Different vibe today. Sometimes I'm gonna talk about things outside of the content I usually make -- especially something that I'm very passionate about like this. How many of y'all are on the content creator hustle? How's it been going for you guys? I genuinely am curious. Thanks for watching! Ways to support me as a content creator: 1. Merch - www.dustinpoynter.com/shop 2. Donating w/ a Super Thanks (hit the three dot icon on the right underneath the video, hit "thanks") 3. Watching another video on this channel after this one (this is free)
I'm just an old lady, but I'll give you some of that old lady advice, unsolicited, like old lady advice should be. Get a marketable skill that you can rely on to support your passion project. When (not if) your passion starts to become something that doesn't make you happy anymore, you have something to fall back on while you figure out what your next passion is going to be, or if you want to continue your present pursuit. Lifelong passions are very rare, and even more rare are passions that pay. That's why so many actors, singers, songwriters, authors, etc have all these other skills to support themselves while they pursue their passions. Pursuing your passion takes sacrifice, but it also takes prioritizing what matters: taking care of yourself and the people you love. You definitely will regret working so much that you miss out on your own life, but you will never regret loving the people in your life.
Hi, Sir. Hope all is well with you and your lovely significant other. I'm a new fan/subbie and really enjoy your content. Will you consider somehow doing a collaboration with another RUclipsr named Frank James, please? I find myself learning a lot about many different human personalities and behaviors in a mostly fun, humorous way from both channels. It would seem that you and Frank may be able to relate to one another as RUclipsrs at the very least. Okie dokie. Your time is valuable and I want to be respectful. Please stay healthy. Peace and blessings to you and your lovely partner. Take care. 🌞💕💯🫶🏽 (Skips away w/imaginary green 💚 flag & a smile 😊)
I really got what you were talking about because as a fulltime substitute teacher, when I was hit by a truck driving to work I was dropped off of everyone's radar. It kills future earning potential and trying to explain that is so hard.
This is why I feel bad when beloved RUclipsrs apologize for taking time off, or just missing one upload day, like if you take a break most normal sane people aren't gonna be mad at you....at least I hope they wouldn't :(
It has a lot to do with the platform. RUclips will stop recommending the creator if they change their content or their upload schedule. One guy I watch wanted to change from Sundays and Wednesdays to Mondays and Thursdays and he had to go back to Sundays and Wednesdays after just two weeks because his views dropped so much.
This is why when a content creator goes on break, I try to focus mostly on watching their old content that I haven’t watched yet. One of my content creators was gone for a month for her wedding and honeymoon and I watched more than half her old content which was a total of almost 48 hours of watched content. 😅
I watch a creator who had to batch film non stop her entire pregnancy so she could post those & have some type of maternity leave when the baby came. Bc even tho her followers promised to watch old videos, if she spent any time not uploading youtube would stop recommending her videos & she'd lose money. Her husband has a good full time job outside the internet, but hardly anyone can live on 1 income. I felt really bad for her.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Dustin. We appreciate you and your flags. But also, please don't forget to take care of yourself while you're looking out for the rest of us out here. ❤️🔥
You are by far one of my favorite people on here. I’m committing to your content; keep true to yourself, you are making the world happier. Thank you for all fish (smiles).
Jacksepticeye is another very big creator who recently came back from a hiatus/ break and shared recently that he’s thinking about retiring (not yet but it’s on the horizon). I think the OG creators who have been on this platform since basically the beginning that, well, that chapter is wrapping up and honestly I don’t blame them at all, they’ve done the grind but also the platforms and the kind of content that does well and just in general the digital environment has fundamentally changed so much from what they started off working and and for a long time navigated. Many don’t feel like their footing is secure anymore and figuring it out all over again or finally retiring is something they rightfully really should weigh up. And like I said the digital market and environment is murky and different now to the point that it’s churning out even the new or smaller creators, honestly it’s an era of burnout and I’m not surprised it’s coming to a head with many creators quitting.
i miss jacksepticeye. followed him forever, and loved when his content got more mature and well put together over time. i totally understand the need for him to step away, and i love that hes working on his coffee business and that growing like crazy. (PS buy that coffee, top of the mornin, its so so good... also fire department coffee.. sorry ill get off coffee now.) I hope he jumps back in with a few new vids soon.
Not surprising that this is happening considering there are apps being sold that create A.I. generated content for you. I nearly gag every time I hear the ad. "Want to make RUclips content but don't want to show your face?"... Let our app create A.I. generate garbage for you! 🤢🤮 Ripped off stories that the lazy creators change just enough to not be plagiarism (added lies usually). Yuck.
I think a big problem too, as a creative, is that we call what we create 'content', which feeds into the idea that this is a job and we need to please algorithms and do whatever we can to get money and views and hits. I don't create content. I write stories. I don't create content. I play video games. I'm not learning to create content. I'm learning to make art. Don't call your creative hard work content! Your videos, like this one, are video essays and they're incredible. Your other videos are reactions or social commentary videos. Don't devalue your creative works by calling it 'content' like it's made to be chewed up, spit out and moved on from!
This is such a valuable way of looking at things. I'm a creative. Creating fuels me. I want to share that online because I love it and not everyone I want to share with is local. If that means I share with more people who have a legitimate interest, I'm okay with that... but I create based on where my inspiration takes me.
It depends, if it is your sole source of income, it really boils down to content because it’s not about the art it’s about consumption in order to live. RUclips is now an entertainment format, it exists to be consumed just like TV and Film. Art can exist in that context… but only if it’s consumed.
This is so interesting. When I started a page to promote my business and it gained some success, so many people told me to start monetizing etc etc, but I was like nah, I really just don't wanna get sucked into this whole thing, so I just kept and will keep using it purely for advertising my product. Videos like these just always confirm to me that, to me personally, this is the right choice
Hunter (Meat) is really active on his PapaMeat channel. He makes me laugh. The McDonald's Playplace video is really good. If you have the option to take a break, especially when experiencing burnout, you should. I would imagine the stress of taking a break is higher being a content creator than it would be with me taking a day, two, a week off at my office job. You said this very well.
Thanks for that video, I'm currently struggling with youtube and have"Fallen behind" in my super early stages. I love what you do and always look forward to seeing videos!
I just want to to say I think you're doing an amazing job. I love your content and I think you're discussing important topics in a way that it makes it easier for some to see different points of view they might not of thought about. I hope you keep it up for a long time to come. Keep being you, you're amazing.
I really appreciate your perspective. I'm older, 56, and from my perspective being an influencer is like deciding to be an actor or a singer. It's a tough gig, highly competitive, and only a very small percent are going to make a career out of it. So if you put all your eggs in one basket, and statistically that basket is not going to support you then you are setting yourself up for failure. I can see an 18 year old deciding to stay home for one year and make a go of it while folks are paying the bills, or having enough saving to take a year hiatus to give it a go...but if you have nothing to fall back on then you're probably going to be in trouble. The internet is fickle. I ran into a woman who posted her first RUclips video 2 months ago and just hit 250k subs, and I know others that have been trying to do it for years and have 1k subs. All I can say is good luck and always have a backup plan.
I empathize with you soo much. I'm doing IRL arts, but you have to spend so much time marketing to the algorithm gods just to get people to come to your shows. I can't imagine how stressful it is to just be online. Hell atleast I have an established venue helping me advertise vs. just fighting whatever internet rules have been. Place before me. Good luck, and I appreciate you and your content.
