Create yourself! Tool kit 2-2
Your real action to become content creator starts with this email.
I am sharing with you all the essential tools that overt the last 3 years helped me create numerous high quality videos, lead Daily Happier blog and newsletter, create dozens of podcast episodes and organize my thoughts within notes in various tested apps.
Here you will get everything that I am using now - what means, nothing what I used once and wasn’t working to my needs, here is only what I know is going to help you.
Let’s start.
Check it on the website - it’s going to be long.
Itinerary:
- Writing content
- Creating videos
- Your first newsletter
- Recording your first episode
- Organizing content
- Apps
Writing content
It’s the fundament I lacked for the longest time.
Without it, everything else is going to be hard creating content.
It’s starts with full scenarios, jotting down thoughts, clarifying ideas etc.
If you put it down on the paper or even better in one of the apps to have it organized and stored, your creator’s life is going to be much easier.
It all starts with an idea.
For example, it happened that I felt really confident in a restaurant and gave a compliment to waiter, someone by the counter, a stranger.
I feel happy to write it down so I will remember.
I am using a shortcut to my Notes app on Iphone.
I write it down and give some explanation over the whole situation so I remember exactly what happened.
Then when I come back home I open my notes and Notion app to write down the whole story in the form of newsletter, just like this one.
I have my folder created already in Notion.
I open it, go to Newsletter page and write a new newsletter.
Here comfortable with my fonts of choice, with music in my ears I start till I feel fully satisfied.
How to write, it all comes from experience and knowledge by watching all videos on youtube and fully investing time to act on them.
When I have my newsletter written down.
I jot more ideas down from it.
For example create a list of keywords/points from the newsletter and this way I have keywords for the podcast I will create about this topic I previously wrote about.
I create the list of keywords/phrases/quotes/idaes from that newsletter and separated them into posts.
Now I have a list of 10 post topics I will create about.
From it, I am going to do it myself or use some other tools to create list of meaningful threads that can get some traction. Ideas that are going to resonate with my main mission - I don’t have to fully write them myself right now luckily to tools around me, but I am going to pour my heart enough so I know they come from me.
ChatGPT is excellent right now to exceedingly quickly help you with organizing your own thoughts in this matter.
When I have posts I will create folders and organize everything.
This way from one situation at a restaurant and 2 hours of my time I have 1 newsletter of around 2000 words, 10 posts ideas, 30 quotes and threads I can work on and podcast key points.
Writing down gives me clarity, I have ways to remember my daily stories and I am strong in having everything by my hand. The only apps I am using for writing content down are Notes on my IPhone that are excellent in simplicity and accessibility over my other devices. I have a shortcut on my main screen with it. The next app is Notion - that I am have for longer pieces of content. I love how minimalistic this app is. Dark mode, good music, and this peaceful and simple font is all I need. I would love to have everything in one app, and if I had to choose I would go for notion - but for now I want to explore notes a bit more.
Creating videos
I am using my iPhone for it.
iPhone just because it’s so much said and from experience it happens to be true, that it’s easier for high quality uploads on instagram.
And I always wanted to have it, but now I hate having phone at all - yet it’s my main tool in everything what I do.
Microphone.
If you have followed me on instagram for the newest videos you can say that I have wireless microphone, RODE Wireless GO II. It’s well invested money in what I create. It brings me peace - no complicated connection, only a USB C to USB C rode cable and that’s it. No need for charging a lot, I can create 50 short videos and still the microphone goes on.
I use it for podcasting as well, no special configuration - just attach it to my phone and that’s it.
I am aiming for having short 30 - 1.5 min videos upload to Instagram and reupload to other social platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Youtube, Threads to get more traction.
It’s better than getting 300 views on Instagram, when fully from one video I can get 2k. It was counted in hundreds of thousands back in the day, but… I am getting there again :)
That’s why I feel a bit ashamed that I stopped consistently creating back in 2021.
And why you should make it all so simple that you won’t have to do much to be consistent.
Jot down an idea (the points from writing down content), and record - say whatever you have to say over the topic, edit it in CapCut (we will be back to it) and upload. Don’t hesitate, you will have more amazing ideas over what to create but without getting that traction by uploading and getting on that run to be better in that new skill you are developing it’s going to be hard to be consistent.
