Episode 414
Strategize Your Creativity Like a Profession, with Kern Carter, Author and Creative Entrepreneur
Today’s guest proves that a creative career doesn’t have to rely on algorithms, going viral, or luck. If you’ve ever wondered how to strategize your creativity like a real profession—and build a living from your work—this conversation is for you.
Kern Carter is a former indie and current traditionally published author writing books for Penguin and Scholastic. He writes essays at the intersection of publishing and pop culture, offering candid insight into what it actually takes to make a living as an author and creative entrepreneur.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerncarter/
In the past year alone, Kern has sold approximately 15,000 books—without being popular on any social media platform—by intentionally building and leveraging community. His journey includes dropping out of high school at 18 when he became a father, earning a full athletic scholarship, self-publishing his first books, securing an agent, and signing multiple traditional publishing deals beginning in 2021.
Beyond books, Kern runs a thriving creative business spanning film production (with a film on Amazon Prime Video), ghostwriting, and platforms that support emerging writers. His story is one of perseverance, planning, and playing the long game.
1) Designing a Creative Career on Purpose
Kern, you’ve said you’re living the life you told yourself you’d live at eight years old—and that it didn’t happen by accident. How did you approach building a creative career the way someone might approach a traditional profession, with strategy, planning, and long-term vision?
2) Prioritizing Yourself While Raising a Child
You became a father very young, yet you still prioritized your creative ambitions. That’s a difficult balance for many people. How did you navigate that tension—and what impact did that decision have on both your career and your relationship with your daughter?
3) Selling Books Without Social Media Fame
You’ve sold roughly 15,000 books in the last year without being popular on social media, which goes against most advice writers hear today. What role has community building played in your success, and how can writers start building real relationships instead of chasing followers?
4) Playing the Long Game
Your journey took 15 years to reach what many would call “overnight success.” How did you stay motivated through the slower seasons, and what mindset shifts helped you keep going when results weren’t immediate?
5) Education, Income, and the Future of Creative Work
You’ve been outspoken about what formal education gets wrong when it comes to preparing writers to earn a living. What do you think aspiring authors really need to learn—and how are you personally adapting to changes like AI entering creative industries?
For creatives listening who feel behind, discouraged, or unsure if their plan is working—what’s one thing you want them to remember about patience, strategy, and belief in themselves?
