Hello and happy November, creators!

You guys are currently reading one of the final NY-based issues this year, as this upcoming weekend, I'll be moving to Denver, Colorado!

So, if there are any Colorado or Midwest-based creators reading this, reply to the email and let me know!! I’d love to meet up and have some creator nerd friends in the area!

As I gear up for the big move, I am forced to think about all of the moves throughout my life. Whether it’s different ages, different cities & towns, or different living spaces; change has always been a constant in my life.

And oddly enough, change is what makes me feel the most comfortable.

I feel that if I stay in one place for too long, I begin to stagnate, and many aspects of my life will follow. From creativity to drive, interests, and even mood, stagnation can be a killer in my life. So why am I rambling about all of this and what does it have to do with content creation?

As I was writing about in the issue after I returned from Paris, getting out and forcing yourself into new environments can be a crucial part of staying creative. If you’re only engaging with the same people, places, or routines, there may be no dynamics that may spark your creativity, especially if you work remotely.

So, without going off on a wild tangent about the importance of getting out and changing your regular scenery, I’ll leave you with this: If you’re feeling stuck, whether it be creatively, personally, or beyond, try to go on an adventure. No matter if it’s a big trip or a small adventure in your local area, this is your sign to get out there. Change up your norm and see how it may play into other aspects of your life, I promise, it’ll help.

With that said, I’ll chat with you all when I’m out West. Until then, enjoy your adventures. 😎 

-Luke

Creator Economy News 🚨

• Alright my ad-blocking friends, your reign may be coming to an end on YouTube as Google announces a massive crackdown on ad blockers and users are beginning to report being blocked from viewing videos until they switch that ad blocker off. Honestly, I switched over to YT Premium and I haven’t looked back, but there are some solid arguments to keeping ad blockers around. My buddy Phil Ranta has a fantastic breakdown of why ad blockers are actually a good thing for creators. Hint hint, creators make way less on ad revenue than you might think, and ads can hinder the ability for discoverability of smaller creators.

• Meta is in hot water with several US states for harming kids and overall contributing to the youth mental health crisis in the US. The lawsuit claims that Meta knowingly designed features on Instagram and Facebook to addict children to its platforms. This suit also claims that Meta consistently collects data on children under 13 without their parent’s consent (also big-time illegal). The states in the suit are seeking financial damages and restitution, coupled with an end to these harmful practices. Of course, Meta has denied the allegations, but then again, do you think they’d roll over on this one? Naaaaah.

• While Meta as a whole is getting shaken up, IG is rolling out some updates to allow for easier collaborations between fans or friends. You can now prompt viewers to “add to post” on your posts and stories. This will definitely create some closer connections between friends, and allow for creators to engage their fans on a deeper level by allowing for collaboration and heightened engagement.

You should see these 👀

• TikTok is hosting a…. mini-music festival? TikTok will be hosting ‘In The Mix’ a concert with artists such as Cardi B, Anitta, Charlie Puth, and Niall Horan, and they’re even featuring artists from the TikTok Elevate program. The concert will be on Dec 10 in Arizona with tickets going on sale tomorrow, November 2. I love the aspect of TT bringing up artists in their Elevate program and would love to see more concerts with exclusively Elevate creators being rolled out! But then again, industry plants are an ever-increasing and problematic part of the music industry, so this could just as easily be a money grab as well. Whatever, live music is live music, and I hope the concert is a blast.

• Kick is stirring the pot again as they sign Nickmercs exclusively for an “eight-figure” deal. Nickmercs promises gambling streams on the new platform, prompting some important conversations about Kick’s ties to the gambling site, Stake. Now I could go on all day about Nickmercs and Kick controversies, but I think the Stake ties are more interesting. If you didn’t already know, Stake is owned by one of Kick’s co-founders. There have been rumors that Kick’s primary goal is to siphon its viewers into Stake, and with a deal such as Nickmercs’, I believe we can start to see the breadcrumb trail a bit more clearly. As we spoke about above, Meta is in hot water for making kids addicted to the platform, but what can be done about kids becoming addicted to gambling sites and gambling in general? Is Kick just the boogeyman, or is there some real concern about these developments?

• This bullet is less news-oriented, but I’m covering this one because it’s just straight-up awesome. Tony Weaver Jr., is a creator and lover of all things storytelling, especially when it comes to manga. Tony’s love for stories makes his recent partnership with publishing house Macmillan that much sweeter. This partnership seeks to launch Tony’s book with exclusive in-house talent from Macmillan to make it a fruitful and impactful launch.

Creator Spotlight 🔦

Have you ever watched a Cody Ko video and thought to yourself, “damn this editing is wild.” I know I have, and that’s why I couldn’t be more pumped to find this creator in the wild.

Meet Zade, an incredible editor, creator, and teacher who also happens to be Cody Ko’s video editor! While having the role of Cody’s editor is obviously impressive, I wanted to take the time to call out Zade’s personal content because it’s insanely valuable.

On Zade’s channel, which has just over 800 subs at the time of writing, there are only a few videos. But his most recent vid may be a teaser of what’s to come for the channel. 👀 

This most recent video takes a Hayden Hiller-Smith approach of breaking down how he creates certain edits for Cody. Now, as I mentioned, I often watch Cody’s video and am blown away by the editing throughout, so getting a behind-the-scenes peek into how it’s made only makes me appreciate the edits more.

Zade has the ability to take a simple talking head commentary video and turn it into a dynamic and entertaining piece, with many of his edits carrying a ton of comedic value in themselves.

While the channel is young (in terms of this new content), I could see Zade finding a ton of success through his editing tutorials. As you all know, I’m a huge advocate of learning from the best when it comes to looking for guidance in your niche, so be sure to check out Zade’s videos for some killer insight. 

I’m insanely excited to continue watching Zade’s uploads, and I can only hope he keeps them coming. 😎

Want to go even further? 🚀

If you’d like to keep learning about topics like the ones shared above, stick around! But more importantly, check out the links below to further your development as a creator. 😎

1. Sign up for CreatorPad

2. Join our free creator community

3. Find a personal mentor to learn from