Imagine you work for a company that offers you no healthcare, no vacation time, no maternity/ paternity leave, no other benefits; it doesn’t tell you clearly what you are going to be paid and in fact it changes the pay structure without your consent and without notice to you; as an employee you have to somehow find out who in the company the algorithm overlord is favouring that day; it doesn’t tell you what your role is; they just say you will know when you are successful. Does that sound like a good job to anyone?
Yes and they also don't provide vaccines for your kids. RUclips benefits from these content creators and should really offer basic healthcare, including setting up a small medical centre RUclipsrs can access, including counselling, mental health check ups and vaccinations for the kids. Health is everything
Hey, Dustin, you are a great creator and a great person. Keep putting content out there and I'll keep watching it. And I found this video fascinating! It was good to have a look behind the screen.
I feel this so much, I had to take a year off from making content because I was assaulted last year and needed a huge mental break. It has broken me financially and I'm still trying to recover from it. It's not even the money that I love so much, I love making content and making people happy and even meeting new people through making content. I love everything about it but after that break I feel so broken as a person I almost don't know what to do with myself anymore besides go back to content creating and just hope
It’s so sad what people can do to break someone else. I’m so sorry that it’s been a difficult time for you. Maybe going back to creating will prove cathartic. You’ll know when it’s time. Continue to work on healing, one day, one minute at a time. I wish you the best.
Thank you for the glimpse behind the curtain. Many of my favorite creators do these peaks, and it helps me/fans really appreciate the work all the more.
Wow! This was eye-opening! 😳😲 That Appalachian accent and making Kingsford charcoal everyday had me rolling!!! That's a character right there. Junior Higginboo! 😂😂😂
While I appreciate the caveat at the end that content creation isnt the hardest job out there, in the rapid development aspect I'd almost argue that it is one of the hardest (this is coming from someone in medicine, for reference). While there might be less physical or academic demands, I feel that the absolute newness of the career makes it very hard. Sure medicine can have rapid developments and changes (hi covid) but its still based on THOUSANDS of years of history. Whereas content creation, in the social media/video era is fundamentally different from say a court bard or poet, or even the early years of hollywood. So that aspect as very least I think is far to say that its harder than other careers. Its like the Wright brothers and early aviation, doing something that had never been done before
I appreciate your honesty and the content you share that is genuine to you as a person, Dustin. I hope you can have some more consistency in your work, because you do such a great job at it. Just make sure you take the time to care for yourself and your mental health, it should always come first ❤
This reminds me of having an Etsy shop. It's getting ridiculous to figure out the algorithm and make your shop seen. And Etsy keeps charging more for posting and takes a percentage of sales. Good luck making a top shop now. It's near impossible.
Its nice to see someome talking about this honestly. Everything you see is just people raving about youtube and being a creator, just to get views. Vicious cycle i guess, they are just trying to get by too. Im not a creator, but i looked into it for a bit and came to the conclusion that i would burn out hunting that following. Plus i have adhd so i cant stick with anything, and i wouldnt want to turn a passion into a job. It sounds exhausting with or without the following and the money.
I knew it was difficult but I didn’t truly understand how time consuming this is. I love your videos, I appreciate your honesty and how your emotional intelligence kindness shines through each video. I hope you’re able to continue making content, we enjoy it.
Thank you for this Dustin. Genuinely. Many of my friends and family over the past couple years have been encouraging me to start a RUclips or be more on social media with my singing or telling my life story to get money and possibly help people, but i have avoided it ALL COST. Because of the TRUTH behind being an influencer. Honestly its scary! If its not a job you solely depend on, its like okay fine..but when its literally the main or only way you make money, IT IS SO HARD!! My ex husband does yt videos and i remember how angry and sad he used to get about his up and down success, which scary in itself. So thank you again for this very honest video. 💚 I hope you stay successful and can genuinely enjoy your work! LOVE YOUR CONTENT 😊
I wish I could subscribe to all my favorites YTs, but as it is, I only have a smartphone, and it's already overloaded. So many creative, inspiring people there. I wish you well❤
people don't realize the immense amount of money that being spent on like camera, computer, electricity bill and not to mentioned the time that they had spent. And the audacity to make a comparison between working in McDonald vs being a content creator. SIgh
This problem you have is the same problem other independent business entrepreneurs have and had have for centuries. Artists immediately come to mind. If a person makes one single thing very that catches the fancy of the crowd it is always a shock when it is over just as suddenly. Look at the producers who have companies that are a couple hundred years old. It is the nature of the beast that is at fault. In general, people in general are looking for new things all the time. Very few producers, or artists, fail to plan their company for long term life growth. The mind set of most people is that of being employed not the employer. Producers of content are the contract employees of the host they work for. The host is so far removed from the producer that they could not care less about you. They are making money by ads and various other difficult to see avenues. They are now the vast malls that everyone trade for town squares. Eventually, the hosts companies will be hollowed out also. The internet is a vile place and it was not intended to be.
This story can be seen in a ton of different creative based jobs and careers. I feel the burnout as a working artist. I make so little money for people to belittle what I do because they think it’s easy. I feel this frustration and I’m sorry you’re going through it as well.
Im a fairly recent follower of yours and I really really appreciate your authenticity. Many people have tried to encourage me to become a content creator and I know it’s not a job I will be capable or doing without harming my mental health. These people find me entertaining and want to commodify my personality and talents and keep telling me they will partner up with me and help me. But I will never choose this career because I never want to loose who I am and like your video explains, its incredibly easy to do. I also don’t fee the internet is a safe space so I intentionally maintain anonymity online. I only follow and support creators i resonate with and I appreciate your honesty and integrity and I hope you never lose the love for your job, it becomes easier for you and you can continue a healthy work life balance and looking after yourself
Thank you for posting this! I don't know if it would be possible for content creators to unionise but something needs to change to reduce the amount of exploitation
“You forget to eat, forget to do laundry, dishes, take care of your surroundings, spend time with family and friends.” Not trying to be insensitive, but that sounds an awful lot like RUclips forces people to experience some of what having autism is like. Especially considering how you describe no longer being yourself in order to please the system and algorithm and fight to be whatever it wants you to be rather than just being honest and doing what you’re passionate about.
This is why I take it as just a hobby and I am ok with it. It’s less stress and I just make videos when I want to if people watch cool if not oh well it’s not making me any money so it’s no big deal.
Good way to do it! I love this job so much, but it’s way too easy to become too consumed with it. It will slowly send you into a mental headspace that you don’t wanna be in. I’m still learning to find that balance and knowing when to stop pushing myself too hard.
Yeah, I don’t see how my cousin and her husband keep up with their RUclips channel. They seem to love it and are making great money. But I like being anonymous, so I could never put myself out there all the time.
Honestly, I listen to RUclips while I do things. I often like the spoken content better than podcasts. I don’t think I’m the only one, so it may be a thing. Would a survey of people who listen to RUclips (obviously we’re premium members) be helpful in informing content creation?
