A voracious reader in her youth, Orion Carloto dreamed of publishing her own book someday. In 2014, the Southern girl reached online fangirl status when she posted heartfelt poetry on Tumblr and Instagram. 

Constant and frequent uploads resulted in her gaining 750K Instagram followers. Orion Carloto has left a similar impression on YouTube, a platform that now supports her 480K fans. The account was a place where aspiring wordsmiths could go to find inspiration to continue their craft, often flocking to videos like My Personal Tips on Writing

As the Gen Zer became a cross between a poet and social content creator, she gave fans a peek behind the scenes of her writing and publishing process. She teased her second poetry book’s release on her platforms, dedicated a video to her writing alone in Paris, and even incorporated Film for Her Instagram content into the collection of poetry. 

Orion Carloto (@orionvanessa) is a cross between a poet and a social content creator. #Stan #ContentEntrepreneur #CreatorEconomy Click To Tweet

In a 2020 interview with No Filter, the two-time published author says her book started as an Instagram account. “I picked up film photography as a little side hobby, [and] I found myself taking photos of these moments that I felt were sacred to me,” she said. “It occurred to me to create this account, to post these very boring snippets of my life, but add a story to it, to really explain why I thought taking that photo was important to me and whatever memory it brought back.”

Why we’re a Stan: Orion Carloto turned her relatable and poetry-inspired Instagram content into a book and then used social media again to create buzz around her novel. 

We're a #Stan of @orionvanessa who turned her relatable and poetry-inspired #Instagram content into a book. #CreatorEconomy Click To Tweet

About the author

Shameyka McCalman is a wordsmith whose work often centers around fashion, art, and other creatives of color. She earned her communications degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston and enjoys sifting through clothes in local vintage shops, frequenting nearby plays, and gazing at exhibitions on view in museums.