Gosh! After working at growing a following for 10 years and never getting even close to where your son got within days, this is positively demoralizing!
Hi Sarah! I try to take a more positive view, and there are so many areas of discussion here around one’s ultimate goals. For instance, an author who can get 100+ online reviews from their book from an email list of 300 people. Or how someone can run a successful online business with 3,000 subscribers.
Yeah. I'm still striving for 50 reviews and my book has been out for 7 months and I am grateful for each and every review. But some days, like today, I just wonder if I'll ever have what it takes.
Oh, Sarah, I felt the opposite of demoralized (I’m not sure what adjective to use.) I found Dan’s post fascinating. There’s a new way audiences are engaging. My niche audience is pre-retirees and retired people. I cross-post my Substack articles. After email and Substack, my third open rate comes from LinkedIn. I like Dan’s reply about goals. I don’t know you Sarah, but 7 months is not that long, and never doubt you have what it takes to promote your book. All the best to you!
This is fantastic, Dan. I love hearing about young people who actively create content rather than simply being passive consumers. My oldest son is in college now and has always had a passion for cars and nature photography. He frequently shares his photography, his opinions about cars, and his progress on cars he's fixing up on his social media channels. Plus, he engages with other creators who share his interests.
I'm inspired by your son (and my own). For those of us who struggle in this area--and I'm speaking for myself--maybe we need to stop taking it all so damn seriously and channel the creators who are willing to give something a go simply for the fun of it and to see what happens.
Also, I chuckled about your son's response regarding the negative feedback on one of his videos because of a typo. He clearly understands the algorithm game. A writing friend had a similar experience after she posted a video. She gained hundreds of new subscribers simply because she made a grammatical mistake. The grammar police showed up with swords out, ironically driving engagement and additional fans her way. It was a mindset shift moment for me, watching her handle that experience with dignity, grace and humor.
My girls are great storytellers, not because we made them write stories but because they made us tell them a new story every night for 13 years. Lights out. No distractions. Just the wonder - the kids wondering what we would say, the parents wondering what we would create. Great job, Dan, of raising inquisitive kids.
It is wonderful to see your kids pursuing their ideas and interest with such discipline and dedication, in a world where everyone struggles with short attention spans. The creativity and discipline they are honing that way is going to help them immensely in the future, no matter what they do. Wishing them lots of joy and success in their endeavours. And I applaud your parenting 😊
I love this! It’s so cool to see our kids pursuing creativity in their own ways, and there’s so much to learn from them. Thanks for sharing this information!
Hey Dan, that's a wonderful story on so many levels. As a guy who runs a Substack entitled Fukc Typos, I have to hand it to your son for coming up with that idea of leaving in a typo to generate comments and traction to his videos.
I love how your children embody their parent's creativity and success! I try to share as much as possible without fear, but when I post my "Here's my latest Substack" and write funny titles and lead-ins, I still don't get many readers from my social media posts where my followers know me! For my last two Substack posts, I tried to engage my social media followers by asking for their input; my latest was on memories of Valentine's Day in our high school. I said I was writing a post about it. I got five more subscribers, so that's something. I'm wondering what it would be like if I made my social media public and not private.
If this isn't a case of environmental osmosis, I don't know what is! We can learn so much from kids who've internalized the world around them, stick it through their generational kaleidoscope, and produce colorful, entertaining, mind-splitting output. What an accomplishment for you and your son!
Very interesting and eye-opening, Dan. If you were to recommend some inexpensive and really easy to use video software for non-techies working off of PCs, what would you recommend to create shorts and reels? Thanks!
Thanks Alex! I think he primarily uses CapCut. I know when that wasn’t available, he used Adobe Premiere Pro (which is not inexpensive or simple to use, FYI.) Good luck!
Dan, thanks for showing us the future of content creation is in good hands. I love seeing the creativity and passion of young people. And, I picked up a few ideas.
I totally agree with enjoying posting things and viewing the whole thing as a creative process. The thing is, I enjoy posting photos, not reels. I don't like making videos or seeing them on Instagram, in fact I get extremely annoyed at having to skip them more and more frequently as I scroll. And I don't think it's a matter of age: photography is not a fad and I hate that there does not seem to be a platform suited to those of us who prefer it anymore.
Anyway, I'll keep posting my photos with my captions until Instagram banishes them all together. My point is, it's difficult to enjoy making things you don't actually like yourself, to gain followers.
Thanks Thalia! Something I consider here, is how does one take that “limitation” (so to speak), and turn it into an opportunity? There are loads of photographers on Instagram and TikTok and YouTube — what are they doing? You could easily spend 30 days doing a full analysis. Thanks!
Thank you Dan! Great post! You’re an awesome parent with a talented kid. Congratulations! The world would look a lot different with more parents like you.
Gosh! After working at growing a following for 10 years and never getting even close to where your son got within days, this is positively demoralizing!
Hi Sarah! I try to take a more positive view, and there are so many areas of discussion here around one’s ultimate goals. For instance, an author who can get 100+ online reviews from their book from an email list of 300 people. Or how someone can run a successful online business with 3,000 subscribers.
Yeah. I'm still striving for 50 reviews and my book has been out for 7 months and I am grateful for each and every review. But some days, like today, I just wonder if I'll ever have what it takes.
