Goodbye, Grace

Issue #299 | Dec. 17, 2024

Hey everyone, I have an announcement to share. You may have noticed that I’ve been a little more quiet and subdued with my hot takes lately. It’s because I’ve decided to change career paths a bit. Academia is calling. I’m leaving Passionfruit to start a new job in January, and although I’ll miss this place, I know it’s the right move for me.

When we first started Passionfruit in 2021, I had no idea what being a “creator” really meant. It took me some time to figure out the gist. When I asked around the room at parties, everyone seemed to have a different idea. Conversations mirrored the “Is a hot dog a sandwich?” philosophy 101 debate. Was someone a creator if they didn’t have over 1,000 followers? Was the Duolingo social media manager a creator? Was a writer a creator — or, god forbid, was a journalist a creator?

The consensus was conflicting. Most people considered the Duolingo social media manager to be a creator. Why? Because they were a social media creator, even though they worked for a big corporation. Substack writers were also considered creators. Even though they weren’t social-media-first creators, they had to promote themselves through social media. They had to build an audience and attract advertisers or paying subscribers.

However, most people I spoke with huffed and puffed and vehemently believed that (non-independent) journalists are NOT!! creators. Journalists, of course, must abide by rigid codes of conduct and ethics. Journalists cannot be beholden to advertisers or paying subscribers. That’s a conflict of interest.

To all of that, I say, yeah, that’s true.

However, journalists’ existence depends on the same platforms, algorithms, advertisers, and eyeballs that creators depend on. Journalists, like creators, need remarkable competitiveness, grit, personal branding, and artistic ability to survive. Journalists, like creators, have to pursue inner fulfillment and meaningful work while being battered with meaningless external markers of validation (views). Yet people expect journalists (much like monks) to masquerade a coyness about our material needs and the necessary pursuit of popularity.

While we may balk at the term, journalists have many of the exact needs and interests of creators. Ultimately, this whole journey of working for Passionfruit has been an effort of mutual care. Your interests have been my interests.

The whole team at Passionfruit understands that the way we work, make art, and make meaning in the world is tied to the internet. The narrow definition of what it means to be a “creator” is expanding. This means you all have a lot more allies and power than you may realize… even if you are pursuing what at times seems like a shot-in-the-dark career path.

There is a team of incredible, talented journalists working here. Everyone on this team truly believes in the mission of helping creators succeed, questioning the world around us, and speaking truth to power. Thank you for supporting our work.

As for me, it’s time to step back and let some new voices shine here. I know I’m leaving you in capable hands. You can follow me here and here to stay in touch. Don’t be a stranger.

– Grace Stanley, Deputy Editor

PLATFORMS

Federal Appeals Court Rejects TikTok’s Injunction

What does this mean for TikTok?

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor

Federal Appeals Court Rejects TikTok's Ban Appeal

→ R EAD THE FULL STORY

Meet Your All-In-One Creator Store

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IN THE BIZ

Meta has been put on watch over terrorism content in the EU.
Instagram will now allow users to schedule DMs.
Snapchat will adopt a new, unified monetization program for creators.
Blue screens or green screens? Here’s how to choose the right one.

PLATFORMS

What To Do If TikTok Gets Banned

Plan for if the end times come.

By Steven Asarch, Passionfruit Contributor

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YouTube Continues To Prevail Among Teens

A Pew survey found that 90% of teens regularly use YouTube.

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor

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UPCOMING EVENTS

CES Creator Space is Jan. 7-10 in Las Vegas.
1 Billion Followers Summit is Jan. 11-13 in Dubai.
Creator Economy Live is Feb. 4-5 in Las Vegas.
the platform is Mar. 21 in Pittsburgh.

CREATOR SPOTLIGHT

Calling all creators! Want to be featured to Passionfruit’s community? ✨

Make sure to apply to our creator spotlight program! You can find more details and the application here. Happy creating!