Kay’s Corner: Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Creator

MAGA Viral™ editorial illustration for Right Wing Kay’s “Kay’s Corner: Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Creator.”

If someone had told me a year ago what becoming a creator would actually look like, I probably would have laughed.

I thought creating content was simple.

You have an idea. You make a post. Maybe you record a video. People see it. Some like it, some don’t, and you move on.

Oh, how wrong I was. 😂

What I didn’t realize was that once you start putting your thoughts out into the world, you’re not just creating content anymore. You’re putting a little piece of yourself out there for complete strangers to judge, criticize, misunderstand, support, or sometimes unexpectedly connect with.

And when your content involves politics?

Buckle up. 😂

1. Not everyone is going to like you, and that’s okay.

This was probably one of the hardest things for me to learn.

When you start creating, it’s easy to look at a negative comment and immediately think, What did I do wrong? Why don’t they like me?

But eventually you realize something:

You can do everything right and somebody is still going to be mad.

You could word something perfectly. You could provide sources. You could be respectful. You could explain yourself ten different ways, and someone will still find something to criticize.

I’ve had to learn that criticism doesn’t automatically mean I’ve failed.

Sometimes it simply means someone doesn’t agree with me.

And honestly? That’s okay.

2. You can’t measure your worth by your numbers.

Followers, views, likes, comments, shares...

Creators can become obsessed with them.

I’ve definitely caught myself looking at numbers and wondering why one post took off while another one I worked twice as hard on barely moved.

The problem is that numbers can mess with your head if you let them.

A post can get thousands of views and barely make an impact.

Another post can reach a much smaller audience and genuinely help someone.

You don’t always get to see the impact you’re making.

That’s something I wish I understood from the beginning.

3. You’re going to change as you grow.

I thought I had to figure out exactly who I was as a creator before I could really get started.

I was wrong.

You figure it out while you’re doing it.

Your style changes. Your interests change. Your confidence changes. You learn what you’re good at. You learn what you don’t enjoy.

And that’s okay.

You don’t have to have your entire brand figured out on day one.

4. Some people will only see the screen name.

This one is interesting.

People see Right Wing Kay.

They don’t necessarily see Kay.

They don’t see the person behind the posts who has good days and bad days, second-guesses herself, gets overwhelmed, laughs at stupid things, makes mistakes, and sometimes has absolutely no idea what she’s doing. 😂

It’s easy to forget that there is a real human being behind every social media account.

And that’s something I’ve tried to remind myself of when I read comments about other creators, too.

5. You’re going to meet some really good people.

This is probably my favorite part.

For all the negativity that comes with putting yourself online, there are also people you never would have met otherwise.

People who encourage you.

People who send you messages when you’re having a rough day.

People who believe in what you’re building.

People who become friends.

People who remind you why you started in the first place.

Those people make it worth it.

6. You don’t have to respond to everything.

Oh, this one took me a while. 😂

Not every comment needs a response.

Not every argument needs to be won.

Not every person who misunderstands you needs an explanation.

Sometimes the best response is no response at all.

I’ve learned that protecting your peace is more important than getting the last word.

And trust me...

The internet will survive without you responding to every single person. 😂

7. The best thing you can create is something that actually sounds like YOU.

This is probably the biggest lesson I’m still learning.

It’s easy to look around and see what other successful creators are doing and think you need to do the same thing.

But people can tell when you’re forcing it.

I don’t want to become a copy of somebody else.

I want people to see something I’ve created and know:

Yep. That’s Kay.

That’s what I’m still working toward.

And maybe that’s what being a creator really is. Not becoming somebody else, but becoming more comfortable letting people see who you already are.

So why am I telling you all of this?

Because I want Kay’s Corner to be different from my regular content.

This is where I can slow down.

I can tell you the stories behind the posts.

I can talk about things I’m thinking about.

I can be serious, ridiculous, frustrated, excited, or completely unsure.

Basically...

This is where you get a little more Kay. ❤️

And if you’re here from the beginning, thank you.

Seriously.

I’m still figuring this whole thing out.

But I’m excited to see where it goes.

Welcome to Kay’s Corner.

Pull up a chair. We’ve got a lot to talk about. 🇺🇸❤️