I'm older than you. My daughter is 36. I have had several creative businesses over the years and started a new one in April. I decided in advance what I was and wasn't willing to do and I also realized that there are parts to every job that we don't like however, I really like working for myself in a creative field so I chose which "dislikes" I could work with. I like sharing, writing, teaching and I didn't want to deal with social media so I decided to do a website/blog and - reluctantly - YouTube and have been quite surprised by how much I enjoy it. It allows me to share what I know and encourage others and that's fabulous. One thing that really helped is some software called Descript where I edit in the text. Another is that I am only documenting what I want to do. I had one video do incredibly well that was more technique oriented. I want to do some of those but not mainly so I was grateful for the bump in traffic, more subscribers, and continued on in my way. Another is that I don't look at the analytics. If I can't succeed doing things the way I want to do them, then I'll do something else. AND... a huge thing throughout my whole life has been that I start the day with me time. I have coffee and then I go to my studio in my pajamas and work for an hour on something for me, that I want to do, that no one will see. It nurtures and energizes. It's private creativity. You will find your way. I spent last year celebrating the year of turning sixty... which I did in June... and I can tell you that forty was great, fifty better, and I am totally enjoying sixty especially that I know myself and what I'm willing to do and I'm willing to let go of the rest. ALL THE BEST.
I have been thinking about this newsletter more over the last couple days. I feel like we much in common including thinking. I can over think overthinking. This book is fabulous. I wish I'd read it forty years ago. It helped me chart the path I'm on now.
P.S. I set up my Substack account after watching that video and made a first post, ready to do the second one. It reminds me of a better version of Blogger in that there is the ability to interact. YES YES
Thank you for sharing this. I started my YouTube channel in April this year and after hearing a lot of stories similar to yours, I promised myself right in the beginning that I'm not to going to beat myself up if I skip a week and also that I would make videos that I enjoy making and that I would love to watch myself. I'm making art vlogs (against all of the rules) and time lapses. I admit that sometimes I feel tempted to make a video which I know will perform well but thanks to advice like yours I stop myself from doing it because I know it's really hard to get out of this rabbit hole once you get in. I have slower growth like this but so far I'm really enjoying the process. My goal is to reach 500 subscribers until the end of the year and I'm already more than halfway through it so I'm hopeful 😄 Anyway, thanks again for sharing and I hope that you will continue making videos - the ones that you bring you joy and express your true self, because in the end the most important thing is the person behind the video 😊❤️
That is exactly the right approach. Makes me happy to hear you're resisting the hustle and just having fun with it. You're in the slowest and most difficult period right now, it's only going to get better from here. So keep going, and keep enjoying where you're at. 🥳
Really enjoyed this Louise! I have just (restarted/resurrected) my YT channel, determined to build it, especially as I am gradually spending less time on Instagram and while it's early days and it's evolving I can already see and feel some of the stress. I really dislike the way every single suggestion in my feed is a YouTuber who's been doing it for years and has hundreds and thousands of subscribers...and all telling me how to "beat the algorithm" LOL. Or, "How to Make Money on YouTube!" I will have to become better at ignoring them and your video and this post helps a lot with that. I'm okay with people not watching my videos for now - that will give me time to keep plugging away. I liked your point about the podcast... I had one where I interviewed artists... it was great fun but I had to abandon it because it was such a lot of work, recording, scheduling and editing... with less ability to be discovered. Thanks for the great food for thought. Will look forward to reading more from you. Nicky Jameson.
Haha, yup that's my feed as well. Gotten better now that I actively avoid those videos and channels, but for a while, it was crazy. YouTube was like "So you're obsessed with YouTube? Let's escalate the madness!"
It really takes effort to hold on to one's own values and motivations. Since writing this article I have, in fact, decided to keep making YouTube videos. But to try and make them the way I want to make them, in the pace I want to make them. And that's really what I recommend everyone do. Of course it's nice with validation, and of course we want growth and money. But creating has to feel like enough on its own or none of it would be worth it. Making videos is so much fun, and I hope you feel the same way. Wish you lots of fun with your channel. 😌
So nice to read such honest thoughts about this subject. Starting a youtube channel is on my list of potential new areas to try as I work on leaving instagram, so hearing your thoughts on it was really timely for me.
Thank you Tara. 😊 I definitely think YouTube is a better option than Instagram. But the most important thing is that it's fun and sustainable for us, the creators. So I wish you best of luck! 🙏🏻
Thank you for writing about this. I'm in that rabbit hole of initial research and had watched one of your videos, which led me here. You've given me a lot to think about.
I hope I didn't put you off too much. 😅 But then again, I read/watched a lot of similar accounts when I was just getting started with YouTube, and I still wanted to do it. Wishing you best of luck and lots of fun with it!
