An honest survival guide for creators

While writing about Gen Z building the creator economy with their bare hands, I thought about friends of mine who are creators.

For some, it’s a full-time gig. For others, they’re working 9 – 5 while ALSO making content. Either way, there are so many challenges they face.

Because behind the glossy reels and perfectly imperfect low-fi TikToks lies a slightly less romantic truth: it’s exhausting. I mean, it’s exhausting even for me to witness, and I’m not doing sh*t.

For every viral hit, there’s a creator fighting burnout, chasing metrics, and negotiating with brands that think “exposure” counts as payment.

While the creator economy booms, the creators themselves work hard to keep it that way. It’s not all free skincare, flashy product launches and delusions of grandeur. 

If you’re a creator right now, I see you soldier. But there is work to be done yet. Here’s my honest survival guide from what I’ve gathered in proximity.

1. The competition is brutal, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Everyone’s a creator now. Your cousin. Your boss. Your dentist who just launched a podcast called “Tooth Be Told.” The barrier to entry has never been lower. The bar, in hell, which means standing out has never been harder.

The trick isn’t to be first; it’s to be specific. You don’t need to invent a new niche. You just need to own a corner of the internet that feels unmistakably you.

Be the “chaotic apartment meal-prep girl.” Be the “guy who reviews public toilets.” Be the “pop culture theorist who explains the Barbie movie like it’s Shakespeare.” The internet rewards distinct energy, not generic excellence.

And if you think it’s all been done before? Trust me, it hasn’t been done your way.

2. Monetisation is messy (and weirdly emotional).

Here’s a fun stat: less than 5% of creators make a full-time income from their content. The rest are trapped in the world’s most unpredictable freelance job where paydays are inconsistent, rates are arbitrary, and “brand partnerships” sometimes mean free skincare samples.

The secret to surviving it? Think like a small business, not a starving artist.

Diversify your income streams: affiliate links, digital products, community memberships, merch, brand deals. The algorithm might crash tomorrow, but your audience’s loyalty (and your email list) won’t. Work smarter, not harder, baby.

Also, track your money. Automate invoices. Create templates. It’s boring, yes, but it’s how you turn the chaos into a career.

3. Burnout is the real villain here.

And she wants you crying in a ball, eating Takis in sweatpants. The creator economy runs on a dangerous lie: that consistency equals success. You’re told to post three times a day, reply to every comment, jump on every trend, and never take a day off or risk being forgotten by the algorithm gods.

The truth? Creative energy is renewable, but it’s not infinite.

Batch your work when you’re inspired. Create “lazy day” formats for when you’re not. Reuse your best-performing content (no one remembers everything you post). And if you need a break, take it before you hit the meltdown phase where you start filming “why I’m quitting social media” videos at 2am. (Even I’ve been there, and I have 2,000 followers lmfao.)

Remember, burnout doesn’t make you dedicated. It makes you disposable. And, due to the fact that it's entirely preventable, a bit of a silly goose.

4. The algorithm is your landlord. And, like all good landlords, it does not care about you.

Creators live and die by algorithm updates they’ll never fully understand. One tweak to TikTok’s For You page, and suddenly your reach is gone. You’re shadow-banned, ghosted, and begging your followers to “turn on notifications.”

You can’t control the algorithm. But you can control your foundations.

Build an audience outside the platforms--Substack, Patreon, Discord, newsletters, wherever your community can exist without disappearing overnight. Cross-post content across multiple channels. Don’t rely on one feed to define your worth (or your rent).

If the algorithm is your landlord, then your mailing list is your house. Own it.

5. You’re not just a creator, you’re an entrepreneur, baby!

The creator economy doesn’t work without you. But that also means you need to treat what you’re doing like a business, not a passion project.

Set boundaries. Know your rates. Get contracts. Say no when something doesn’t feel right, especially if it pays in “clout.”

The most successful creators aren’t the ones posting the most; they’re the ones managing their energy, finances, and community like a CEO.

You’re not just building an audience. You’re building a brand, an ecosystem, and a future career that doesn’t depend on whether the algorithm had its morning coffee.

Gen Z might have built the creator economy, but now they’re learning how to run it.

And while it can absolutely eat you alive, it can also feed you IF you stop trying to play the game, and start treating yourself like the prize (you are ☆).

Because the platforms aren’t in charge anymore. You are.

-Sophie Randell, Writer