Not to mention that content creators are putting themselves out there for thousands to potentially millions of people to see every day. That has to be a little terrifying and everyone has an opinion on everything and I can also see that getting commented on every day can be exhausting. Thank you for what you do and please please always remember that you are a person as well and you deserve rest and relaxation❤
It's not as easy as you think. These youtubers made wealth but did they manage it wisely so they could take a break? If they decided to live at a highly income bracket then their bills will be at that height as well including annual taxes. Unless these people have been living below their means they will be feeling the financial hurt if they don't supplement or change their lifestyle. Spending more time with the family could be switching to 3 days a week instead of 7 days. Reduce presence from 4 platforms to 2. Taking a financial hit needs to be thought out and preplanned. They still have to work after leaving RUclips. They also have to deal with the emotional fallout of pulling away from the internet.
Welcome to real life lol. It's how it is in general. I make content on RUclips for the fun because it is fun for me. My job I work in the Healthcare field with people with disabilities which I also love. That's how I have it split up and that's how it should be. Pewdiepie has always said he would never recommend people do what he did or to make this your full time job. You're taking a huge risk. And not having at least one back up, kinda on the individual same with the choice of the gamble with being a content creator full time.
Yes, it’s how it is. That’s exactly my point of this video. People underestimate content creation and assume it’s all fun and games and an easy job. But it’s work, just like anything else. And it comes with its own unique challenges.
I've been following Ashens before RUclips I'm talking 2000. Like old popstations. But he branches out and makes sure to spread it out. Algorithm is nasty
It’s ok, doing nothing is the new way. No one needs to do anything. The old people worked enough to make our live so difficult that we now have to vote for new countries like Alabama! Don’t make your tube bad, doctors are so easy to go to
Why are you describing not being paid 12k for something, like they took 12k away from you? They didn't. They didn't take anything away from you. You made money, and then you didn't. This isn't unique to content creation. A client didn't take money away from me if I continued showing up at their offices a month my project was done
The burnout and crushed creativity are so real. I'm not a RUclipsr, but I am an author, and our industry keeps doing the same thing: moving goalposts, yanking the rug out from under us in terms of what can make money and what can't, etc. It's stressful. And you have to keep writing through all that because if you go too long without releasing something, you fall off the radar. Different industry, but I 100% get it, and I absolutely get why content creators are giving it up. I love what I do and hope I never have to give it up, but the business is definitely hard and soul-crushing sometimes. And burnout is so, so real; I burned myself out so bad about 10 years ago, my immune system imploded and my health took a nose dive. Not fun, and not easy to dig out of that hole... especially enough to continue being creative. So... take care of yourself and watch for the signs. It's much, much easier to take short breaks than it is to recover once you hit the wall.
they do it to Twitch streamers too and there's this push to play the same games that everyone else is and honestly, it's frustrating I can't imagine trying to get my work published (I write too) and having the goalposts yanked to a new distance each time I get close but that's what all of us are facing
Commenting so RUclips knows there’s value in this video. I always enjoy these moments when creators truly break the fourth wall. Any job has that venn diagram where everything overlaps in a compartment to house misery. It’s always about balance to keep that as small as possible.
This algorithm also f-uped the Google searches. Due to the big companies buying the top search results small companies and independent creators are left out. I myself have lost my job in writing due to the seo taking over. I don't feel passionate about writing and am definitely burnt out
I think this is insightful to people who don’t create content and aren’t social media consumers. I casually watch things and literally only watch RUclips videos by creators I like . Won’t bother with others. I happened across you on Facebook and seeked you out on RUclips because I enjoy your humor. Wish you nothing but the best. I work in healthcare and I’d take that any day over trying to be creative … I’d fail before I even started . Hope you continue to be able to do this for a living !
The artificiality is maddening, but it explains how I can watch a video or series of videos, be mightily impressed by the research, or delivery, or whatever, then be absolutely astonished that they have maybe a third of the subs that they “should.” It also answers my question of _why the heck is_ this _in my recommends?!_
Commenting purely so RUclips knows that this video deserves SO much interaction and exposure. I think this kind of information is very clarifying for many people who feel so hurt or confused about their favorite creator retiring *even though creators don't owe that level of dedication to any chosen platform.*
It’s a much more exhausting grind than people realize. The job makes it incredibly difficult to ever truly relax - especially for the middle class content creator. Most mid-level full timers live with constant anxiety and fear because trends, algorithms and how much we are paid is constantly changing, and our content has to change with it. And it’s VERY difficult to change content direction. Once people on the Internet see you as one thing, it’s jarring to them once you start doing something else. Not to mention, major platforms withhold payouts from many creators and they’ll do it at any time. I’ve seen it happen often. It’s a brand new profession with zero job security. I love what I do more than anything and I flat out refuse to do anything else for the rest of my life - but every single creator looks at those who quit and don’t even think twice about why they did it.
As someone who went (and went back) to school for media, I get this. (I have a degree in Communications and New Media with a focus in film/video, and now I'm back in school for graphic design.) It's a real struggle and it's so hard. My professors always told us that if we get into content creation, we must be ready. The entertainment industry is a hard struggle already, and this is on par (or worse) than trying to get into Hollywood. It's harder when people repost content and/or remove the watermark that you place just for views. Yet, the people who do this and truly love it -- you see it. Like I see it with you! I've thought about doing the content creator hustle with friends in the past. It's something that's still on my mind. With the hustle being so severe, I'm nervous to get in. Instead, I support those I enjoy for being able to do so! ;;/ Thank you for being honest with this subject.
You are the first content creator to say it how it is and not sugar coat it I don't have the biggest following either I have like 132 subs on my gaming channel and like 1000 followers on twitch and I just don't feel it anymore I don't even make money from them
Definitely feel that. I Twitch streamed 3-4 times a week for over a year. The growth and progress on Twitch is significantly slower than any other platform. You have to truly love it to be able to get on there day in and day out and work through the tough streams and try to improve. I admittedly didn't, so I quit. But if you genuinely love it I have no doubt you'd be able to make a full-time living from it. It just takes time!
@DustinPoynterVideos I want to get back into streaming I just have a weird work schedule and also I help my girlfriend with her son and I rarely get time but I will try and make time to do it I just got burnt out and felt like no one cared about helping me or supporting me
As another content creator (though one who focuses on manga), I appreciate you sharing how thriving it can be but also how hard it can be too. I absolutely love what I do, but it’s so true that we’re ALWAYS thinking. It can lead to burnout so quickly and love your closing that maybe it isn’t the hardest job out there, but it is not less important in taking care of ourselves. Fantastic video! Would love to see more like this!
I absolutely love this video, I have thought several times about creating content but after watching others crash and burnout has made me think twice for sure. I think this is such a genuine and honest video about the pressures of viral content that I don't think people know about. Also honestly is refreshing. I'm down for content of people being real and genuine.
Thank you so much for your vulnerability and honesty about what this is really like. I took 5 months off from my channel because I got diagnosed with fibromyalgia recently and am too sick to “push through”. The concept of that has been weighing on me lately, that our society doesn’t give many people that choice. But some of our bodies just give out after enough dissociation and trauma, like mine did. I also notice that long form content is just something people don’t have capacity for. I am tangential because of my disabilities and I don’t have the capacity to script for videos anymore, and people mostly gravitate toward stimulating short form content now. I also am on the outskirts of the autism / ND content creator community. And being friends with some content creators, I’ve said to many that even though my therapist career made me sick in ways too, I think that was still easier than what they handle. I don’t know how anyone is tolerating hate and being threatened online by strangers either. I see how this job brings about severe dissociation for people to survive it, like you explained. And that’s really hard to break out of. I also think social media in general is really rough on those of us with OCD, especially perfectionism OCD. It can really take a toll on someone’s health to be consumed by constant unexpected triggers on here. I hope you are able to take some time for you but understand the pressure around that decision. It’s so important you’re aware of how this affected you.
