💰 Don't Sell Out with Sponsored Content

Many creatives fall into this trap.

YouTube is one of my guilty pleasures. Watching videos on there chills my brain and allows me to relax. My favourite types of vlogs are about books, writing skills or crime. But, recently, I noticed that a disease has struck down some of my favourite vloggers. It is called greed.

The amount of videos I have watched where it is obvious that they have only been made to provide a platform for the sponsor of today's video. I understand sponsorship is vital to those who make a living from their creative work, but does it have to be so blatant?

One example this week was a YouTuber talking about journalling. In my memory, I seemed to think he had spoken about this before. There he sat, regurgitating the same information, and then I got it. The sponsor for the video was Day One. He had no interest in making the video and no new information to give out. He needed a platform to make money.

When you do this, you put people off your content. Viewers/readers are not stupid; they can see a con when there is one. You use your integrity. It is a sad fact that getting followers and readers is hard. Keeping them is harder.

This made me think about my content. I don't take company sponsor deals, but I have been guilty of doing so in the past. I no longer see the point of risking those who follow me for a few bucks. You will see that most of my recommendations give me no financial incentive to advertise them. They are genuine people or products that can help you to be a writer or improve your writing.

So when you receive emails from companies asking you to advertise their products, think to yourself, would this interest my readers? If this is a product you use yourself, it is a no-brainer. If Obsidian asked me, I would jump at the chance. I love their product and use it every day.

Sell, sell, sell will lose you followers. You have to provide value for time, to keep readers coming back for me.

If you enjoy this email, please share it so more readers can find it.

Until next week stay safe

Sam 😊

Weekly Three

Three recommendations to check out to make you a better creative.

R.R. Haywood - this is an author that you can find on TikTok, YouTube and Facebook. On his channels, he shares fiction writing tips for all. As a successful self-published author he shares tips you can get nowhere else. He is also very critical of writing courses, as I am.

Twisted Tales - Edward Anderson has been my sidekick for years, we started Crimebeat together on Medium. After much nagging, he has finally come and joined me on Substack. With Twisted Tales, he shares his unique brand of fiction.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow - This novel by Gabriella Zevin has made me laugh and cry. Although I still have 20% of the audiobook left to listen to, I know it is going to be in my Top five for the year. It is a beautifully told story, a story of friendship, love, betrayal and loss.

Quote of the week

It is not poverty itself that leads to violence — it is resentment against others - Tessa Schlesinger

Short-Story of the week

That Social Media Webinar

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