CapCut.
The best I have found so far for creating.
I am using premium version of it. Unfortunately bc I am trying not to pay for much stuff now.
The premium feature is only for getting the captions for the videos, they are essential now I feel.
You can do it manually of course, but spending on a video 15 minutes instead of 3 hours make this $10 monthly worth it :)
I am applying appropriate video correction as filters in my own style “Dune 1”, change brightness, correct grain, and vignette and I am happy.
Then I am adding video effects, work with keyframes so the video frames are moving consistently to keep attention, add audio effects, some stickers etc.
Based on what feeling or professionalism/style of content you want to work on, you will have to find your own way of editing - any questions, @jakubsznajder_ ready to help
Your first newsletter
To create one you need to be able to write down whatever you want to send and to have tools to send it.
You need your professional email.
You can do it man… no. You need to have professional email and a website that will allow you to do it without doing it for ages manually. In that scenario you would have to have all the subscribed emails written down on a scrape of paper and send it manually every time you want to, ask people about approval etc.
No worth it.
To hold my website www.jakubsznajder.com I am using tool called mailerlite that gives me tools to have my mailing list, create a pop up on my website and sign up people through it, it gives me easy tools for editing my emails and creating blog posts thru it.
It has website editor as well. If you check my website and you like it’s design, go for it. It gives you essential tools for having a simple website like this, and having your own store there as well.
I have done my own design, without any template, but you can use any accessible templates back there.
BUT FIRST
You need to have your domain that you can attach to mailerlite so everything works.
I am using GoDaddy.com, yearly I pay for holding my domain and my professional newsletter@jakubsznajder.com mail that I am sending all my newsletter from.
I pay for it around $40 yearly.
But it gives me peace that I have my own website that I can do whatever I can do with - even put my own picture in it and just stare at myself :D.
It’s fun to have your own website in the web with your name.
It’s worth it to pay for this tools and have some peace.
Then it all comes to setting it all up together my reading page by page what to do next, adding domain name and some server IPs to the mailer lite and you are all set up.
Now work on your marketing around your newsletter and happily ever after.
Recording your first episode
You don’t need video.
You don’t need professional microphone.
First episode I either record talking to the bottom of my phone with a sock on it.
The sock was to get more clearer voice.
Or I bought a microphone for $3 and used it for a while :) it went long way tbh, but it’s worth it to invest. Anyway in the beginning more important than the equipment is your willingness to create stuff, not to impress with fancy equipment.
Invest in a great microphone if you can.
I told you I am using Rode Wireless GO II, and I am extremely passionate about simplicity when using it and the clear deep voice.
The app is called Podcasters.
When you have audio record, either with video or only audio.
You can use you camera app on the phone or download an Record me (any name) app to record your voice only to export it in .mp3 .wav or anything audio wise.
If you have a video and want to get only an audio file from it - download an app “video to mp3”.
And then having your audio let’s upload it to the freshly created account on Podcasters.
Or you can edit it first.
I am using audacity to clean the background noise (that I almost don’t have on the new microphone), add some bass to my voice, compress the audio for equal volumen and more if you want.
Just keep it simple for yourself.
Now when uploaded you will be asked for the name of your podcast.
Be original.
Be yourself and whatever you feel - it’s your time to shine.
My podcast is called Jakub Sznajder Podcast.
I haven’t given it much thought, yet wanted to start creating as quickly as possible - we are all short on time, no time to delve.
Then logo.
I am using Canva for everything design wise - all the blog posts, logos, instagram infographics etc.
I have education profile for life :) my trick having still back in the day education mail from school, I created an account and shared privileges to it to my original account and I still have the access to it.
It offers you everything what your heart needs from beautiful simple graphics to majestic mind blowing creations.
Find something for yourself, export it in png, jpg and upload it to Podcasters.
Lastly all the descriptions and excerpts.
No need to teach you - gain some experience writing down and find yourself what you want to actually share.
Focus on your WHY or calling, however you name it - be true to your mission and for what/who you create it, what’s you thing.
