Member-only story
In the last 20 years, we’ve undergone an unprecedented change in how we spend our time.
Computers in our pockets, in our backpacks, and at home — more and more of our time is taken up by recent inventions.
I’m aware of no other point in history when an invention has changed the way we spend our daily lives as much as information technology.
Alongside this explosion was the advent of the creator economy — an economy that will only become more important with the advances in AI.
First Facebook, then YouTube, then Twitter — these platforms revolutionized the way we interact with our friends and, more important for the purpose of this article, the way in which creators can build careers.
Thousands of people have developed sustainable careers through creating. It’s an optimistic period for both creators and their audiences.
But, we aren’t there yet.
A Career as a Creator
Only 6% of writers on Medium make $100 or more a month. 96.5% of YouTubers don’t make enough to crack the US poverty line.
That’s not a hit on either of these platforms — neither claim that they are offering a full-time job to their creators. While some have made enough from these platforms to create a career, the majority of…