Content creators need to stop thinking that their industry is so much different than any other. All the things you’ve described having to learn, is what being a small business owner is. That is what a content creator is at its core. You’re marketing yourself. You are your own product. You have commercialized yourself and that’s why it’s depressing. The boom and bust cycle that you’ve described is not anything new. Look at conventional industries like oil and gas. You’ll make 6 figures for 5 months and then the work will dry up. You have to learn to account for the lean months. If content creators actually started with a business plan, budget, and lived within their means it would do wonders for their mental health. And I know all of that is easier said than done I do. There are resources aimed at small businesses though. I would encourage any looking to go into content creation, join your local small business alliance. If there isn’t one local, there are online groups. Shit just Google a business plan template. Don’t go into this half-cocked. And for the love of all that’s good and holy, do not quit your day job if you get the slightest whiff of success. (I know this sounds critical of Dustin, but I genuinely agree with what he’s saying. I work in a volatile industry and it chews people up. I see it everyday, these young guys suddenly making stupid money that believe it’s never going to stop. And then it does and they’re on the edge of ruin. You see the same cycle play out in professional sports, seasonal work, oil/gas, maritime, and in the US the military.
as a twitch and tiktok creator who is coming back to streaming again after a 4 month break for health reasons, yeah it's starting over from zero. No subs, no revenue and in one case having to prove I should be allowed to stream on that platform.
You're not the only one saying this. A lot of my favourite youtubers have made videos like this and I'm just worried you're all going to leave and I'll be left with nothing interesting or edifying on youtube anymore.
I dislike the complicated edits and sound effects i prefer no stock footage im so happy to watch some authentic person just being real. You have enlightened me on this so much thank you
It’s too volatile to also have any sort of life. Anyone making any money should be living as if they aren’t making any, so they can save themselves the devastation if it drops off.
That one make up youtuber, makayla (sp?) tried talking about being stressed and feeling burnt out and people reamed her for it. Yet here we are seeing people taking breaks (like bailey sarian) or leaving because of burnout. Thats why i was disappointed with Charlotte Dobre because she was one of the people who criticized makayla, saying how they have more freedom and it's a great job, yet even she had to take time off shortly after that. Maybe people should listen that this work is far more demanding than people think. Doesnt help that viewers are reachable, there isnt space between them and the makers so they can easily chastise you if you arent coming up with material quick enough or disappoint them. It's nuts for you guys.
oof, this was a tough watch but everything you said was SO TRUE about content creation being a grind - - I love your channel and content! I absolutely love the way you took a simple idea (talking about red/green flags) and make funny, engaging, and even educational vids that make people do/be better. Good luck and keep up the incredible work!!
I can totally agree with you. I'm on TikTok and the "Creativity Program" is the biggest joke. I have an absolute down at the moment, but I don't care. Whenever I have a down, TT comes that I should have my videos monetized or how much money I could earn. Coincidence? No. I prefer to focus on what my followers want instead of what TT wants
I got a rotator cuff injury from editing. It took two years to heal. Over those two years I quietly quit RUclips. And you know what? The quality of my life improved. I could never go back to a regular job, but I’m not eager to return to RUclips either.
And when I say editing, I mean Word documents. Scripts! Subtitles! Ugh. It was like college all over again with stupid essays to “prove” that I had the knowledge. At least in college I only had to impress one person: the professor. On RUclips I have to defend myself from every freakin troll and fluffybunny pagan that thinks they know the topic better than me. They do not. I have 45 years of practical and scholarly experience.
I love your content and channel, sadly I am not able to financially contribute to any channel that I like and watch but I do try and support them any way I can, if I watch at least 2 or more of your videos and i like them, I subscribe and I always hit the like button and then generally I will binge all of the videos lol… I did not know that your fiancée had a channel but I’m going to check it out after this video and I’m sure I’ll love it and be subscribing…..not sure if you will even see this comment but if so, please lmk what other ways I can support your channel besides what I’ve already listed 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
I dont get why anyone would be surprised. the OG youtubers have been working on the same projects for a decade or more. after 10+ years doing any one task, anyone would be over it and ready to retire.
Thank you for communicating how difficult your profession can be. I knew a bit but hadn't heard it voiced. I hope you and your partner are able to care for each other and I wish you the best. I'm a 45 year old lady working a minimum wage job and I do my best every day. I can't imagine what you go through.
If it helps- my RUclips feed has been feeding me the exact same videos that I’ve already seen. It keeps suggesting videos I keep not wanting to see. I think the platform is no longer recommending anything else. It won’t let me see original content. Only repetitive garbage that keeps me on RUclips.
If it helps- my RUclips feed has been feeding me the exact same videos that I’ve already seen. It keeps suggesting videos I keep not wanting to see. I think the platform is no longer recommending anything else. It won’t let me see original content. Only repetitive garbage that keeps me on RUclips.
I imagine it is really scary to be a content creator full time, with how unpredictable these platforms are business wise. Also, you constantly have to sugarcoat what you say, or it's strikes, demonitization, or worse. When i see these young creators with millions of subscribers and views buying fancy houses and expensive cars like Maclarens and all kinds of nonsense, i automatically think of the McBrooms. If anyone even still watches them. That's the perfect way to assure you that you'll be filing for bankruptcy by the time you're 30. Especially today more than ever you need to bank your money and be reasonable with your spending. Buy a really nice normal house. A new car, im talking Toyota, Honda, Jeep, whatever. That's reasonable. You never know what the ups and downs are gonna look like.
Also some smaller names, some of whom had loyal followings. Sometimes they just disappear with a community post...or nothing at all. I recall a great mod who simply went dark. Disappeared. No one knows anything to this day 😢. Mods are essential for channels doing lives.
Different vibe today. Sometimes I'm gonna talk about things outside of the content I usually make -- especially something that I'm very passionate about like this. How many of y'all are on the content creator hustle? How's it been going for you guys? I genuinely am curious.
Thanks for watching!
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I'm just an old lady, but I'll give you some of that old lady advice, unsolicited, like old lady advice should be.
Get a marketable skill that you can rely on to support your passion project. When (not if) your passion starts to become something that doesn't make you happy anymore, you have something to fall back on while you figure out what your next passion is going to be, or if you want to continue your present pursuit.
Lifelong passions are very rare, and even more rare are passions that pay. That's why so many actors, singers, songwriters, authors, etc have all these other skills to support themselves while they pursue their passions. Pursuing your passion takes sacrifice, but it also takes prioritizing what matters: taking care of yourself and the people you love. You definitely will regret working so much that you miss out on your own life, but you will never regret loving the people in your life.
Hi, Sir. Hope all is well with you and your lovely significant other. I'm a new fan/subbie and really enjoy your content.
Will you consider somehow doing a collaboration with another RUclipsr named Frank James, please?
I find myself learning a lot about many different human personalities and behaviors in a mostly fun, humorous way from both channels. It would seem that you and Frank may be able to relate to one another as RUclipsrs at the very least.
Okie dokie. Your time is valuable and I want to be respectful. Please stay healthy. Peace and blessings to you and your lovely partner. Take care. 🌞💕💯🫶🏽
(Skips away w/imaginary green 💚 flag & a smile 😊)
I really got what you were talking about because as a fulltime substitute teacher, when I was hit by a truck driving to work I was dropped off of everyone's radar. It kills future earning potential and trying to explain that is so hard.