This way you are uploading everything on Spotify, Google podcasts, Apple podcasts - fully for free! And you have infinite storage out there :) you don’t have to thank!
Yet video podcast! It’s great to have your voice saved with some face of yours. You can upload everything to your laptop to add freshly edited audio and add it to your video, and then upload it on youtube.
At the same time you can just open the video in Capcut, extract audio, delete it, upload the new audio from your laptop sharing it with your phone and you have a new edited video ready to export from your phone directly to your Youtube account.
I would try to keep the episodes shorter like 20 minutes, or even 10 and keep them consistent - avoiding burnout at all cost.
It’s a long term game.
And don’t focus much on editing - the microphone is going to solve the issue if the audio is wrong.
Add some music in editing in the beginning of the episode, at the end maybe and that’s it.
Make it simple - don’t spend more than 10 minutes on editing and creating all the descriptions, if you keep spending more even after creating dozens of them, you are overcomplicating it. But if you feel happy with the results - go for it.
Just keep it simple and avoid burnout :)
Organizing content
It’s all fun if you don’t keep falling victim to yourself and your own mess within the files you have created.
So we have these two apps for writing content: Notes and Notion.
Have it all in folders like: Podcast, Socials and Storytelling.
In podcast you have your descriptions, ideas for podcasts etc.
In socials you have your post descriptions, newsletter jotted down (another folder within the folder) and everything what you gonna do, make it personal.
In storytelling I have page with “Practice”, “Poems” and page for everyday I felt like journaling or writing something longer.
On my app in my phone, notes, I have my daily goals, general goals and missions organized.
A special folder for daily stories like: “I lost my wallet at Oktoberfest” as title, and some explanation done with hashtags at the end #confidence #stress so I can search for this story later when I want to prove a point or write something longer about confidence or stress and make it personal.
Keep as many stories from your life written down - you will thank me later :)
I am uploading ready videos from CapCut to my instagram page, paste or write description, add some cool audio or not and then draft it.
It’s going to upload in higher quality overtime and then I will push upload whenever I feel like it.
Or strate… no, I don’t strategize it so much :)
Yet if you have some funds and happy to make your life easier, there is an app called - metricool.
It allows you to put all your pieces of content in a calendar and access automatic upload to all the social platforms. Pretty awesome? :D
And one thing about keep videos on your phone. It takes so much storage.
I don’t hold videos on my phone.
I try to have it clean as possible.
That’s why editing and uploading is so important.
All my personal stuff goes on hard drives but if I want to the rest is edited and uploaded into social media in form of sharing value in meantime - I want to share some meaning, so I create it, I write it down and then edit what I have to and hit upload button.
Apps
For writing: Notes on iPhones and Notion (free)
Editing: CapCut on mobile ($10 monthly)
Newsletter and blog posts: godaddy.com for domain ($40 yearly), daily mailerlite editor ($9 monthly, if you don’t want a blog posts and only mail, you don’t have to pay it)
Podcast: Podcasters (free), Riverside (free + business options) for guest recordings.
For content: Instagram (main), TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Threads as addition or different type of content.
Additional Notes:
I will let you know this already.
Maybe it’s contra what we just said about uploading everything for sharing value and being out there in the world in this digital way - maybe we haven’t said it, yet I tried to say it between the lines.
My message is that…
Instagram, Spotify and all these other apps are an excellent way of having free storage space for whatever you do.
Thousands of terabaits of your videos, notes, audio etc. think about it.
On Instagram you have archive, having all your videos sorted by the date and relevance to you in your highlights.
Spotify is a great memory bank of what you were doing in your life, with your own original perspective.
YouTube gives you space for sharing your memories and holding them on your channel.
You can make it all private even, but I feel like sharing with others and taking strain from your shoulders of being judged and increasing the chance to be discovered and to create something beautiful in life that outstands the cons.
But what you think should stay private - just keep it private, you can upload it privately or just keep it to yourself, I myself I am not worrying about big companies holding my data - I want to have that storage and have memories saved there.
At the same time
That’s it. Thank you for reading. Send me any questions you may have. Happy to help.