People try to predict the future all of the time. Whether it be the crystal ball kind of prediction, or the stock market kind of prediction, humans have the craving to figure out what's going to happen next. It may be that we can't stop planning or thinking about the future, or because we don't want things in the unknown. Either way, I believe that it's in our nature. I don't believe in crystal balls, and my knowledge on the stock market is limited, however I'd like to say that I can talk about the future in regards to social media, and hope that it's more than lore. So here's my take on where social media is going, where it's at, and what that means for the next generation of celebrities.


The New Wave of Marketing Agencies


Something that is important to the future, and definitely rising, are social-media-focused talent agencies, particularly related to the Vine phenomenon when it launched in the beginning of 2013. These new agencies are based on the premise of Social Influencers--the saying that "It's not what you know, it's who you know" is the key here. If you can get someone with a presence on social media to shout out your brand, or make a 6-second, humorous video about your product, that does 100 times what a television advertisement would do. One particular agency, which I happen to work with, is Niche. In The New York Times' words, "Niche has become a talent scouting service and advertising agency rolled up into one - it matches social media stars with marketers and advertisers who want to reach the young users who inhabit those platforms full time." One of the co-founders, Rob Fishman, formerly led social media for The Huffington Post and Aol. Niche was recently acquired by Twitter, and some of the people that work with them include Cody Johns, Robby Ayala, and many others. Niche basically helps internet celebrities get paid for their creativity and talents, and gives brands the opportunity to--like The New York Times said--get in consumers' pockets.

The world is changing, and it's changing in an incredible way. No longer do you have to live in a specific area to become famous. You can become famous through a computer screen. You can become known through a 6-second-video, or an Instagram profile. When I say this, it's not to say that you don't still have to have talent to make it--not just anyone can capture the attention that becoming an internet celeb requires--what I'm saying, is that now more than ever you can make it for yourself. YOU can make things happen, and with the help of companies like Collab, Niche, Influenster, and many other great companies out there, you can turn whatever you are passionate about into a career. Sure, it'll take work--hard work--and it will absolutely take focus and determination, but if one of your goals is to be seen in the public eye, whether that be through comedy, writing, entertainment of any sort, and a number of other incredible avenues, now more than ever you can make that happen. 

So what is "The New Wave Effect?" It's what's happening now. It's the wave of the power of social media. Want your artwork to get out there? You can make it happen. Want people to hear your music? Be creative with the presentation of it, network your butt off, and you can be the newest musically known person on social media, which could potentially lead to a record deal. If you don't think that this can happen, have you heard of Justin Bieber? You probably love him, or you hate him, but either way, he is one of the most covered celebrities these days, good or bad, and is one of the most followed people on Twitter. He was discovered on YouTube. And Tori Kelly? Vine star. 

The Crystal Ball


We're a part of the future. Right now, you can be a part of this new wave. You can become an internet celeb. What it takes is teaming up with people that can help get you there, making an effort on your end to create incredible content that is worth the views, because an audience doesn't get there for free, and if they come for free, they won't stay for a crap show. 

If you have this opportunity, this incredible opportunity to make use of, do it. The future is looking bigger than ever, and you can be a part of it. If you ever thought that you couldn't do big things, reconsider, because you can. What do you see in your future? Are you willing to take ahold of it, and go for it? The biggest thing is not to doubt yourself, or what you're capable of, and to utilize the tools that are out there and available to you. Like Walt Disney said, "All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them," and like Ray Goforth said, "There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed." Don't be afraid of following your dreams, and GO FOR IT. You'll only regret what you don't do.

In the future, the notion of people becoming famous over the internet won't just be an incredible thing, it'll be the normal thing. You'll see more people utilizing things like Snapchat for their fame and to get their name out there. Heard of Thumb? Or Medium? Whisper? Yik Yak? Pheed? Bubblews? I could go on and on. I guarantee you that on each of these platforms, and more to come, there will be celebrities that will be born from them, and it will be because of the intelligence they used when using these platforms. 

In Summary...


Make use of the tools in front of you. See what's happening in the present, and get caught up in the wave, don't get left behind. Find your passion, and pursue it.

Have an opinion on this post? Something to add to it? A question? Get at me on Twitter, or comment on here. I'd appreciate a share, too! 

You are all awesome, incredible people.


On Twitter: @Elysia_Regina
On Instagram: @Elysiawalton


Photo credits:
www.niche.com
www.collabcreators.com
www.influenster.com
 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Malene
www.nasa.com

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you know that I'm currently "between novels." My beta readers now have the third draft of my book, and I'm patiently (OK, fine, maybe not patiently) waiting for them to get my novel back to me with any more suggestions. For any of you writers out there, especially the ones working on novels, you know the pain of waiting. I've written six novels now, and every time it's the same--I get really excited that I'm finishing a draft, I feel great to be able to rest my writing mind for a bit, and then about two days later I miss my novel, and miss working on a big project. So what should you do between your novels? Besides get four jobs and go to school? (Yeah, I like to stay busy) Here's what I do:

1.) Start a new novel. 

With this tip, I also offer you a caution. I have successfully and unsuccessfully written multiple novels at once. It's a great distraction to get whatever novel you're editing off of your mind, but it can also be dangerous. Especially when your characters start moving between books. If you can handle juggling two story lines, two groups of characters, and two entirely different manuscripts, then have at it, because I can pretty much guarantee you that it's a great distraction! (I'm risking it and am currently working on a crime fiction novel while waiting on my dystopian novel.)

2.) Enter some writing contests. Make some money.

As writers, we're used to writing a lot, and not necessarily getting paid for everything we write. It's kind of a fact attached to writing, even if we don't like it (I know, I'd like to get paid for that killer essay I wrote in middle school, too, but yuh know...). However, something great to do while waiting between novels is to enter some contests and make some money. It's always nice to get a check for something you love, so why not have a go at it? There are tons of contests out there for short stories or essays, and I suggest checking out Writer's Digest and Writers Weekly, because they offer some great regular contests. 

3.) RELAX.

I don't think I need to add anything else to this tip. Maybe order a pizza or something. For real.

4.) Work on your hobby!

I'm sure I can speak for a lot of writers, when I say that when we're working on a novel, our other hobbies might fall aside a bit. I love to draw portraits (Check 'em out on my Instagram!), and when I'm letting a novel rest, I spend a lot more time drawing, and I LOVE it. Pick up that long-lost hobby and get back at it. 

That's it for now! Now go write your novel. Or do one of the above if you're waiting on your novel. 

Until next time...you know the drill! @Elysia_Regina