The Top 50 list is almost here 🔥

Happy midsummer, party people. It’s muggy and hot ☀️ and seemingly more extreme than ever here in the mid-Atlantic where if it’s not downright pouring/thunder/lightning, it’s sunny and steamy. Inside with way too much AC, there’s a ton going on in Project C land. Below, a few heads-up and reminders about some crucial dates you won’t want to miss, then below that, the usual curation of what’s happening in the creator journalism space - including my recent Creator Spotlight interview!

Coming soon

5️⃣0️⃣ Next Thursday (July 24) the inaugural Top 50 Creator-Model Journalists list will launch right here. Months in development and the result of deep research and analysis, the list is the first of its kind – a curation of the best and brightest people out there right now working to produce journalistic content outside traditional media organizations.

In addition to the actual list, we’ll share some fairly interesting insights about this ecosystem. And I’m beyond psyched to have analysis and contributions from some extremely smart, forward-thinking folks working on the leading edge of the creator journalism space.

🚀 But first, this Thursday, join me and fellow Going Solo instructors Ryan Kellett, Blair Hickman, Caitlin Dewey (and possibly Lex Roman and Lynn Walsh if the stars align) for an hour-long AMA. We’ll answer your questions about creator-model journalism, share behind-the-scenes lessons from the workshop, and talk candidly about what it takes to succeed as an independent journalist today. We’ll also announce details about the next Going Solo cohort and when registration will open!

🗞️ Finally, don’t sleep on this Friday’s deadline to apply to join the Project C ONA25 Creator Cohort. With gracious support from the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and ONA, Project C will take 10 independent journalists working in the creator ecosystem to ONA25 September 10-13 in New Orleans. We’re covering up to $1,000 in travel and lodging expenses, paired with comped registration and access to all of the creator-focused events and networking. Deadline for applications is this Friday, July 18, at midnight ET. Apply now! 

the latest things

• Worker-owned journalism collectives are continuing to gain steam. 💪 One of the latest entrants, Coyote Media Collective, promises to bring an alt weekly vibe back to coverage of San Francisco’s arts and culture scene. (Note: We’re psyched to count Coyote co-founder Soleil Ho as a member of the Project C community!)

• In a week that saw the release of Michael Grynbaum’s Empire of the Elite, this piece from Air Mail re: Substack’s events strategy begs the question - is Substack the new Condé Nast? Not so fast - Ana Marie Cox describes Substack as “as unstable as a SpaceX launch.” 🔥 

• Taylor Lorenz is among the just announced Omidyar Network Reporters in Residence program.

• Annalee Newitz questioned the indie path for journalists on BlueSky. I responded with a dissenting opinion. I share this all here to remind us that the future of journalism doesn’t have to be a one-size-fits-all path.

• Status scribe Oliver Darcy has moved on to the next phase of building out his media empire - a new podcast he’s cohosting with Status editor John Passantino.

• Speaking of podcasts, there is a profusion of good creator-model journo interviews this summer. ICYMI, here are a few to add to your beach playlist:

  • Feed Me’s Emily Sundberg talks to Peter Kafka

  • Oliver Darcy chats about the growth of Status with Dylan Byers 

  • Study Hall’s Daniel Spielberger talks to Spitfire News’ Kat Tenbarge and The Handbasket’s Marisa Kabas

    

useful things

• Journalism consultant Adriana Lacy shared a helpful frame for thinking about the “creator archetypes” shaping the information landscape:

• Faceless creators are a thing in the wider influencer ecosystem. Read the deets from Digiday to avoid confusing them with with Jaqen H’ghar’s lil’ cult.

• Francis Zierer graciously asked me to talk to him for an hour about my favorite subject for his must-read/must-listen newsletter and podcast, Creator Spotlight. We chatted about everything from how to build a sustainable solo biz model to why journalists tend to undervalue their work. Watch the whole thing below - or listen wherever you get your podcasts!

🚀 What’s coming up at Project C!

Lex and I have been adding more activities to the Creator Journalist Bundle (along with some cool sessions open to everyone.) Here’s a peek at what’s coming up in the next month or so:

Thursday, July 17 | Going Solo Free Instructor AMA! Join the Going Solo workshop instructors for a free, informal, no-slides conversation. We’ll answer your questions about creator-model journalism, share behind-the-scenes lessons from the workshop, and talk candidly about what it takes to succeed as an independent journalist today. (Everyone)

Thursday, July 17 | Part 2 of the winback campaign sprint - get your campaign ready to run. (Bundle members only)

Monday, July 21 | Member co-working - it’s all about real-time accountability. Bring a to-do, work on it and then report back on your progress at the end of this facilitated session. (Bundle members only)

Tuesday, July 22 | Your next milestone - Join Lex Roman and a group of fellow creator journalists to plan your next goal and how to get there. (Everyone)

Thursday, July 31 | Part 3 of the winback campaign sprint - Winback campaigns work and now you know how they can work for you. So why not turn your winback into an automation? (Bundle members only)

Revenue Lab is underway. Lex is looking at the impact of race and identity on revenue growth (following up on their survey) and running some experiments this summer to break through these barriers. Lex convened a group that had their first meeting last week and they’re meeting again July 1. If you’re a journalist whose racial identity could be impacting your revenue, let Lex know if you’d like to join the conversation!

Tuesday, Aug. 19 | Your next milestone - Join Lex Roman and a group of fellow creator journalists to plan your next goal and how to get there. (Everyone)

👉️ Join the Creator Journalist Bundle to get access to all of the events above, the THRIVING Project C Slack community and the just-dropped guide to competitive set research. 🚀