Being a Content Creator has both its ups and downs. I met some really great people along the way, had some great experiences, and keep rising more and more. But I often think about those who didn’t make it, my friends that stopped making content, Creators I’m a huge fan of but stopped, and more. I feel alone at times because it feels like there is no one else left. I make new friends, but at the same time I think about how long they will last. Content Creating is becoming a lot harder because so many creators are getting into it, only to have just as many if not more leave it too.
I have been creating content for YouTube since 2007 with my older YouTube Accounts. One reason why I got into it was my passion for Gaming. Eventually I got inspired to get a DSLR Camera because of watching Cosplay Music Videos. I have seen YouTube changing throughout the years too with not only its UI and layout, but also its Ad Revenue Changes and Partnership Minimum Increases. I am extremely thankful for my fans and friends that cheered me on to keep creating content. Knowing that there are folks out there that enjoy my content helps me keep going. My YouTube Channel is currently 7 years old and already made over 1,000 videos for it.
I have made tons of friends and had some amazing experiences including attending major Conventions, Expos, and Events. But it always saddens me that the friends I made that also make Content, at times eventually stop all together. One of my close IRL friends started a YouTube Channel, he had something going but eventually stopped when his potential and channel was ready to grow. Even with my other friends , I cheered them on hoping to arrive in the top together, but through various reasons whether be IRL stuff like work/school or Drama related issues on the Platform my friends just stopped because of it. I have seen channels go down because of Drama. Even now I made friends with some awesome Content Creators but I cannot shake the feeling on how long they will last. Granted some will last longer than others but I understand how hard this can be and seeing only little return with low views or follower count doesn’t help. The Burnout is all too true in this area. One of the main reasons why I started to do Cosplay Music Videos I got inspired by a YouTuber but he stopped it all and took down all his CMV’s. But I always cheer for other’s success and hope they make it out there and still keep their dedication and passion for as long as they can.
Being a Content Creator has changed and it’s becoming harder and harder to keep up or keep content fresh. Back in the day I remember 480P Resolution for videos was the norm and having 720P/1080P Resolution was uncommon for YouTube. Now 1080P is the Norm while 2K/4K is uncommon, eventually that will be the norm. Creating Content is becoming more and more expensive if you want more quality. There is now even a market dedicated for Content Creators, Companies have definitely taken notice and starting to advertise their products to Creators like myself. You also have Channels that has a Full Team dedicated to making daily content similar to a TV Studio making content. So Content Creators have been getting together to create more quality/diverse content together. It’s hard for a Solo Creator to make as much Quality Content vs a Full Team. Even Partnerships are harder to obtain and keep. YouTube has been raising its minimum requirements for its Partnership. Also Ad Revenue wise for YouTube has been hurt since the “ADocalpyse” and Creators have been looking at more Platforms like TwitchTV or sites like Patreon to earn extra income. Plus with so many Creators out there it’s hard to create a Personality that isn’t copying another Popular One. Creating Content might seem easy looking in from the outside, but it’s totally a different story on the inside.
It’s always a weird feeling seeing the group of Content Creators that started around my time get smaller and smaller. I have seen great success with others and extremely happy for them. But seeing so many stop for variety of reasons and most are completely understandable while the burnout is all too real and people looking to get into this need to understand it can be stressful and tiring. I hope to see more content creators having success and will help do my best to help them on their journey. But time will reveal all. Eventually I myself will stop eventually, I just hope I can keep the fire of my passion going for a long time and go out bright as ever.