@DustinPoynterVideos Is it really that different though? 🤔 Or is it just the red flags of content creation? 🤔
P
This is why I feel bad when beloved RUclipsrs apologize for taking time off, or just missing one upload day, like if you take a break most normal sane people aren't gonna be mad at you....at least I hope they wouldn't :(
It has a lot to do with the platform. RUclips will stop recommending the creator if they change their content or their upload schedule. One guy I watch wanted to change from Sundays and Wednesdays to Mondays and Thursdays and he had to go back to Sundays and Wednesdays after just two weeks because his views dropped so much.
This is why when a content creator goes on break, I try to focus mostly on watching their old content that I haven’t watched yet. One of my content creators was gone for a month for her wedding and honeymoon and I watched more than half her old content which was a total of almost 48 hours of watched content. 😅
@@lunawolf3645I do that with a lot of RUclipsrs I watch whenever they're on break. Lol
no breaks. they be slaves to the internet😂
fr tho i agree its bs peaple be mad at yters for taking time off or even stopping
I watch a creator who had to batch film non stop her entire pregnancy so she could post those & have some type of maternity leave when the baby came. Bc even tho her followers promised to watch old videos, if she spent any time not uploading youtube would stop recommending her videos & she'd lose money. Her husband has a good full time job outside the internet, but hardly anyone can live on 1 income. I felt really bad for her.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Dustin. We appreciate you and your flags.
But also, please don't forget to take care of yourself while you're looking out for the rest of us out here. ❤️🔥
You are by far one of my favorite people on here. I’m committing to your content; keep true to yourself, you are making the world happier. Thank you for all fish (smiles).
Jacksepticeye is another very big creator who recently came back from a hiatus/ break and shared recently that he’s thinking about retiring (not yet but it’s on the horizon). I think the OG creators who have been on this platform since basically the beginning that, well, that chapter is wrapping up and honestly I don’t blame them at all, they’ve done the grind but also the platforms and the kind of content that does well and just in general the digital environment has fundamentally changed so much from what they started off working and and for a long time navigated. Many don’t feel like their footing is secure anymore and figuring it out all over again or finally retiring is something they rightfully really should weigh up. And like I said the digital market and environment is murky and different now to the point that it’s churning out even the new or smaller creators, honestly it’s an era of burnout and I’m not surprised it’s coming to a head with many creators quitting.
i miss jacksepticeye. followed him forever, and loved when his content got more mature and well put together over time. i totally understand the need for him to step away, and i love that hes working on his coffee business and that growing like crazy. (PS buy that coffee, top of the mornin, its so so good... also fire department coffee.. sorry ill get off coffee now.) I hope he jumps back in with a few new vids soon.
Agree! I always refer to people who post as “Creators” or “Creatives”.
Not surprising that this is happening considering there are apps being sold that create A.I. generated content for you. I nearly gag every time I hear the ad. "Want to make RUclips content but don't want to show your face?"... Let our app create A.I. generate garbage for you! 🤢🤮 Ripped off stories that the lazy creators change just enough to not be plagiarism (added lies usually). Yuck.
VERY informative
I think a big problem too, as a creative, is that we call what we create 'content', which feeds into the idea that this is a job and we need to please algorithms and do whatever we can to get money and views and hits.
I don't create content. I write stories. I don't create content. I play video games. I'm not learning to create content. I'm learning to make art.
Don't call your creative hard work content!
Your videos, like this one, are video essays and they're incredible.
Your other videos are reactions or social commentary videos.
Don't devalue your creative works by calling it 'content' like it's made to be chewed up, spit out and moved on from!
Preach
!!!!
Thank you for your eloquence 💜🙏💜
Wonderful advice my friend!🍻
This is such a valuable way of looking at things. I'm a creative. Creating fuels me. I want to share that online because I love it and not everyone I want to share with is local.
If that means I share with more people who have a legitimate interest, I'm okay with that... but I create based on where my inspiration takes me.
It depends, if it is your sole source of income, it really boils down to content because it’s not about the art it’s about consumption in order to live.
RUclips is now an entertainment format, it exists to be consumed just like TV and Film. Art can exist in that context… but only if it’s consumed.
I need to steal this and send it to a few youtubers that ate completely stressed out.
arguing semantics😅 just because its called content doesn't automatically make it worthless.
This is so interesting. When I started a page to promote my business and it gained some success, so many people told me to start monetizing etc etc, but I was like nah, I really just don't wanna get sucked into this whole thing, so I just kept and will keep using it purely for advertising my product. Videos like these just always confirm to me that, to me personally, this is the right choice
Hunter (Meat) is really active on his PapaMeat channel. He makes me laugh. The McDonald's Playplace video is really good. If you have the option to take a break, especially when experiencing burnout, you should. I would imagine the stress of taking a break is higher being a content creator than it would be with me taking a day, two, a week off at my office job. You said this very well.
Thanks for that video, I'm currently struggling with youtube and have"Fallen behind" in my super early stages. I love what you do and always look forward to seeing videos!
I just want to to say I think you're doing an amazing job. I love your content and I think you're discussing important topics in a way that it makes it easier for some to see different points of view they might not of thought about. I hope you keep it up for a long time to come. Keep being you, you're amazing.
❤❤❤ literally binging all your content today. Every video hits even tho you make a lot of different things. Love the vibes over here
I really appreciate your perspective. I'm older, 56, and from my perspective being an influencer is like deciding to be an actor or a singer. It's a tough gig, highly competitive, and only a very small percent are going to make a career out of it. So if you put all your eggs in one basket, and statistically that basket is not going to support you then you are setting yourself up for failure. I can see an 18 year old deciding to stay home for one year and make a go of it while folks are paying the bills, or having enough saving to take a year hiatus to give it a go...but if you have nothing to fall back on then you're probably going to be in trouble. The internet is fickle. I ran into a woman who posted her first RUclips video 2 months ago and just hit 250k subs, and I know others that have been trying to do it for years and have 1k subs. All I can say is good luck and always have a backup plan.
I empathize with you soo much. I'm doing IRL arts, but you have to spend so much time marketing to the algorithm gods just to get people to come to your shows. I can't imagine how stressful it is to just be online. Hell atleast I have an established venue helping me advertise vs. just fighting whatever internet rules have been. Place before me. Good luck, and I appreciate you and your content.
Imagine you work for a company that offers you no healthcare, no vacation time, no maternity/ paternity leave, no other benefits; it doesn’t tell you clearly what you are going to be paid and in fact it changes the pay structure without your consent and without notice to you; as an employee you have to somehow find out who in the company the algorithm overlord is favouring that day; it doesn’t tell you what your role is; they just say you will know when you are successful. Does that sound like a good job to anyone?
Yes and they also don't provide vaccines for your kids. RUclips benefits from these content creators and should really offer basic healthcare, including setting up a small medical centre RUclipsrs can access, including counselling, mental health check ups and vaccinations for the kids. Health is everything
@@AB-lp8jdThe US is the only country in the developed world without universal health care.
That’s a US problem, not a RUclips problem.
Hey, Dustin, you are a great creator and a great person. Keep putting content out there and I'll keep watching it. And I found this video fascinating! It was good to have a look behind the screen.
