Strategize Your Creativity Like a Profession, with Kern Carter, Author and Creative Entrepreneur

Strategize Your Creativity Like a Profession, with Kern Carter, Author and Creative Entrepreneur

From Your World of Creativity by Mark Stinson

April 20, 2026 · 25 min · Episode 414

About this episode

Kern Carter discusses how to strategically build a creative career without relying on social media popularity.

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. www.kerncarter.com 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…

People in this episode

Host: Mark Stinson

Guest: Kern Carter

Topics covered

  • creative career
  • publishing
  • entrepreneurship
  • community building
  • self-publishing
  • long-term planning

Keywords

  • creativity
  • author
  • indie publishing
  • traditional publishing
  • film production
  • ghostwriting
  • community
  • perseverance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Penguin, Scholastic, Amazon Prime Video, LinkedIn

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