"Changing how art and community exist on the Internet"
~ Patreon Inc. San Francisco, California
There was a time when creating meant freedom—freedom to express, connect, and build something lasting.
But today?
It feels more like a race you never signed up for.
You pour your heart into your work, but the algorithm decides who sees it.
You chase trends to stay relevant, but your soul gets lost in the process.
You rack up followers, but they’re ghosts—seeing you only when the algorithm allows.
For years, the creator-fan relationship was at the heart of the internet.
Platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter were built on the idea that if someone followed you, they’d see your work. But over the past five years, social media has changed the rules.
The Fall of the Follower
The “follow” button means less and less.
The creator-fan relationship was once central to the social internet, with 'follow' and 'subscribe' buttons allowing fans to keep up with creators and helping creators build loyal communities.
However, fans' feeds are now increasingly filled with recommended posts from unknown creators, ads, sponsored content, and non-valuable content
The algorithm now decides what’s “worthy” of being seen.
• Creators feel manipulated, trapped in a never-ending content treadmill.
• Incomes are unstable, with platforms shifting priorities without warning.
• Creative burnout is real—because making art isn’t an assembly line.
Creators like Karen X. Cheng, Malick Lombion, and Brooke Cormier have spoken out about this shift.
The algorithm doesn’t measure what people love—it measures what keeps them scrolling.
What happens to the creators who want to build something lasting, not just chase the next viral moment?
This is why creators are moving to direct-to-fan platforms like :
Patreon, Substack, and Discord—places where your audience actually sees your work, supports you, and becomes part of something real.
Because the real connection isn’t built on fleeting engagement—it’s built on trust.
Your art deserves to be seen.
You deserve to be seen.
Have you felt this struggle?
Let’s talk about it.
#CreatorEconomy #StateOfCreate #DirectToFan
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