I feel this so much, I had to take a year off from making content because I was assaulted last year and needed a huge mental break. It has broken me financially and I'm still trying to recover from it. It's not even the money that I love so much, I love making content and making people happy and even meeting new people through making content. I love everything about it but after that break I feel so broken as a person I almost don't know what to do with myself anymore besides go back to content creating and just hope
It’s so sad what people can do to break someone else. I’m so sorry that it’s been a difficult time for you. Maybe going back to creating will prove cathartic. You’ll know when it’s time. Continue to work on healing, one day, one minute at a time. I wish you the best.
I’m so sorry you are going through this hardship. I woo be for you. You never know if you’ll take off. There is always hope.
I appreciate you explaining all of this so well, and thank you for still creating!
Thank you for the glimpse behind the curtain. Many of my favorite creators do these peaks, and it helps me/fans really appreciate the work all the more.
And I rarely scroll any platform I am on for long before I see "hey, tag the green flag guy."
Wow! This was eye-opening! 😳😲
That Appalachian accent and making Kingsford charcoal everyday had me rolling!!! That's a character right there.
Junior Higginboo! 😂😂😂
While I appreciate the caveat at the end that content creation isnt the hardest job out there, in the rapid development aspect I'd almost argue that it is one of the hardest (this is coming from someone in medicine, for reference). While there might be less physical or academic demands, I feel that the absolute newness of the career makes it very hard. Sure medicine can have rapid developments and changes (hi covid) but its still based on THOUSANDS of years of history. Whereas content creation, in the social media/video era is fundamentally different from say a court bard or poet, or even the early years of hollywood. So that aspect as very least I think is far to say that its harder than other careers.
Its like the Wright brothers and early aviation, doing something that had never been done before
I appreciate your honesty and the content you share that is genuine to you as a person, Dustin. I hope you can have some more consistency in your work, because you do such a great job at it. Just make sure you take the time to care for yourself and your mental health, it should always come first ❤
This reminds me of having an Etsy shop. It's getting ridiculous to figure out the algorithm and make your shop seen. And Etsy keeps charging more for posting and takes a percentage of sales. Good luck making a top shop now. It's near impossible.
Its nice to see someome talking about this honestly. Everything you see is just people raving about youtube and being a creator, just to get views. Vicious cycle i guess, they are just trying to get by too. Im not a creator, but i looked into it for a bit and came to the conclusion that i would burn out hunting that following. Plus i have adhd so i cant stick with anything, and i wouldnt want to turn a passion into a job. It sounds exhausting with or without the following and the money.
I knew it was difficult but I didn’t truly understand how time consuming this is. I love your videos, I appreciate your honesty and how your emotional intelligence kindness shines through each video.
I hope you’re able to continue making content, we enjoy it.
Thank you for this Dustin. Genuinely. Many of my friends and family over the past couple years have been encouraging me to start a RUclips or be more on social media with my singing or telling my life story to get money and possibly help people, but i have avoided it ALL COST. Because of the TRUTH behind being an influencer. Honestly its scary! If its not a job you solely depend on, its like okay fine..but when its literally the main or only way you make money, IT IS SO HARD!! My ex husband does yt videos and i remember how angry and sad he used to get about his up and down success, which scary in itself. So thank you again for this very honest video. 💚 I hope you stay successful and can genuinely enjoy your work! LOVE YOUR CONTENT 😊
Dustin! Always keeping it real! (even "delead" is valid and SHOULD be a legit word 😂). I just love you to pieces! Much love to you & yours!! ❤❤❤❤❤
This an immensely insightful video! You're amazing at explaining why stuff happens. I really hope you can continue what you love to do!
Super Eyepatch Wolf has an amazing video that touches on this exact thing.
I wish I could subscribe to all my favorites YTs, but as it is, I only have a smartphone, and it's already overloaded. So many creative, inspiring people there.
I wish you well❤
people don't realize the immense amount of money that being spent on like camera, computer, electricity bill and not to mentioned the time that they had spent. And the audacity to make a comparison between working in McDonald vs being a content creator. SIgh
This problem you have is the same problem other independent business entrepreneurs have and had have for centuries. Artists immediately come to mind. If a person makes one single thing very that catches the fancy of the crowd it is always a shock when it is over just as suddenly. Look at the producers who have companies that are a couple hundred years old. It is the nature of the beast that is at fault. In general, people in general are looking for new things all the time. Very few producers, or artists, fail to plan their company for long term life growth. The mind set of most people is that of being employed not the employer. Producers of content are the contract employees of the host they work for. The host is so far removed from the producer that they could not care less about you. They are making money by ads and various other difficult to see avenues. They are now the vast malls that everyone trade for town squares. Eventually, the hosts companies will be hollowed out also. The internet is a vile place and it was not intended to be.
This story can be seen in a ton of different creative based jobs and careers. I feel the burnout as a working artist. I make so little money for people to belittle what I do because they think it’s easy. I feel this frustration and I’m sorry you’re going through it as well.
Time to go back to basics. Just letting our words carry. Boldness catching on. Strength and interest found online and not pretend. ❤🙏
This happened in 2018, too. Maybe not exactly like this, but similarly.
Im a fairly recent follower of yours and I really really appreciate your authenticity. Many people have tried to encourage me to become a content creator and I know it’s not a job I will be capable or doing without harming my mental health. These people find me entertaining and want to commodify my personality and talents and keep telling me they will partner up with me and help me. But I will never choose this career because I never want to loose who I am and like your video explains, its incredibly easy to do. I also don’t fee the internet is a safe space so I intentionally maintain anonymity online. I only follow and support creators i resonate with and I appreciate your honesty and integrity and I hope you never lose the love for your job, it becomes easier for you and you can continue a healthy work life balance and looking after yourself
It’s become about pushing out a ton of videos that bring publicity and sustain these companies for little to no pay to the creators themselves.
Thank you for posting this! I don't know if it would be possible for content creators to unionise but something needs to change to reduce the amount of exploitation
“You forget to eat, forget to do laundry, dishes, take care of your surroundings, spend time with family and friends.”
Not trying to be insensitive, but that sounds an awful lot like RUclips forces people to experience some of what having autism is like. Especially considering how you describe no longer being yourself in order to please the system and algorithm and fight to be whatever it wants you to be rather than just being honest and doing what you’re passionate about.
This is why I take it as just a hobby and I am ok with it. It’s less stress and I just make videos when I want to if people watch cool if not oh well it’s not making me any money so it’s no big deal.
Good way to do it! I love this job so much, but it’s way too easy to become too consumed with it. It will slowly send you into a mental headspace that you don’t wanna be in. I’m still learning to find that balance and knowing when to stop pushing myself too hard.
Thanks for this Dustin. ❤
Yeah, I don’t see how my cousin and her husband keep up with their RUclips channel. They seem to love it and are making great money. But I like being anonymous, so I could never put myself out there all the time.
Honestly, I listen to RUclips while I do things. I often like the spoken content better than podcasts. I don’t think I’m the only one, so it may be a thing. Would a survey of people who listen to RUclips (obviously we’re premium members) be helpful in informing content creation?
Riding the wave…is there light at the end of the RUclips tunnel?
