The term “creator economy” has become shorthand for something sprawling and hard to define. It encompasses the Substack writer publishing twice a week to a fiercely loyal but modest readership; the podcaster stitching together sponsorships while editing from their kitchen table; the lifestyle blogger who still publishes through a traditional CMS but finds most of their audience through Instagram; the gamer who streams to a few hundred regulars every evening; the model with thousands of paying subscribers on OnlyFans; and the influencer working with global brands, their reach measured in millions.
These people rarely think of themselves under the same umbrella, but their challenges overlap. They are each trying to carve out a sustainable space on the internet, to balance creative integrity with the realities of growth, to deal with opaque platforms and unpredictable algorithms. And while the infrastructure for this economy has expanded rapidly — new apps, new tools, new ways to monetise — the knowledge required to navigate it remains scattered. One article here, one tip thread there, a podcast interview tucked behind a paywall, a rumour passed between creators about a coming platform change.
The Brief exists to address this gap. It is designed as a reference point for anyone building a presence online, whether they identify as an influencer, an independent journalist, a blogger, a cam model, or something else entirely. What unites these groups is a need for clarity: how to understand the landscape, how to grow within it, and how to protect the value of their work.
The aim is not to offer shortcuts or hype. There are enough empty promises of “overnight growth hacks” in circulation. Instead, The Brief will provide analysis rooted in evidence, guidance shaped by practice, and resources that can be acted upon immediately. It will take the perspective that creators are entrepreneurs, operating small but ambitious businesses within a chaotic and constantly shifting marketplace.
Coverage will stretch across both the fundamentals and the frontiers. Expect practical posts on subjects like negotiating brand partnerships, building subscriber communities, or maximising the reach of a single piece of content. Alongside these will be essays on the broader forces shaping the creator economy: the cultural implications of platform design, the consequences of algorithmic shifts, the lessons traditional media can still offer, and the ways in which creators are setting the pace for industries far larger than their own.
Upcoming posts will tackle questions such as:
- How Substack writers can build audiences without paying for visibility
- The free tools every creator should be using in 2025
- What OnlyFans can teach about community-building and loyalty
- How to read the signals behind algorithm changes
- Why newsletters, blogs, and podcasts still matter in an era dominated by short-form video
The Brief is intended to grow alongside its readers. This first piece is not a mission statement carved in stone, but a declaration of intent. As the platforms evolve and the business of being a creator continues to mature, so too will the scope of this site. What will remain consistent is the perspective: that creators deserve serious, reliable coverage, and that the work of building online is not a side pursuit but a profession.
Welcome to The Brief. A guide, a reference point, and — hopefully — a voice of clarity in a space that too often confuses speed with substance.