Armen Adamjan: Helping people matters more than views at SIBF

Blending digital creativity with books

Speaking at a session titled “The Science of Fun: Turning Knowledge into Clever Hacks,” Adamjan—known as Creative Explained—discussed his three books, which aim to help children and adults engage in practical activities. He shared that he began writing after viewers said his videos were too fast-paced, and as a way to encourage readers to step away from screens.

From filmmaker to viral creator

The Armenian-Dutch creator shifted from filmmaking to online video production during the pandemic. His first viral TikTok—showing how to regrow green onions—led to a wave of popular plant and upcycling hacks, such as using ground egg shells as an abrasive or cleaning crayon marks with shaving foam.

Creativity, consistency, and high-energy delivery

Adamjan said he only films when he feels genuinely excited, and many hacks were discovered through personal experimentation. He stressed consistency, posting new videos daily and maintaining an apartment full of ongoing experiments. Although he monitors view counts closely, he emphasized that his real motivation is helping people, not chasing numbers.

The challenge of capturing attention

He noted the importance of making the first two seconds of any video compelling, as viewer attention on social media rarely lasts longer than three seconds during scrolling.

A positive experience in Sharjah

Adamjan praised the culture and hospitality of Sharjah, saying SIBF had been an “amazing experience” and that he was considering relocating to the UAE due to its convenience as a travel hub.

SIBF 2025 overview

Sharjah International Book Fair 2025, organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) under the theme “Between You and a Book,” runs for 12 days until November 16 at Expo Centre Sharjah, welcoming writers, publishers, and readers from 118 countries.