Not to mention that content creators are putting themselves out there for thousands to potentially millions of people to see every day. That has to be a little terrifying and everyone has an opinion on everything and I can also see that getting commented on every day can be exhausting. Thank you for what you do and please please always remember that you are a person as well and you deserve rest and relaxation❤
It's not as easy as you think. These youtubers made wealth but did they manage it wisely so they could take a break? If they decided to live at a highly income bracket then their bills will be at that height as well including annual taxes. Unless these people have been living below their means they will be feeling the financial hurt if they don't supplement or change their lifestyle. Spending more time with the family could be switching to 3 days a week instead of 7 days. Reduce presence from 4 platforms to 2. Taking a financial hit needs to be thought out and preplanned. They still have to work after leaving RUclips. They also have to deal with the emotional fallout of pulling away from the internet.
I found you in 2024, today even though you’ve been doing it for so long, RUclips does its thing just like any company
Thanks for mentioning your gf having a channel. I have no clue what her content is about, but i subscribed and am checking it out.
Thanks!
Welcome to real life lol. It's how it is in general. I make content on RUclips for the fun because it is fun for me. My job I work in the Healthcare field with people with disabilities which I also love. That's how I have it split up and that's how it should be. Pewdiepie has always said he would never recommend people do what he did or to make this your full time job. You're taking a huge risk. And not having at least one back up, kinda on the individual same with the choice of the gamble with being a content creator full time.
Yes, it’s how it is. That’s exactly my point of this video. People underestimate content creation and assume it’s all fun and games and an easy job. But it’s work, just like anything else. And it comes with its own unique challenges.
Thank you for your flags!
I've been following Ashens before RUclips I'm talking 2000. Like old popstations. But he branches out and makes sure to spread it out. Algorithm is nasty
i wonder how everything is gonna look in 5 years (if not less) when ai takes over 🤔
It’s ok, doing nothing is the new way. No one needs to do anything. The old people worked enough to make our live so difficult that we now have to vote for new countries like Alabama! Don’t make your tube bad, doctors are so easy to go to
❤
oh shut up (to them). some of us stop youtube even before we make up anything.
This best youtube video, ever
Why are you describing not being paid 12k for something, like they took 12k away from you? They didn't. They didn't take anything away from you. You made money, and then you didn't. This isn't unique to content creation. A client didn't take money away from me if I continued showing up at their offices a month my project was done
Working for yourself and making a living what’s the problem ?
Commenting to know that I love ur channel but I tried content but no watches 😕 so I deleted them
I love your videos. And honestly, I don't need a bunch of flashy transitions or clips or anything. Just you and your flags 😊
Amen
Absolutely ❤
"everything becomes about pleasing the algorithm" what a sad, dystopic, reality
And that's how A.I. won... Lol But seriously.
The burnout and crushed creativity are so real. I'm not a RUclipsr, but I am an author, and our industry keeps doing the same thing: moving goalposts, yanking the rug out from under us in terms of what can make money and what can't, etc. It's stressful. And you have to keep writing through all that because if you go too long without releasing something, you fall off the radar.
Different industry, but I 100% get it, and I absolutely get why content creators are giving it up. I love what I do and hope I never have to give it up, but the business is definitely hard and soul-crushing sometimes. And burnout is so, so real; I burned myself out so bad about 10 years ago, my immune system imploded and my health took a nose dive. Not fun, and not easy to dig out of that hole... especially enough to continue being creative.
So... take care of yourself and watch for the signs. It's much, much easier to take short breaks than it is to recover once you hit the wall.
they do it to Twitch streamers too and there's this push to play the same games that everyone else is and honestly, it's frustrating
I can't imagine trying to get my work published (I write too) and having the goalposts yanked to a new distance each time I get close but that's what all of us are facing
Commenting so RUclips knows there’s value in this video. I always enjoy these moments when creators truly break the fourth wall. Any job has that venn diagram where everything overlaps in a compartment to house misery. It’s always about balance to keep that as small as possible.
Makes so much sense that creators have Patreon, Ko-fi etc to keep some kind of consistency. Thank you for addressing this
This algorithm also f-uped the Google searches. Due to the big companies buying the top search results small companies and independent creators are left out. I myself have lost my job in writing due to the seo taking over. I don't feel passionate about writing and am definitely burnt out
I think this is insightful to people who don’t create content and aren’t social media consumers. I casually watch things and literally only watch RUclips videos by creators I like . Won’t bother with others. I happened across you on Facebook and seeked you out on RUclips because I enjoy your humor. Wish you nothing but the best. I work in healthcare and I’d take that any day over trying to be creative … I’d fail before I even started . Hope you continue to be able to do this for a living !
The artificiality is maddening, but it explains how I can watch a video or series of videos, be mightily impressed by the research, or delivery, or whatever, then be absolutely astonished that they have maybe a third of the subs that they “should.”
It also answers my question of _why the heck is_ this _in my recommends?!_
Commenting purely so RUclips knows that this video deserves SO much interaction and exposure. I think this kind of information is very clarifying for many people who feel so hurt or confused about their favorite creator retiring *even though creators don't owe that level of dedication to any chosen platform.*
It’s a much more exhausting grind than people realize. The job makes it incredibly difficult to ever truly relax - especially for the middle class content creator. Most mid-level full timers
live with constant anxiety and fear because trends, algorithms and how much we are paid is constantly changing, and our content has to change with it. And it’s VERY difficult to change content direction. Once people on the Internet see you as one thing, it’s jarring to them once you start doing something else.
Not to mention, major platforms withhold payouts from many creators and they’ll do it at any time. I’ve seen it happen often.
It’s a brand new profession with zero job security. I love what I do more than anything and I flat out refuse to do anything else for the rest of my life - but every single creator looks at those who quit and don’t even think twice about why they did it.
@@DustinPoynterVideosI’m so sorry, Dustin. You work so hard at this, and you’re truly excellent at it.
Love your videos and this one is so powerful and honest. A breath of fresh air of transparency! Thank you for sharing. Definitely hit home.
As someone who went (and went back) to school for media, I get this. (I have a degree in Communications and New Media with a focus in film/video, and now I'm back in school for graphic design.) It's a real struggle and it's so hard. My professors always told us that if we get into content creation, we must be ready. The entertainment industry is a hard struggle already, and this is on par (or worse) than trying to get into Hollywood. It's harder when people repost content and/or remove the watermark that you place just for views. Yet, the people who do this and truly love it -- you see it. Like I see it with you!
I've thought about doing the content creator hustle with friends in the past. It's something that's still on my mind. With the hustle being so severe, I'm nervous to get in. Instead, I support those I enjoy for being able to do so! ;;/ Thank you for being honest with this subject.
You are the first content creator to say it how it is and not sugar coat it I don't have the biggest following either I have like 132 subs on my gaming channel and like 1000 followers on twitch and I just don't feel it anymore I don't even make money from them
Definitely feel that. I Twitch streamed 3-4 times a week for over a year. The growth and progress on Twitch is significantly slower than any other platform. You have to truly love it to be able to get on there day in and day out and work through the tough streams and try to improve. I admittedly didn't, so I quit. But if you genuinely love it I have no doubt you'd be able to make a full-time living from it. It just takes time!
@DustinPoynterVideos I want to get back into streaming I just have a weird work schedule and also I help my girlfriend with her son and I rarely get time but I will try and make time to do it I just got burnt out and felt like no one cared about helping me or supporting me
As another content creator (though one who focuses on manga), I appreciate you sharing how thriving it can be but also how hard it can be too. I absolutely love what I do, but it’s so true that we’re ALWAYS thinking. It can lead to burnout so quickly and love your closing that maybe it isn’t the hardest job out there, but it is not less important in taking care of ourselves. Fantastic video! Would love to see more like this!
