking, get your info across and also SUPER EASY to use. I have used PowToons in a former job and really liked it. I’m playing around with it again and thanks to the Google/Facebook panopticon, I’ve been served up so many ads for competitors, so there may be better prices/options for your needs.

• Granted, I look through most things through lens of education and “how can I teach people this”, but you may want to do a more intensive educational offering than a one shot webinar or book or something. You need a learning management system! And fortunately there are lots of free and easy options out there. I’ve used Moodle and liked it, but it’s been a while.

Okay, if you’re still here, that turned out A LOT longer than I was expecting and I probably forgot some things. But just to show, you have options! Go forth and create!