About 7 years ago, I got it into my head I wanted to experiment with different ways of storytelling. I was going through some stuff and I wanted to do more than just write. I also have been a visual person. I love experimenting with taking photos on my phone and tend to visualize what I’m writing like a movie, even complete with a soundtrack sometimes. When I thought about creating a YouTube channel.
I remember YouTube was first created in 2005 or so. I found nifty video clips of people uploading or re-uploading. It wasn’t a medium exactly that the everyday person could do. You needed to know complex video editing skills and have an elite camera (all of which I had none). But I bought myself the most basic GoPro to use with my Walmart-bought laptop. Hence, my channel was born. I used it as part of my first attempt to venture into freelancing and content creation.
Needless to say, it wasn’t successful. However, I’ve kept my channel up along with my original videos. Also, as you can clearly see, I have no idea what I’m doing.
Today, YouTube channels have become another form of a side hustle. There’s a lot of information about creating faceless YouTube channels, what niches to pursue, etc. And to be honest, trying to learn all that in addition to my regular job and my freelance writing seems to be too much. But I also feel like my creativity has suffered this past year. I’ve had trouble writing creative fiction and finding joy in things that I used to. My mental health was constantly taxed by dealing with reality and issues.
On a whim a couple of months ago, I enrolled myself in a course about making videos and succeeding on YouTube. One of the first lessons is setting out the purpose of your channel. While making money would be nice, I don’t want it to be the sole reason for reviving my channel. Instead, I want to learn the basics of video shooting and editing. I also want to find a new outlet for my creative endeavors. I don’t know what success I’ll have, but hopefully, it will be fun as I resurrect my channel and restart my journey.
Also published originally on my blog.
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