You Can’t Teach Perspective
Embrace Your Story
In the creative world, you can learn all the technical skills—editing, directing, writing—but there’s one thing no course or job can ever teach you: your perspective.
When I worked as a video producer at BuzzFeed, I learned this firsthand. BuzzFeed ran a three-month fellowship program that taught people from all walks of life how to create viral content, regardless of their prior experience. The secret to BuzzFeed’s success wasn’t the viral formula—it was the unique voice behind each piece of content.
During my time there, I saw countless videos blow up—not because we followed a rigid playbook, but because of the personal stories and sensibilities each creator brought to the table. That’s what made the content stand out.
There is only one you. And there will never be another. You’re the only person who has lived your specific life, and that’s something to embrace.
Oprah Winfrey said it best:
“Do the work that comes straight from the soul of you. From your background, from stories that you’ve grown up with, from stories that bring you passion, from stories that you don’t just yearn to tell, but if you don’t tell them, they won’t get told.”
You have a story that’s worth telling. It’s easy to downplay your experiences, especially when you compare them to others. But the world needs your story. The more specific you are, the more powerful it becomes. Michael Schur, co-creator of Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, preaches in his comedy rooms that the more specific you get, the more relatable your work becomes. You might not have been a disaster child-mayor who wrecked a small town, but you’ve probably felt embarrassment or shame at some point. I know I have. (Apologies to any former child-mayors reading this. Didn’t mean to bring up the past.)
There’s an audience out there that will appreciate your work. Whether that audience is big or small is anyone’s guess, but if you’re chasing numbers, you might not ever find that audience. Just look at BuzzFeed now—they pivoted to numbers over talent, and it shows.
You are the first audience. Create for your own sensibilities and tastes first. The audience will follow. Tell the stories only you can tell.
Before you look outward for validation, look inward. Don’t dilute your voice to fit someone else’s expectations—create from your core, for you first, and let the audience find you.
Keep creating and repeating.
- Zack
Links keeping us creative:
📔Sublime: A way to collect and connect anything interesting you find on the internet.
🛝The Creative Playground: A guide from artist Ralph Ammer on how to jumpstart your creativity.
📞 How I reduced my screentime by 80%: We all know phones can be both a blessing and a curse. This video shows a creative way to turn your phone into a tool rather than a distraction.
🏃♂️ HYLD studio: An archive of the creative studio "HYLD," focussing on storytelling within sports and lifestyle.
Create.Repeat is a community for creatives.
The Create.Repeat Substack is a project designed to be a weekly diary on creativity. Sharing inspiration for artists to keep creating and repeating.
Written and curated by Zack Evans & James Warren Taylor
Each week we will be sharing recent thoughts on creativity, some links helping us stay creative, and soon will be including a talent show featuring an artist from the community. Thank you for engaging with us.
History repeats. Create the future.
Some Final Links:
This piece… a timely reminder🙌🏾