Hey, fellow Stackers 👋, and welcome to Creator Weekly.
Do you ever make an effort to learn about things you’re not naturally interested in?
In a Longreads interview with Susan Orlean, she spoke about her mission as a writer. She believes that the more we understand about the world, the better—even when what we discover unsettles or surprises us, or challenges what we already believe.
One thing she said really stayed with me: it’s easy to feel that we don’t need to learn about something simply because it’s unfamiliar to us. But to her, curiosity is a form of care. We don’t have to like everything we encounter or agree with every point of view, but we can at least take the time to understand it.
Sometimes, knowing a little more helps us form opinions that are more specific and considered. We may still dislike something, but at least we know why. That understanding can also give us a fuller picture of the world, and give us more real experiences and information to draw from when we share our own views.
Now, let’s take a look at this week’s picks.
✨ Creator Spotlight
The More You Write, the More You Begin to See
What does writing really mean to a person? For maja, writing is like a net that catches the fleeting thoughts of everyday life.
At first, she simply wanted to use writing to rediscover the feeling of thinking deeply. But over time, she noticed that once an idea was written down, thoughts that had once seemed scattered began to connect. Those connections led to new inspiration—and made her pick up the pen again.
🌍 Creator News
1. YouTube Studio Introduces a New Set of Tools
At its “Made on YouTube” event on September 23, YouTube unveiled a new generation of tools for creators. One of the most notable updates is a conversational editing partner. Creators can use natural-language prompts to involve it in multiple stages of video production, from generating a first draft to adjusting text layouts, rearranging clips, and changing music.
YouTube also introduced a new video A/B testing tool that lets creators test up to three different cuts and compare which one holds viewers’ attention best.
In the video below, YouTube creator Happy Kelli shares her experience using the conversational editing partner.
2. Substack Is Changing How It Handles Taxes
Starting December 1, 2026, Substack will calculate, collect, and remit sales tax or VAT on paid subscriptions on behalf of creators.
It is worth noting that Substack will determine the tax rate based on the subscriber’s location and the type of paid content you offer. You can review your taxable content type in Payments and choose whether taxes are added on top of the subscription price or included in it.
3. Can Being a “Grandpa” Become a Content Strategy?
Bruce “Pop Pop” Johnson plays a fictional, warmhearted grandfather online and calls his followers his “grandbabies.” He wants his content to teach people something while also offering a little inspiration and fun.
The character extends naturally into his brand partnerships. When he collaborated with a chocolate company, he took his followers inside its factory to see how chocolate is made, introducing the brand organically through a mix of exploration and education.
🎨 Creator Finds
1. How Can Concrete Rubble Become Art?
Harriet Mena Hill collected fragments of concrete from the demolished Aylesbury Estate in London and painted scenes of the former housing estate onto them, preserving the community’s shared memories.
The fragments vary in size and shape, so she designs each composition around the form of the individual piece. Each piece therefore becomes a work with its own shape and composition.
2.How Did a Technology Evolve into What It Is Today?
Historical Tech Tree places more than 2,500 technologies—from over three million years ago to the present day—on a single interactive technology tree.
Open any technology to learn more about it. You can trace its origins backward, then look forward to see which later technologies it went on to influence.
Thanks for reading. That’s all for this issue.
Finally, I’m taking a few days off for the National Day holiday, so there won’t be a new article this weekend. See you next week!