Franchesca Ramsey, also known as Chescaleigh, is a writer, blogger, and actress who originally started as a natural hair vlogger on Youtube but decided to make more videos dealing with social issues after a video of hers, "Shit White Girls Say...to Black Girls," went viral in 2012. She has gone on to become a writer and contributor for "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore" as well as hosting her own MTV News web series, "Decoded."


This past Thursday, Chescaleigh had a Q&A with fans on Twitter, sharing with fans various tips and tricks she has picked up over time. She dropped quite a few gems of knowledge and they deserved to be shared! Here are some of my favorites and here is a link to a Q&A she did on Facebook Live shortly after if you are interested in hearing more from her.

As I mentioned before, Chescaleigh originally was a natural hair vlogger who decided to make more videos dealing with social issues after the above video went viral. We, as artists, are allowed to create art that differs in direction from what we have done in the past. Like it did for her, it gives us a chance to try new things and also a chance to grow and evolve ourselves as creators.

As she later points out, though, we must focus on the areas we are best in and not attempt to do too much at once, especially in an area we may not be the greatest in. This carries over into when we choose to share our content and how frequently we share it, focusing instead on personal goals and quality over quantity.

The best way to come up with ideas for content is by "making a list of things you are interested in or passionate about & work from there." This allows you to brainstorm and create bases you can expand on until you find the right one.

Do not be afraid of researching, especially when you hit a rough spot with a project. Chescaleigh suggests looking at similar works for inspiration and to help create a strategy. She also suggests taking the time to uncover why you like certain people, art, music, or novels, and tap into that same feeling.

Continuing with that same thought, Chescaleigh adds: "In the world of media, everything's been said or done before, but your perspective is unique. Research first to find your angle."

When in doubt, there is nothing wrong with chasing trends, as long as you can bring your own unique perspective so you have a way to differentiate yourself from everyone else. After all, "the reason everyone hops on trending content is because it drives views."