How Content is Changing

(and cheers to 100 subscribers!)

Feb 16, 2025

Hello again friends,

I hope you are well and getting through the start of the year. The past month has been slower with client work, so I’ve been focused more on personal projects, which often involve some kind of content creation. From my recent long-form video to writing this newsletter, to working on static one-off designs, I thought it would be a good time to talk about how I see content changing, both for myself and the communities I surround myself with.

I have been struggling with the idea of short-form content recently, as platforms that I used to enjoy seem to morph into completely different entities. As someone who has grown most of my following on Instagram, and has seen the policy and algorithm changes firsthand, I have to continuously ask myself if it’s worth it.

Not to mention the fact that long-form video creation and writing this letter flex completely different creative muscles. Writing always feels like home to me, but filming and editing feel so difficult that I procrastinate creating videos for months. Part of me wonders if this is a good-uncomfortable-that-makes-you-grow-and-learn or if it’s a this-just-isn’t-for-you-uncomfortable.

analog clock at 12 am — Photo by Djim Loic on Unsplash

I have a real fear that there’s no keeping up with it at this point. As someone who makes a living primarily from client work or contracts, or even a full-time job previously, I simply don’t have as much time or even motivation to stay on top of trends to make something that I feel is high-quality enough within the short period that it is “trending”. Even the shorter form videos that I have already filmed don’t seem to quite “fit”.

I know a lot of creators say to just make what you like to make, but what if you make something and don’t like it? Should you still post it? Or perhaps you don’t quite know what you want to make, what feels distinct enough, true to yourself/your interests, and would still resonate with other people. Even the static designs that I’ve made recently and have liked, don’t get much reach online lately.

Beyond all of this, I see a real push for physical media and quite literally getting off of the phone. From people ironically going viral for trying “dumb phones,” to the rise of collage and physical printing, to collecting physical media like DVDs or CDs or even VHS tapes. These days it feels like anytime I pick up my device, I am bombarded with an overwhelming amount of information from the dumpster fire that is the current geo-political state. At the risk of sounding like a boomer, I am actively trying to replace pick-up moments with things like reading, writing, calling, researching, scheming, and drawing.

I’m curious if this is just a momentary trend in itself of being chronically online while trying to get offline and build community IRL, or if this is something that will be more of a lasting change. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.