1-1-1: how to start passion projects
read my 5 tips for new content creators to motivate you to start the your own passion projects too.
february, 2023
edition 05.
I can’t believe we’re one whole month into 2023! this year has truly flown by so quickly. contrary to what I wrote last week, january has actually treated me so well. I have some exciting news that I’m going to share in the coming weeks so keep your eyes peeled for that! it includes where I’m moving post-grad… which I am so so excited about!
you can expect one email from me every week containing:
one quote that has been inspiring me
one journal prompt
one piece of advice*
* = if you want to submit a question for my upcoming emails, you can find the form here.
announcements
super special episode this week with sophia (@sophiaecarter) — listen on spotify and apple.
we talk about being alone, especially in your 20s, and how to find your community. probably one of my favourite episodes ever.
I’m trying to prioritize conversations over solo episodes and I have some great people lined up for future episodes!
one quote
“you can’t plan your way into success.”
— meaning that yes, a plan is helpful for a rough outline of how to get started. but the most important part about a plan is starting.
(not sure if this is a quote/saying but it’s something I like to say a lot!)
one journal prompt
what are the steps I can take to prioritize the things that I am most passionate about?
one piece of advice
“You’re my inspiration Katie. Now I’ve started my own IG account which was on my bucket list . But now I don't know what to post and how to give content? Can you give tip to grow my Instagram account”
perhaps one of my most asked questions so I figured I’d try to write something more substantial on the topic. I’ll try to break down what I know for you — but this is definitely something I can address as a long-form on a podcast episode as well!
I. what’s your why?
aka why do you want to create content? what is your unique voice? what space are you trying to create content in? think about a venn diagram with three circles: things you’re passionate about, things you’re knowledgable in, and things you have the skills to make content for. the middle of the circle should be where you start in terms of niche/etc.
also consider what your goals are for content creation: is it to inspire people? in which case, don’t focus so much on the numbers and think about the impact. is it to have the most amount of followers possible? then do research on instagram and content strategies to help you get there. no matter what your why is (and no why is a ‘bad’ why), you just need to be clear with it.
II. find your community
my biggest tip with content creation of any sort is just to find likeminded people to support you. if you’re trying to break into the wellness niche, find other creators with a similar number of followers/engagement/content as you and start supporting each other. you’d be surprised how far a community can take you in this industry!
III. don’t be afraid to fail
trust me when I say that social media has a hugeeee learning curve. don’t be afraid to take risks, try different kinds of content/strategies, and have fun with it. the bottom line is this: the process of starting is messy and embarrassing but don’t let that stop you.
IV. use your voice
along with tip 1, what makes you stand out is your unique voice, especially if you’re incorporating your own experiences into your content. don’t try to copy what other people are doing (but it’s more than okay to take inspiration from them!) — find what makes you stand out! for me, I love making ‘how to’ posts and they present information in a pretty unique way. that’s my voice!!!
V. good content is good content
don’t get caught up in the strategies of social media if that feels too overwhelming for you. remember that good content is good content is good content. as long as you’re creating something of value to someone (and value doesn’t have to equal educational), focusing on building a community, and taking the pressure off of yourself to “grow fast” or “blow up” (which, trust me, you don’t really want virality anyways), and having fun with it, you’ll do well. trust me.
until we meet again,
katie