The Explosion of the Creator Economy

What Is It? How Do We Utilize It? Is AI Here to Kill Us All? Is This What Will Change the World?

It’s the buzzword that keeps popping up in your inbox, on social media, and in those inspirational LinkedIn posts your old college friend keeps sharing. Or maybe you haven’t heard this term at all. If you haven’t, then I highly suggest you start listening. If you’re an artist, novelist, or screenwriter, moving into 2025 and thinking about what will come of your career, you might be thinking, What does this mean for me?, or maybe, How do I get a slice of this mysterious pie? I’m going to do my best to decode some of this…and this is coming from someone who is still learning about this new economy right along with you. I am also going to touch upon that dreaded term, Artificial Intelligence. I really want to dive into this AI thing, everyone, but I want to do so with a clear conscience…and to not piss anyone off. Because this is a relatively simple Substack post, I will try to keep this relatively short. So…let’s start simple…

What Is the Creator Economy?

In its simplest form, the creator economy is a fancy term for what happens when individuals (hopefully you) monetize their creativity. It’s where your brilliant ideas, words, paintings, or videos find a paying audience without the need for a giant corporate middleman. Think Patreon, Substack (hi, Substack!), YouTube, Etsy, or even TikTok.

In short, it’s the economy where your talent is the product - and the rest of us are lining up to consume it. This isn’t technically “new”, but it will certainly explode this year and in coming years.

What Have I Noticed About This Creator Economy Thing?

By 2026, and like I said, this economy isn’t just going to grow; it’s going to explode like my brain as I continue to research all of the ways it can and will grow. The line between “creator” and “businessperson” will blur even more than it’s already blurred. Why, and what does it mean for you, the artist and writer?

Community is Key

Your audience will be more important than ever, not just as consumers but as collaborators and supporters. Whether it’s a private Discord channel for your superfans or a community on platforms like Circle.so (yes, shameless plug for a tool I happen to love because I use Circle for my Story Farm Community, AND the Int’l Screenwriters’ Assoc is launching their own Circle community platform directly through their website very very soon). Look…you’re going to need to nurture your relationships like a garden, and I don’t mean your grandmother’s younger cousin who once owned a thriving talent agency in the 80’s who might know how to get your script in front of Kevin Bacon. I’m talking about building your own network of fans and people who like you, love what you provide, and want to see you provide even more of it.

Diversified Revenue Streams

Ugh…what is this, a business course at a local community college? Well…no. If you have any intention to create wealth in your life, regardless of how much wealth it is you want to create, you need to be thinking of ways to generate income well beyond just one “stream” or avenue. Gone are the days of putting all your eggs in one basket (especially just one script basket…you need more than one script, people!) Writers and artists will need to think beyond royalties and commission checks. E-books, online courses, live Q&As, and exclusive content memberships will be the norm. Yes, this means you’re running a business. Breathe. Just breathe.

AI as a Tool, Not a Threat

This is a big one. I spend most of this Substack post talking about AI. I really want to talk this through and be real. First, AI is coming for all of us, but here’s the kicker: it’s not here to replace you - it’s here to assist you. Think of it as your nerdy, unpaid intern who can brainstorm character arcs or proofread your drafts at 3 a.m. The creators who embrace AI tools will thrive, while those who fight it will find themselves in a staring contest with the inevitable. As I typed that, I cringed because I know how difficult it is to accept this. Change can suck sometimes. And when it comes to art, human emotion, perspective and voice, AI just can’t crack it…but there is so much it can do, and if we don’t figure out how to embrace it, well…it will end up embracing us anyway. Here are some thoughts on the whole AI thing, and I hope you all take it with a little grain of salt.

And by AI, by the way, I don’t mean Arnold Schwarzenegger on a motorcycle. I’m talking about the AI tools already sneaking into our daily lives, ready to supercharge our creativity and redefine this new creator economy. If you’re an artist, novelist, or screenwriter, buckle up, because AI is about to become your new creative sidekick.

What’s the Creator Economy Got to Do with AI?

