The #1 newsletter about and for creators. We interview creators across every category, sharing new stories and strategies with 200,000+ subscribers each Friday.

The term "creator" originated as a way to describe top YouTubers back in 2011. Now it describes people publishing content on Instagram, YouTube, beehiiv, Twitter, Patreon, OnlyFans, LinkedIn, and every platform enabling users to build an audience.

At Creator Spotlight, we define "creator" by three rules:

• Consistently publishing content online.

  • Daily, weekly, monthly — pace doesn't matter as much as an output with momentum.

• A direct connection between the creator and their audience, not one mediated by an organization. 

  • For example, a freelance journalist might consistently publish work in The New York Times to an audience who loves their work but they're not necessarily a creator. The Times editorial staff has the final say on their content and pays them an agreed-upon fee for every article. If that same journalist also, for example, publishes a newsletter they've set up on beehiiv, they are a creator. They have the final say on what they publish, and if they monetize, there's no predefined ceiling on their income.

• Monetizing through subscriptions, paid courses, platform payouts, ads, brand deals, tips, or otherwise.

  • There are exceptions to this rule — creators whose output is separate from their income — but we usually don't cover them.

Our mission is to shine a light on stories from every corner of the creator economy. There is a near-endless depth and a staggering diversity of stories to find, research, and share, and so much to learn from creators working in every niche, around the globe, serving audiences small and large.

For now, you can find our content in your inbox every Friday and on social media, including X, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram.

— Francis Zierer, Lead Editor

If you have feedback about the Spotlight or want to share a tip, email is the best way to contact us.