milkman-gaming-blog

[milkman-gaming-blog]

Here’s my channel in case you are curious ;)

[milkman-gaming-blog]

The WHY, the HOW, the THEN, and the NOW

The why is almost always the same I think. Sure, some variation here and there, especially for the people who started in the beginning, but now it’s mostly the same even if people don’t want to admit it. It’s the idea. The idea that someone could record themselves doing the thing they love to do the most, playing video games, and make a living doing it. A good living, an “easy” living. Maybe I’m wrong, maybe some people really do it just for the fun of it, but I don’t think so. Especially now a days. 

That’s why I’m doing it. I’m not going to claim that I’m some kind of  saint and I’m just in it for a good time. I want money and an easy life too ya know? I mean, so many people don’t want to admit that, but why? Is it really so bad to want to make money doing something I love? Aren’t we all kind of after that in one sense or another? I think so. I’m not gonna hide behind lame excuses, I want to play games and make money doing it. And take mid day naps, cause let’s be real those are the freaking best. 

So on to the how. How does one get started in this biz? Well, getting off the ground and making videos is pretty darn easy, if you have a little cash and time to learn a few new things. First you need a gaming machine, most people end up needing a gaming PC of some kinda though there are work arounds. And a mic, because while people do put up videos without a narration those never get too far if we’re being real here. Internet is, I would think, a given. And then you need some games to play. If you’re on PC, recording software can be free and the games can be cheap, so it’s not THAT horrible, but of course nothing good comes for free. A camera to see your face would be nice but is hardly necessary. 

So now that you have all that, now what? Well there’s the process of learning of to set up a recording and making sure it all runs smoothly. This seems to be at least somewhat luck based, as some people seem to never have issues and some people are plagued with them. But with trail and error, most problems can be overcome. And then of course, you need to figure out the user interface of getting yourself up on the site you want to be featured on, whether that be Twitch or Youtube or wherever else. Not totally intuitive but with a little playing around and some common sense (or googling) it’s easy enough.

So, then we come to where I fit into this story, and what you’ll be reading from me if you decide to sit in on this blog from time to time, my story. I don’t know if anyone will ever read this, or if I’ll ever achieve my goal of being among the Youtuber Elite. Probably not. But I’m going to try and write it all down anyway. maybe it’ll be nice to look back someday and remember this period of my life where I tried something silly, or maybe I’ll look back as I near a billion subs and remember fondly how it all started. Who knows for sure?

I started my channel in February of 2017, though the exact date escapes me and I’m too lazy to try and look. My first subscriber was someone by the name of Igor. Thank you Igor for randomly finding me in the chaos of Youtube. If I ever make it big maybe I’ll do something nice for Igor someday. My first video was a test recording turned full on recording of a small game by the name of Happy Room. It wasn’t intentional, I wanted my first upload to be something a little more symbolic of what the channel would be in the long run, but it flowed well and I like it. Of course the complete lack of editing and horrible commentary plague that video like a virus, but it’s mine and I’ll love it just for that. From there it was just a ride down hill. I was originally shooting for 2 videos a day, everyday, with a 2 week back log just in case I needed a break or vacation. That 2 week backlog was lost very quickly though to my own laziness and inability to stick to a schedule (and wake up early enough before work to record and upload something). It was an unfortunate decline that never had a chance to go anywhere but down. But it was a learning experience. I learned staying ahead of the game is everything and that I should set realistic goals and strive to meet them. My goal now is 5 videos a week, Monday through Friday. Since I came back this last week from a vacation to Seattle (my favorite place in the world btw) I’ve managed to keep somewhat ahead. Honestly the most limiting factor to me staying ahead of my upload schedule is my crappy internet that some days just doesn’t work and my disdain for editing, which I’ve been trying to find ways to make easier. But I’m keeping up and for now I suppose that’s enough.

My time on Youtube has put me through some very interesting emotional rollarcoasters that have no intention of ending anytime soon. When I started I was so full of glee. I could just see myself sitting down to “do some work” at my computer, never having to return to the hell hole that is working for minimum wage and tips, and just soaking in all the glory of being a Youtuber for a living. But as the views stopped going up and I wasn’t able to keep up with the uploads, I found myself desperate for an easy button. I wanted some kind of key advice that would make the whole thing easier or at least instantly boost me to 100,000 subs so I could just quit my job and spend all day recording and uploading. No such luck (imagine that, no easy button for life). As I lowered my expectations things got a little more bearable and I was able to keep up a little better, but then the melancholy set in. Why wasn’t I getting tons of subs and views? How did anyone else ever get to where they are now? Am I doing this all for nothing? Should I just quit and be sad quietly? These questions still haunt the back of my mind some days. I don’t know what the solution to them is, so if you’re here looking for that answer, I’m sorry. This isn’t a guide, just a telling of a tale.

So what does the future hold? I don’t know any better than you do. I write this an upload for today goes up, and I have till next Monday already recorded so that’s nice. Just gotta edit them and get them up. I feel cautiously hopeful. Maybe I’ll never be big but I can at least get my uploads on time to all of my 25 subscribers. It’s something. And I have all kinds of games to play. And I mean, even if being a Youtuber isn’t as glorious and life changing as I hoped it would be, I still love a good game. So that’s a way to look at it right? 

I’m still looking for my golden ticket. I still want to just hit the easy button and just ride to the top where I can be rich and get new computer parts on a whim and not look at the price of things on the menu at a restaurant. I want my easy way out. But I realize it’s not coming. And I’m ready to dig in for the long haul. Maybe I’ll only be a YouTuber for another year or 6 month or maybe I’ll keep trucking along for a few years, who knows. What I do know is, being a Youtuber has made my days a little more challenging and a little more interesting, and that’s worth something at least.

Till next week, I’m the Milkman, and I hope you have an amazing day.