The creator economy is booming, and AI is set to be its secret sauce. By the end of this current year, AI won’t just be a buzzword; it’ll be as essential to your creative process as your favorite coffee mug or that notebook where you jot down ideas at 2 a.m. Though, I really hope you don’t stop using journals or end your pen-to-paper brainstorming sessions. We need both! But here are some ways I’ve learned how AI will transform the way you work…

A Creative Partner

AI isn’t here to replace your genius - it’s here to turbocharge it. For writers, think tools that help brainstorm plot twists, refine dialogue, or generate entire outlines when you’re staring at a blank page. Those blank pages don’t need to be blank anymore. Will AI be perfect in brainstorming an idea you just can’t figure out? Hell no. I recently had an idea based on a cool Wisconsin legend about an old man ghost who haunted a back country road outside of Madison. I had some general ideas about it, and then I asked ChatGPT to go further with these ideas. I asked it to give it a twist, but I wanted the story to be emotional, heartfelt, but also scaring the bejeezuz out of people. It spewed back a whole bunch of lame cliches, and in no way did I want to write THAT version of the story. But what I DID find was a continuation of my own thoughts, brainstorms, and ideas, and it kept my energy moving forward. It kept me in tune with the idea even when some of the ideas it gave me weren’t any good. Something is ALWAYS better than nothing.

Time-Saving Automation

Administrative work is the bane of every creative soul. AI can take the grunt work off your plate: scheduling social media posts, organizing your emails, or even handling customer inquiries about your Patreon tiers. Suddenly, you have more time to do what you love - create. I’m not saying that every screenwriter needs to have a Patreon account - duh. But I do believe that every writer needs to figure out a way to build an audience outside of your face-to-face, human-to-human contact and networking.

AI as a New Creative Medium

For artists, AI tools like DALL·E or Stable Diffusion offer entirely new ways to create. You can combine traditional art techniques with AI-generated elements, opening up uncharted creative territory. Why is this helpful for screenwriter or novelists? You now have the ability to not only create incredibly cool and professional pitch decks and marketing materials, but you can create shorts and YouTube videos all about the stories you’re wanting to tell and share. Is it still a lot of work? Hell yeah, but of course it is! This shouldn’t be something that is done in our sleep without any creative thought. We need to speed up our creative thoughts and processes so that we can get our creations out into the world for audiences to find it.

The Ethical Elephant in the Room

Of course, AI isn’t all puppy dogs and ice cream. There are legitimate concerns about intellectual property, data usage, and whether some creators will lean too heavily on AI at the expense of their unique voices. But here’s the thing: tools are only as good as the hands that wield them.

The creators who thrive in this AI-driven world will be the ones who learn how to integrate these tools thoughtfully. Use AI to enhance your creativity, not define it. Think of it as the sous-chef to your culinary masterpiece (and I actually asked AI to give me a little metaphor, and that’s what it came up with. I like it!)

What This Means for Artists and Writers

For artists, AI could mean creating pieces faster while still maintaining your signature style, but also finding places online and in the real world where you can actually SHARE what you’ve created. Think of what authors have been able to do with their books for the past decade ever since Kindle Direct Publishing was released. After they write a novel, they have the ability to self-publish this novel and immediately turn what they created into a product; something they can sell and monetize immediately. They’ve created an IP (intellectual property) that they wholly own. Screenwriters don’t have that luxury because the film and TV industry is naturally a collaborative process (and you won’t have full rights to that original sci-fi you wrote.) What doesn’t need to be collaborative? Creating your own online presence and audience that not only creates a brand around you and your work, but actually helps you make money. God forbid.

Here’s The Thing…

I was very much against AI when it first popped into our world. But this is because it scared me (due to not understanding it), and because I didn’t want to lose the human element of creation, storytelling, and moving an audience. But I now see that AI isn’t the enemy - it’s an evolution. The creator economy is shifting toward a future where human ingenuity and artificial intelligence can work hand in hand. The challenge (and opportunity) for artists and writers will be to embrace these tools without losing the heart and soul of what makes their work resonate. Yes, there is the challenge that AI may very well take over the world, create American tech oligarchs, and our society will be ruined and in shambles before we see the year 2035, but hey…we might as well create some fantastic stories in the meantime.

While I jest, I’ll be serious for a second. I do feel that without proper regulation and control, not only by a governing body but by the citizens using this technology, AI could quite easily get out of control. What I am choosing, however, is to trust the users - to trust you! I trust that there is good in the world, and that good will always shine through. So…I did have to make that disclaimer, whether it helps or not.

AI is here whether we like it or not. You can resist it, fear it, or get curious about how it can make you a better, faster, more innovative creator. My vote? The curiosity.

Because at the end of the day, the robots might help with the heavy lifting, but they’ll never replace the spark of human creativity. And that is what will keep the creator economy alive and thriving.

Max and The Story Farm offer all of his Substack content to ISA members for free, but a week or more after the original post was sent. If you would like to receive his most up to date Substack posts, as well as participate in a community of writers through his subscription and the Substack app, you can do so by going here: www.substack.com/@thestoryfarm