Oh, Sarah, I felt the opposite of demoralized (I’m not sure what adjective to use.) I found Dan’s post fascinating. There’s a new way audiences are engaging. My niche audience is pre-retirees and retired people. I cross-post my Substack articles. After email and Substack, my third open rate comes from LinkedIn. I like Dan’s reply about goals. I don’t know you Sarah, but 7 months is not that long, and never doubt you have what it takes to promote your book. All the best to you!
Tx Brenda! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
I agree.
Dan - out of everything I've read of yours - a decent amount - not a ton mind you, this article resonates with me the most.
Your son has managed to internaliz much of his father in his own way - and make a run at doing what you do in his own way. I love it!
You must be proud - and if you haven't - do yourself and him a favor and tell him today - on VD day that you are proud of him.
Man, and then get the kid a paid subscriber base - if he/you want a college fund - the kid is going to pay his own way if he wants right!
Thank you for sharing what you do and what you "sire" - pun intended.
All my best,
Bronce
Aw, thank you Bronce! Yes, I tell him I’m proud of him all the time.
I knew there was something about you that I liked! :)
Now I know what it is - lol
This is fantastic, Dan. I love hearing about young people who actively create content rather than simply being passive consumers. My oldest son is in college now and has always had a passion for cars and nature photography. He frequently shares his photography, his opinions about cars, and his progress on cars he's fixing up on his social media channels. Plus, he engages with other creators who share his interests.
I'm inspired by your son (and my own). For those of us who struggle in this area--and I'm speaking for myself--maybe we need to stop taking it all so damn seriously and channel the creators who are willing to give something a go simply for the fun of it and to see what happens.
Also, I chuckled about your son's response regarding the negative feedback on one of his videos because of a typo. He clearly understands the algorithm game. A writing friend had a similar experience after she posted a video. She gained hundreds of new subscribers simply because she made a grammatical mistake. The grammar police showed up with swords out, ironically driving engagement and additional fans her way. It was a mindset shift moment for me, watching her handle that experience with dignity, grace and humor.
Amazing! Thank you so much Christa.
My girls are great storytellers, not because we made them write stories but because they made us tell them a new story every night for 13 years. Lights out. No distractions. Just the wonder - the kids wondering what we would say, the parents wondering what we would create. Great job, Dan, of raising inquisitive kids.
Thank you Cindy!
It is wonderful to see your kids pursuing their ideas and interest with such discipline and dedication, in a world where everyone struggles with short attention spans. The creativity and discipline they are honing that way is going to help them immensely in the future, no matter what they do. Wishing them lots of joy and success in their endeavours. And I applaud your parenting 😊
Aw, thank you so much!
I love this! It’s so cool to see our kids pursuing creativity in their own ways, and there’s so much to learn from them. Thanks for sharing this information!
Thank you Joy!
Hey Dan, that's a wonderful story on so many levels. As a guy who runs a Substack entitled Fukc Typos, I have to hand it to your son for coming up with that idea of leaving in a typo to generate comments and traction to his videos.
Thanks Nicholas!
Wow wow wow! How cool! Now we need your kiddo to teach us a video creating class :)
Ha! Thanks Sarah.
So awesome! Congratulations on both of your kids endeavors. I’m sure you’re modeling has a lot to do with their passion and progress.❤️
Aw, thank you Jamie Lynn!
This is SO cool! I love reading about young creative souls.
Thanks Evolet!
I love how your children embody their parent's creativity and success! I try to share as much as possible without fear, but when I post my "Here's my latest Substack" and write funny titles and lead-ins, I still don't get many readers from my social media posts where my followers know me! For my last two Substack posts, I tried to engage my social media followers by asking for their input; my latest was on memories of Valentine's Day in our high school. I said I was writing a post about it. I got five more subscribers, so that's something. I'm wondering what it would be like if I made my social media public and not private.
Nice! Thanks Doreen.
If this isn't a case of environmental osmosis, I don't know what is! We can learn so much from kids who've internalized the world around them, stick it through their generational kaleidoscope, and produce colorful, entertaining, mind-splitting output. What an accomplishment for you and your son!
Thank you Kristine!
Very interesting and eye-opening, Dan. If you were to recommend some inexpensive and really easy to use video software for non-techies working off of PCs, what would you recommend to create shorts and reels? Thanks!
Thanks Alex! I think he primarily uses CapCut. I know when that wasn’t available, he used Adobe Premiere Pro (which is not inexpensive or simple to use, FYI.) Good luck!
Dan, thanks for showing us the future of content creation is in good hands. I love seeing the creativity and passion of young people. And, I picked up a few ideas.
Thanks Brenda!
I totally agree with enjoying posting things and viewing the whole thing as a creative process. The thing is, I enjoy posting photos, not reels. I don't like making videos or seeing them on Instagram, in fact I get extremely annoyed at having to skip them more and more frequently as I scroll. And I don't think it's a matter of age: photography is not a fad and I hate that there does not seem to be a platform suited to those of us who prefer it anymore.
Anyway, I'll keep posting my photos with my captions until Instagram banishes them all together. My point is, it's difficult to enjoy making things you don't actually like yourself, to gain followers.
Thanks Thalia! Something I consider here, is how does one take that “limitation” (so to speak), and turn it into an opportunity? There are loads of photographers on Instagram and TikTok and YouTube — what are they doing? You could easily spend 30 days doing a full analysis. Thanks!
Thank you Dan! Great post! You’re an awesome parent with a talented kid. Congratulations! The world would look a lot different with more parents like you.
Aw, thank you!