Viral by Vyra · Issue 1
My content journey as an artist/student (0 → 15k)
My lessons learned after a year of posting. AND my viral video frameworks for you to try!
By Sulan Zhang · 2026-03-07 · first sent by email
This may be especially relevant if:
1. you haven’t posted before (but you’ve been thinking about it!)
2. you’re a creative
3. you want some steal-able video ideas that have worked for me (@sulansart)!
Getting over fear
It took me years of THINKING / WANTING to make content before I actually did it. What made me post my first video? I made a bet with my best friend: “If I don’t post by the end of the week, I owe you $50.”
If you’re thinking about posting content, JUST DO IT! I beg you. The world deserves to see the awesome stuff you’re creating + the interesting stories you have to tell. Or if anything, give yourself the freedom of AUDACITY and post for yourself.
Consistency beats perfection
I started with the easiest videos. 5-10 second clips with some music and text on top. Just enough to keep my $50 bet for the week :D
Do the minimum to keep yourself going, especially at the beginning!! Lower your expectations. The point is to create momentum to play the long-term game.
What’s worked for me (and how you can steal this)
My top video is a painting reveal at 622k views, 88.6k likes. It’s literally two clips. I start holding a blank canvas; then cut to holding the finished piece.
For you to steal this format, think about potential “before” or “after” of the story you want to tell (the “beginning” and “end” of a project, art piece, etc). Compile footage from both moments (you can fake the “before” footage if you forgot to record), and put some text on top. Keep it concise and build suspense with the text you overlay!
“i just spent 50 hours on this…”
“i pulled an all-nighter for this…”
“just finished a collection” “titled _____”
“i wrote a song for my ex…”
“recruiting vs….getting an offer”
A reveal video is an easy piece of content to make that has high viral potential, especially if the end product has “wow” factor.
Another video format that I continue to spam is the compilation-style video. Combined, they’re at 724k views, 94.3k likes (here’s one of them). These videos are supercharged because they’re dense with the best clips.
For you to steal this format, think about particular items with an underlying theme. Each clip of the individual item should be short and crisp, so that the total video can fit many items!
“everything i coded in high school”
“what i made as a design major this week”
“a compilation of my favorite portfolio websites”
“doing a color walk for red in Arizona”
“rating the dining halls at Brown University”
The compilation itself works best if it is specific and clear, so the user knows what to expect. If you can throw in details of credibility (ie. “everything i painted as an art student @ Brown”), bonus points!
One last format that does well for me is my all-nighter videos (113k views, 10.1k likes). These show the JOURNEY of creating my paintings and lets my audience come along for the ride!
For you to steal this format, you just have to compile a TON of footage. This can be wordless B-roll or progress checkpoints where you speak to the camera or timelapses. Then arrange your clips in chronological order and experiment with the pacing. (I find that my clips average 0.7-1s). Finally, add some fun text cards or a progress metric, such as an updating clock to convey time passing.
“pull an all-nighter with me before my midterm!!”
“study for 12 hours straight with me”
“learn how to play saxophone in one day”
“is it possible to make $1,000 in one day?”
A progress / journey video is more labor-intensive, but offers your audience the opportunity to connect with you on a deeper level.
Try recreating these videos in Vyra! You can paste the link directly to the agent or in the “reference” section, give it some context, and the platform will help you shape your own version of the video :)
Until next week!
Sulan :)
@sulansart
More inspo from this week
CatGPT's viral video (1.3M views, 54.6k likes) explains AI hype and captures our attention with her opinionated and strong tone.
Zauey.talks analyzed the exchanges between Anthropic and the Department of War (359k views, 13.9k likes); her clean backdrop + concise explanations make her the go-to for AI news.
Thomasyeum told his awesome story on how he climbed a Guatemalan volcano with the hook: “My name’s Thomas and I just want to say…I’m sorry” - and it reached 833k views, 77.7k likes.
Cafeandy who is documenting his journey of chasing his dream in building a cafe. He went super viral for his videos “increasing my cafe’s budget for every follower I get” (10M+ views) and is now at 244k followers, documenting his story.