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So obviously you are here because you want to be a YouTube streamer but you're unsure of all of the unknowns and uncertainties that lie ahead. Well, buckle up dear reader because I'm about to drop some serious knowledge and realities your way.
Maintaining Relationships
One little-known aspect of the life of a YouTube streamer is the stress it can put on your relationship with your significant other. Many creators don't like to talk about it because for many of us, this is a very personal and private matter. It's important to remember that when you set off on this YouTube streamer journey, it is just that, Your Journey.
The life of a newbie streamer is a lonely one.
From the moment that you create your new YouTube account with the goal of being a Live Streamer, your journey will be a lonely one and at times may get a little depressing because you're taking the time you would normally be spending with your loved ones, time that is very precious and of which is already meager and non-existent by the time you get home from your nine to five tedious ass job.
What this does to you and your family is unique to everyone but what's also important to remember is that you're communicating with those around you your intentions and expectations with respect to your New Streaming Schedule. Let your loved ones know what times and day(s) of the week you will be Streaming and why it is important that they treat it as if it were your normal job, because it may very well become that.
So remember that as always with any relationship, communication is always key!
You Still Need A Job
The reality of your situation is that you are not rich or have multiple forms of income streams and if you are and do...good shit, move on to the next subject big baller! For the rest of us, we still have to work a legacy job to pay bills and eat so don't come into this streaming business with the mindset that your going to be streaming to X amount of human beings and expecting X amount of subscribers from the rip.
I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't tone your expectations down a couple of thousand notches. When you first begin streaming you will be lucky if you stream to two people who aren't your friends or family and with whom you are a total stranger. Everyone starts at zero and from time to time you'll receive two to three viewers who stop by your stream and may or may not stick around but that's okay! It's all part of the process and learning curve.
The major goal is to eventually get to a place where you'll at least have built a website where your posting blogs with Affiliate Links that help generate revenue for you as well as have a stable and consistent social media presence which you can leverage to drive traffic to your website. That should be your ultimate goal so you can one day quit that boring ass job.
In the meantime stick it out or find something better which makes you happy so that you can invest/sacrifice a little bit more of your precious time to this endeavor you're dead set on taking on because your a fucking beast!
It's Not As Scary As You Think
Before I pulled the trigger on finally turning a camera on me for some live-stream gaming I was hesitating for a couple of years. For me, the thought of putting my face out there out in the wild was at first really fucking terrifying. It took me a long while to finally decide to go Live. By the time I went Live I had already uploaded a few videos on my channel which helped a little bit but nothing prepares you for actually broadcasting yourself (YouTube's old motto). The thought of being available in that moment in Space and Time to any human being can seem a bit intimidating at first but consider the fact that the opposite may very well be just as true for your viewer(s).
What do I mean by this? Well, the feeling you get as a streamer when a viewer finally decides to evolve from viewer to contributor is simply amazing! But, if you ask that viewer what made them interested in watching you they'll tell you what it was about you that made them decide to interact with you.
I legit get super happy and geeky when people say hello because who knows how long they've been watching me for before finally mustering up the courage to say hello because they fear not getting a response from their soon-to-be favorite YouTube Streamer. Trust me, dear reader, I want you to experience this. It's simply wonderful and fills you with joy.
Conclusion
There you have it, a few things that they don't tell you about the realities of being a YouTube streamer. In the future, I'll create more parts to this post, for now, internalize the above subjects and plan accordingly. If you are interested in my current streaming camera as of December 2022 here it is: Canon EOS M6 Mark ii
Also, don't forget to get the capture card you'll need to plug your camera into your PC. I use the Elgato 4K60 Pro MK.2
Last but not least I use a fiber optic HDMI cable when connecting my camera to the capture card. The DTECH Fiber Optic HDMI Cable 50 Feet Ultra HD 4K is more than enough to prevent any video jitters from happening while your streaming amazing content. People rarely think about proper cabling but it's super important if you want to stream correctly.
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