117 - Taylor Lorenz, The Washington Post

Earned: Unlocking the Power of the Creator Economy

In Ep. 117 of Earned, Conor sits down with Taylor Lorenz, Technology Columnist at The Washington Post, and author of “Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet.” We start the episode with an excerpt from Taylor’s recent essay in Marie Claire, and hear how she deals with the hate and harassment that runs rampant on the internet. Taylor explains what attracted her to journalism and why she’s a “techno-optimist,” before sharing which indie social platforms she’s into. Next, Conor asks Taylor how social media platforms could have a more positive impact on society, and Taylor shares why she believes more in data privacy than regulation. We switch gears and learn about Taylor’s career in journalism, diving into her experiences writing for The Atlantic and The New York Times before joining The Post. Taylor reveals why she believes more journalists should get out of the traditional media structure and build up their own independent, personal brands, before sharing her thoughts on how AI will impact the publishing industry. We then talk about Taylor’s experience as a creator in her own right, and how she grew her own large following by breaking impactful stories. To close the show, we hear about the genesis of Taylor’s book, and what she learned during the writing process, before she reveals the biggest misconception people have about her.

Resources:

• The Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/

Connect with the Guest:

• Taylor’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorlorenz/

Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ:

• Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley

• CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq

Follow us on social:

• CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics

• CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq

• CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq

• CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