5 Things Creatives Need To Normalise in 2026
A checklist for the new year
It’s been a minute guys!
Lux and I were lucky enough to work on so many amazing projects in the last few months, all of which were mostly unexpected. This meant that I had to pause on substack writing (I also paused the paid subscription too so no billing would continue while I played catch up) and grab these opportunities with both hands.
This year has involved so much growth and change for us and I feel as though I am reaching some of the goals I always dreamed of as a creative…but then also on the flipside there are things that didn’t go to plan or just felt really hard this year too.
So let me share a few things I would like to normalise in 2026 when it comes to being a creative.
YOU are just as important as what you create!
So it might seem like the last thing the internet needs is another face or talking head popping up but that’s actually exactly what we need right now! More passionate individuals that will show up and share their work with the world.
There is such a push and pull with creatives and the online space and I think sitting on the sidelines complaining about the way thing currently are is only going to hurt you further.
In 2026 I hope we can just normalise the fact that creatives who do utilize the online world and show up in whatever way is comfy and doable for them will open themselves up to more opportunities and that’s just a fact!
An example I would like to give are the duo behind Emulsions podcast. Since launching the show we have seen them go from strength to strength with group shows and big guests like Stephen Shore! One of the hosts even said to me recently that the podcast has changed their lives and I feel the same about what YouTube has done for me.
There are many positives to sharing online despite its obvious evils. Find the way that works for you and your goals and embrace the even playing field that the internet and social media has created for us all.
Normalise sharing you as well as your creations in 2026 and see where it takes you!
Multiple income streams doesn’t make you a failure as a creative
This year I went full time on YouTube and what I didn’t realise was how long I would have to wait to actually get paid from sponsorships. Most are working on at least a net 30 day payment term if not 60 or FML 75!
Being so bad at maths I didn’t realize what this meant for “cash flow” (a term I had no idea about until it was a problem for me) and the gap it would leave until I actually got paid.
It also turns out that having all your eggs in one basket like YouTube can also be its own problem. Views on YouTube have dropped across the board and this can mean lower earnings through ad revenue that is paid to creators from google. This is exactly why it’s great to have fall backs, plan b’s and other tricks up your sleeve to take the pressure off.
I’m planning a piece of content where I will go into the various ways I earn money as a creative and I’m doing this to normalise doing more than one thing.
I recently read an interview with the Academy Award winning director Sean Baker in where he explained he has to take on other work e.g. directing commercials and other roles to make ends meet as an independent filmmaker. This honestly surprised me but also made me feel less alone and well…normal.
I constantly beat myself up over where I’m at financially or professionally based on other people’s success, but what I’m seeing on the exterior is often not the entire picture of someone’s situation.
If I don’t tell you that I am doing email marketing on the side for brands and taking on other various jobs that you aren’t always seeing, then I’m perputing this false narrative and that is not what I want to do at all!
So if your thing, that you wish was your main thing, isn’t quite your whole thing, don’t feel bad because same here!
Especially in this current economic climate I think doing a few things to earn money and create the life you want is totally normal and we should be as open about it is possible.
You can’t win them all
We tend to share the good and the wins and then brush the fails under the rug and although we are all becoming a lot more “share everything” online, when we really analyze it, it’s the high points we naturally want to post about.
I do and have done A LOT of client work and I feel my hit rate is quite good but I’ve definitely had feedback that indicates I’m maybe not hitting the mark in some way for whatever reason. I really struggle with this it honestly kills me to my core to think someone isn’t happy with what I’ve done and I think this is a good thing because it means I care!
It’s also important to understand that this is normal and not every photo you take will be a banger. Not every client will be over the moon with what you do and some weeks will just suck when it comes to personal and professional creative pursuits.
It’s totally normal and why I shared a love for the “burner shots” that are the in between photos on the way to the bangers.
It’s also worth remembering that the world of creativity is subjective so what one person loves and thinks is wonderful, another might think is totally not the vibe.
One interest or hobby doesn’t totally define you as a person
I’m so OVER social media putting us in a box! Yes you need some cohesion across what you share and talk about online but I detest the idea of an entire feed that completely disregards the complex facets of creative people!
At the core of everything and how people come across me is usually photography and that is awesome but it’s not my whole personality. I am inspired and influenced by so many things and I’m keen to share that with you all and I think you are too.
This year I started a movie review channel as a way to have an outlet for my love of cinema and it’s been so great for my creativity. I’ve also done a lot of work in the fashion space this year and it’s awesome to see photographers embrace this and see how the visual aspects of fashion interrelate to our visual medium of photography.
I would like to see more multi passionate creatives sharing online and finding the thread that ties it all together to make the algorithm see that you don’t need to just do one thing all the time to cut through.
It’s totally normal to have no idea what you are doing
Need I say anymore on this subheading?
No one really knows for sure and that becomes more and more apparent to me as time goes on and see the curtain pulled back on various things. It’s so rare that a person tries something, it works and then they continue on in that vein and have it all figured out.
What works for someone else won’t work for you and the only way you know is if you try things and learn from them. That’s actually why I enjoy working in the content creation space because it’s essentially marketing really when you break it down.
You have an idea you want to share and you figure out a way to execute it and package it up to get to the right people and this involves risk and experimentation. There is no guarantee it will work and you have to be okay with that.
Even when it doesn’t work or go as planned you are rewarded with what you learn from it and this is worth its weight in gold for a creative person.
So let’s normalise things falling flat, not working out and taking risks to find that out because it’s really the only way to keep the wheels turning.
I still don’t know what I’m doing, I just show up and share and that is okay!
I have a new plan and approach to how i’ll be showing up on Substack in the new year. This will involve more BTS of what I’m working on and pulling back the curtain by sharing anecdotes and intimate updates on all things life and creativity!
It’s great to be back writing to you all again.
If you missed my recent YouTube video about shooting colour to open up your scope as a photographer catch up with that here.
This newsletter isn’t sponsored but I wanted to drop a link that offers you 2 months of picdrop for FREE if you are looking for a photo storage and sharing solution that offers more features than the usual ones do. I highly recommend it as it’s made by photographers for photographers.
Love Lucy x
An interesting post, Lucy.
Multiple income streams looks like an absolute necessity for photographers. I'm not sure if you're familiar with Scott Choucino / Tin House Studio. He's a product photographer working with a number of 'blue chip' brands in the UK and has a website. Here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/@TinHouseStudioUK/videos
His advice on this topic is definitely worth checking out.
I'm so glad you still don’t know what I’m doing, and still show up and share. And that is okay! Thank you for everything in 2025.