I'm older than you. My daughter is 36. I have had several creative businesses over the years and started a new one in April. I decided in advance what I was and wasn't willing to do and I also realized that there are parts to every job that we don't like however, I really like working for myself in a creative field so I chose which "dislikes" I could work with. I like sharing, writing, teaching and I didn't want to deal with social media so I decided to do a website/blog and - reluctantly - YouTube and have been quite surprised by how much I enjoy it. It allows me to share what I know and encourage others and that's fabulous. One thing that really helped is some software called Descript where I edit in the text. Another is that I am only documenting what I want to do. I had one video do incredibly well that was more technique oriented. I want to do some of those but not mainly so I was grateful for the bump in traffic, more subscribers, and continued on in my way. Another is that I don't look at the analytics. If I can't succeed doing things the way I want to do them, then I'll do something else. AND... a huge thing throughout my whole life has been that I start the day with me time. I have coffee and then I go to my studio in my pajamas and work for an hour on something for me, that I want to do, that no one will see. It nurtures and energizes. It's private creativity. You will find your way. I spent last year celebrating the year of turning sixty... which I did in June... and I can tell you that forty was great, fifty better, and I am totally enjoying sixty especially that I know myself and what I'm willing to do and I'm willing to let go of the rest. ALL THE BEST.
Thank you! Those are encouraging words. 🙏🏻
You're welcome.
I have been thinking about this newsletter more over the last couple days. I feel like we much in common including thinking. I can over think overthinking. This book is fabulous. I wish I'd read it forty years ago. It helped me chart the path I'm on now.
How to be an Artist Without Losing Your Mind, Your Shirt, or Your Creative Compass by JoAnneh Nagler - https://www.amazon.com/Artist-Without-Losing-Creative-Compass/dp/1581573677
P.S. I set up my Substack account after watching that video and made a first post, ready to do the second one. It reminds me of a better version of Blogger in that there is the ability to interact. YES YES
Thank you for sharing this. I started my YouTube channel in April this year and after hearing a lot of stories similar to yours, I promised myself right in the beginning that I'm not to going to beat myself up if I skip a week and also that I would make videos that I enjoy making and that I would love to watch myself. I'm making art vlogs (against all of the rules) and time lapses. I admit that sometimes I feel tempted to make a video which I know will perform well but thanks to advice like yours I stop myself from doing it because I know it's really hard to get out of this rabbit hole once you get in. I have slower growth like this but so far I'm really enjoying the process. My goal is to reach 500 subscribers until the end of the year and I'm already more than halfway through it so I'm hopeful 😄 Anyway, thanks again for sharing and I hope that you will continue making videos - the ones that you bring you joy and express your true self, because in the end the most important thing is the person behind the video 😊❤️
That is exactly the right approach. Makes me happy to hear you're resisting the hustle and just having fun with it. You're in the slowest and most difficult period right now, it's only going to get better from here. So keep going, and keep enjoying where you're at. 🥳
Really enjoyed this Louise! I have just (restarted/resurrected) my YT channel, determined to build it, especially as I am gradually spending less time on Instagram and while it's early days and it's evolving I can already see and feel some of the stress. I really dislike the way every single suggestion in my feed is a YouTuber who's been doing it for years and has hundreds and thousands of subscribers...and all telling me how to "beat the algorithm" LOL. Or, "How to Make Money on YouTube!" I will have to become better at ignoring them and your video and this post helps a lot with that. I'm okay with people not watching my videos for now - that will give me time to keep plugging away. I liked your point about the podcast... I had one where I interviewed artists... it was great fun but I had to abandon it because it was such a lot of work, recording, scheduling and editing... with less ability to be discovered. Thanks for the great food for thought. Will look forward to reading more from you. Nicky Jameson.
Thank you, Nicky!
Haha, yup that's my feed as well. Gotten better now that I actively avoid those videos and channels, but for a while, it was crazy. YouTube was like "So you're obsessed with YouTube? Let's escalate the madness!"
It really takes effort to hold on to one's own values and motivations. Since writing this article I have, in fact, decided to keep making YouTube videos. But to try and make them the way I want to make them, in the pace I want to make them. And that's really what I recommend everyone do. Of course it's nice with validation, and of course we want growth and money. But creating has to feel like enough on its own or none of it would be worth it. Making videos is so much fun, and I hope you feel the same way. Wish you lots of fun with your channel. 😌
So nice to read such honest thoughts about this subject. Starting a youtube channel is on my list of potential new areas to try as I work on leaving instagram, so hearing your thoughts on it was really timely for me.
Thank you Tara. 😊 I definitely think YouTube is a better option than Instagram. But the most important thing is that it's fun and sustainable for us, the creators. So I wish you best of luck! 🙏🏻
Thank you for writing about this. I'm in that rabbit hole of initial research and had watched one of your videos, which led me here. You've given me a lot to think about.
I hope I didn't put you off too much. 😅 But then again, I read/watched a lot of similar accounts when I was just getting started with YouTube, and I still wanted to do it. Wishing you best of luck and lots of fun with it!
Not at all. Thanks!
Thank you so much, Chantal! 🖤