It's never been easier to create content
Why the best time to make a start is now.
Gary Bloomer | SHAKING THE TREE # 203
Are you excited?
I am.
We’re living through a revolution right now.
A revolution of opportunities in terms of content creation that’s fueled by people you you and I. We live in a time of the most radical democratization of creative expression in human history.
The barriers to entry are lower than ever. If you've been waiting for a sign to start creating, this is it: the gatekeepers are AWOL; the tools are either free or inexpensive, and the world is hungry for the sort of articles, or videos, or podcasts that only you can make.
The great unbundling of creativity
It doesn’t seem that long ago that creating anything of substance required permission.
Record labels decided who could make, record, and distribute music.
Publishing houses anointed the authors they loved and buried the authors they loathed.
Major film studios green-lit the right sort of filmmakers.
Big TV networks decided which shows got beyond the dreaded pilot phase.
Thankfully, that world of gatekeepers and bean counters is now largely gone … and good riddance. These days, the barriers to creative entry are wide open, so much so that now:
Anyone with a smartphone and $20 microphone can launch a podcast empire
A Substack newsletter can easily bypass an entire publishing empire
A TikTok filmed in someone’s kitchen can easily reach more people in 24 hours than most TV shows from just a decade ago could reach in a year.
The game has changed. The playing field has been leveled.
We've entered an era where talent compounds exponentially when paired with distribution. Your garage studio or spare room video studio now rivals productions that used to cost millions.
The rise of the micro-economy
Modern creators operate in a world where:
Audiences are global by default
Your first subscriber could be in Mumbai or Milwaukee—algorithms don't care about geographyMonetization happens at every stage
From day 1 Patreon supporters to digital product sales, you no longer need scale to generate incomeNiche is the new mainstream
The internet rewards specificity—a YouTube channel about industrial HVAC systems can out-earn generic "business advice" content
The tools have disappeared
The most profound development isn't to do with which tools exist—it's more that you don't even notice them anymore:
AI handles editing while you sleep
Templates turn design into drag-and-drop
Distribution happens automatically across platforms
We've reached the point where the only real friction is psychological. The machinery of creation has become so seamless it's practically invisible.
Why now? Three reversible trends
The Attention Economy is accelerating
Every institution—from universities to corporations—is becoming media-first. Those who can create valuable content wield disproportionate influence.The professional class is reinventing itself
As AI automates an increasing number of the tasks of routine work, human creativity will become the premium skill. Your ability to teach, explain, and inspire through content will have greater and greater influence in terms ofdefining your career ceiling.
The long tail just got longer
Platforms are desperate for quality content. They'll promote you aggressively if you consistently deliver value to any audience segment.
The only wrong move now is hesitation
Here's what's not coming back:
The era of expensive production requirements
The need for institutional validation
The fiction that "real creators" need special qualifications
Your potential audience is online right now. The tools are portable and in your pocket. The economic models are proven.
What remains is simple: Start today. Ship imperfect work. Improve in public. Refine as you go along. Adjust your direction as you move forward.
The revolution won't be televised—it'll be streamed, posted, and published by those bold enough to hit PUBLISH or send.
There’s no reason one of those people can’t be you.
As always, thanks for reading.
—Gary
Feel free to follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn
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P.S. Next time on Shaking the Tree … The need for bold action
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Originally from the U.K., Gary Bloomer is a writer, branding advocate, marketing specialist, and an award-winning graphic designer.
His design work has been included in Creative Review (one of the UK’s largest design magazines). Since 2009, he has answered over 5,000 marketing and business questions in the Know-How Exchange of MarketingProfs.com, placing him among the top 3% of contributors. He lives in Wilmington, Delaware, USA.