A Friendly Lesson for Curious Creators

If you have a reel sitting in your drafts because of the always impending ‘log kya kahenge’ dilemma, Ankur Mehra is here to put you at ease. Ankur describes himself as a ‘Creator Economist,’ to a reader, he is also a Content Enthusiast.

The book is a thorough walk-through on the history of Content and how it has evolved from the vintage Idiot Box to our Smartphones and a sign to start your journey as a Content Creator with a ‘how-to’ breakdown for aspiring creators. While you read it, you can feel Ankur’s love for content. It is packed with references, which are a treat for the millennial reader. Sharing his insights without sounding preachy, Ankur’s writing style is laced with friendly conversations, relevant examples and simple uncomplicated thoughts that explain complex concepts in a digestible fashion.

Starting with the history of Content, the piece explores the most iconic and viral moments of the Digital content world. Ankur, like many of us, lived the pre-internet era, and he paints a clear picture of the evolution of tech and our transformation as consumers or as he calls us, ‘co-creators’. He proceeds then to explain the dawn of Social Media from Orkut to today’s Instagram and how content changed from long form videos to bite-sized Reels. The book speaks to you and travels with you through the realm of content creation.

Chiming in with a subtle ‘Its me, Hi..’ he explains internet phenomena from ‘Charlie Bit My Finger’ to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. He also gives you the Behind the Scenes insights into how things blew up on the internet, including Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of You’ and even George Floyd’s tragic demise that led to the movement ‘Black Lives Matter.’ The book feels like an insider perspective of all things on the internet and that makes it difficult to put down.

The book has something for everyone. For aspiring Content Creators, it offers insights on what works on the internet, how to make content that follows the 3Rs and explains the 5Cs of the Creator economy. For collaborators (brands) it explains what platforms are more suited to your needs and the commerce of it all. He also touches on important subjects like Mental Health for creators and what needs to be done to safeguard and preserve the mental health of creators in the Public eye.

This book has the makings of a Bollywood Blockbuster, and in true ‘Om Shaanti Om’ fashion there is also a chapter where the big stars of the industry came together for a metaphorical dance number. The insights from these experts is the cherry on the proverbial cake. The book is a journey from the Past to the Present of Content Creation but the real treat is the outlook for the Future. While it is impossible to write a review as comprehensive as the book, it is very much a must-read for curious creators and content consumers alike.