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A hard truth for creators to swallow:
What you want to create might not be what the market wants you to create.
You then have 3 options:
1. Create it anyway (but detach from external results)
2. Create what the market wants (double down on external results)
3. Find a blend
What you want to create might not be what the market wants you to create.
You then have 3 options:
1. Create it anyway (but detach from external results)
2. Create what the market wants (double down on external results)
3. Find a blend
1. If you opt to "create it anyway," consider yourself an artist.
Picasso didn't create Cubism because the market said they wanted it. He created it because that's what HE wanted to create.
The nuance here is: nobody had created Cubism before.
So...
Picasso didn't create Cubism because the market said they wanted it. He created it because that's what HE wanted to create.
The nuance here is: nobody had created Cubism before.
So...
If you're going to go the "create it anyway" road, make sure it's something new and different.
There's a big difference between:
- "Nobody is paying attention because I'm creating the same old thing"
vs
- "Nobody knows they want this new & different thing YET"
Aim for the 2nd.
There's a big difference between:
- "Nobody is paying attention because I'm creating the same old thing"
vs
- "Nobody knows they want this new & different thing YET"
Aim for the 2nd.
2. Creators you see succeed in public tend to follow option two.
They are masters at listening to what their audiences want and doubling-down on what's working.
They are in the BUSINESS of creating.
And the more they create, the more they learn about their audience.
They are masters at listening to what their audiences want and doubling-down on what's working.
They are in the BUSINESS of creating.
And the more they create, the more they learn about their audience.
On this path, personal preference is less of a question.
These creators aren't as concerned (as artists, for example) with what THEY want to create. They just want to create what is valuable for their audience.
By following the data, they validate & iterate ideas rapidly.
These creators aren't as concerned (as artists, for example) with what THEY want to create. They just want to create what is valuable for their audience.
By following the data, they validate & iterate ideas rapidly.
3. Creators who blend the two are where you see rapid success + fulfillment reach an intersection.
- You aren't blindly creating "only" what you want to create.
&
- You aren't blindly following the data and only creating what audiences want.
You're doing both.
- You aren't blindly creating "only" what you want to create.
&
- You aren't blindly following the data and only creating what audiences want.
You're doing both.
Similar to the "artist path," creators that succeed here are ones who create NEW and DIFFERENT categories.
They listen to what audiences want, then create things that move them FROM what exists INTO what they want to create that's new.
This is your goal.
They listen to what audiences want, then create things that move them FROM what exists INTO what they want to create that's new.
This is your goal.
Any creator who says, "I only want to write what I want to write about" is either unsure of who their audience is OR still a novice & approaching their writing w/ entitlement.
Nobody owes you their attention.
On some level, you HAVE to pay attention to & create for an audience.
Nobody owes you their attention.
On some level, you HAVE to pay attention to & create for an audience.
BUT, you also want to be careful not to take this too far.
Otherwise you'll find yourself as the creator of a meme account that gets tons of traction but has nothing to do with your actual interests, craft, art, etc.
What you're aiming for is a middle ground.
Otherwise you'll find yourself as the creator of a meme account that gets tons of traction but has nothing to do with your actual interests, craft, art, etc.
What you're aiming for is a middle ground.