May I ask what Manga is?
I absolutely love this video, I have thought several times about creating content but after watching others crash and burnout has made me think twice for sure. I think this is such a genuine and honest video about the pressures of viral content that I don't think people know about. Also honestly is refreshing. I'm down for content of people being real and genuine.
Dustin, don't forget to take care of yourself. None of us wants to see you devolve into some kindnof red flag.
Thank you so much for your vulnerability and honesty about what this is really like. I took 5 months off from my channel because I got diagnosed with fibromyalgia recently and am too sick to “push through”. The concept of that has been weighing on me lately, that our society doesn’t give many people that choice. But some of our bodies just give out after enough dissociation and trauma, like mine did.
I also notice that long form content is just something people don’t have capacity for. I am tangential because of my disabilities and I don’t have the capacity to script for videos anymore, and people mostly gravitate toward stimulating short form content now.
I also am on the outskirts of the autism / ND content creator community. And being friends with some content creators, I’ve said to many that even though my therapist career made me sick in ways too, I think that was still easier than what they handle. I don’t know how anyone is tolerating hate and being threatened online by strangers either.
I see how this job brings about severe dissociation for people to survive it, like you explained. And that’s really hard to break out of.
I also think social media in general is really rough on those of us with OCD, especially perfectionism OCD. It can really take a toll on someone’s health to be consumed by constant unexpected triggers on here.
I hope you are able to take some time for you but understand the pressure around that decision. It’s so important you’re aware of how this affected you.
Content creators need to stop thinking that their industry is so much different than any other. All the things you’ve described having to learn, is what being a small business owner is. That is what a content creator is at its core. You’re marketing yourself. You are your own product. You have commercialized yourself and that’s why it’s depressing.
The boom and bust cycle that you’ve described is not anything new. Look at conventional industries like oil and gas. You’ll make 6 figures for 5 months and then the work will dry up. You have to learn to account for the lean months.
If content creators actually started with a business plan, budget, and lived within their means it would do wonders for their mental health. And I know all of that is easier said than done I do. There are resources aimed at small businesses though.
I would encourage any looking to go into content creation, join your local small business alliance. If there isn’t one local, there are online groups. Shit just Google a business plan template.
Don’t go into this half-cocked.
And for the love of all that’s good and holy, do not quit your day job if you get the slightest whiff of success.
(I know this sounds critical of Dustin, but I genuinely agree with what he’s saying. I work in a volatile industry and it chews people up. I see it everyday, these young guys suddenly making stupid money that believe it’s never going to stop. And then it does and they’re on the edge of ruin. You see the same cycle play out in professional sports, seasonal work, oil/gas, maritime, and in the US the military.
as a twitch and tiktok creator who is coming back to streaming again after a 4 month break for health reasons, yeah it's starting over from zero. No subs, no revenue and in one case having to prove I should be allowed to stream on that platform.
You're not the only one saying this. A lot of my favourite youtubers have made videos like this and I'm just worried you're all going to leave and I'll be left with nothing interesting or edifying on youtube anymore.
I dislike the complicated edits and sound effects i prefer no stock footage im so happy to watch some authentic person just being real.
You have enlightened me on this so much thank you
Thank you for your honest thoughts on being a creator.
‘They’ got us! It’s all by design…
It’s too volatile to also have any sort of life. Anyone making any money should be living as if they aren’t making any, so they can save themselves the devastation if it drops off.
That one make up youtuber, makayla (sp?) tried talking about being stressed and feeling burnt out and people reamed her for it. Yet here we are seeing people taking breaks (like bailey sarian) or leaving because of burnout. Thats why i was disappointed with Charlotte Dobre because she was one of the people who criticized makayla, saying how they have more freedom and it's a great job, yet even she had to take time off shortly after that.
Maybe people should listen that this work is far more demanding than people think. Doesnt help that viewers are reachable, there isnt space between them and the makers so they can easily chastise you if you arent coming up with material quick enough or disappoint them. It's nuts for you guys.
oof, this was a tough watch but everything you said was SO TRUE about content creation being a grind - - I love your channel and content! I absolutely love the way you took a simple idea (talking about red/green flags) and make funny, engaging, and even educational vids that make people do/be better. Good luck and keep up the incredible work!!
Thanks for this information, Justin. I do what I can to support folks putting out interesting and valuable content.
Wow
I can totally agree with you. I'm on TikTok and the "Creativity Program" is the biggest joke. I have an absolute down at the moment, but I don't care. Whenever I have a down, TT comes that I should have my videos monetized or how much money I could earn. Coincidence? No. I prefer to focus on what my followers want instead of what TT wants
I got a rotator cuff injury from editing. It took two years to heal. Over those two years I quietly quit RUclips. And you know what? The quality of my life improved. I could never go back to a regular job, but I’m not eager to return to RUclips either.
And when I say editing, I mean Word documents. Scripts! Subtitles! Ugh. It was like college all over again with stupid essays to “prove” that I had the knowledge. At least in college I only had to impress one person: the professor. On RUclips I have to defend myself from every freakin troll and fluffybunny pagan that thinks they know the topic better than me. They do not. I have 45 years of practical and scholarly experience.
I love your content and channel, sadly I am not able to financially contribute to any channel that I like and watch but I do try and support them any way I can, if I watch at least 2 or more of your videos and i like them, I subscribe and I always hit the like button and then generally I will binge all of the videos lol… I did not know that your fiancée had a channel but I’m going to check it out after this video and I’m sure I’ll love it and be subscribing…..not sure if you will even see this comment but if so, please lmk what other ways I can support your channel besides what I’ve already listed 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
Thanks for this video. ❤
Dang, you have been around that long andi just barely found you. I hope you stay.
10:23 Reminds me of scientists word didn't matter till after nuclear bomb
I dont get why anyone would be surprised. the OG youtubers have been working on the same projects for a decade or more. after 10+ years doing any one task, anyone would be over it and ready to retire.
Thank you for communicating how difficult your profession can be. I knew a bit but hadn't heard it voiced. I hope you and your partner are able to care for each other and I wish you the best. I'm a 45 year old lady working a minimum wage job and I do my best every day. I can't imagine what you go through.
Thank you for this.
If it helps- my RUclips feed has been feeding me the exact same videos that I’ve already seen. It keeps suggesting videos I keep not wanting to see.
I think the platform is no longer recommending anything else. It won’t let me see original content. Only repetitive garbage that keeps me on RUclips.
If it helps- my RUclips feed has been feeding me the exact same videos that I’ve already seen. It keeps suggesting videos I keep not wanting to see.
I think the platform is no longer recommending anything else. It won’t let me see original content. Only repetitive garbage that keeps me on RUclips.
I imagine it is really scary to be a content creator full time, with how unpredictable these platforms are business wise. Also, you constantly have to sugarcoat what you say, or it's strikes, demonitization, or worse. When i see these young creators with millions of subscribers and views buying fancy houses and expensive cars like Maclarens and all kinds of nonsense, i automatically think of the McBrooms. If anyone even still watches them. That's the perfect way to assure you that you'll be filing for bankruptcy by the time you're 30. Especially today more than ever you need to bank your money and be reasonable with your spending. Buy a really nice normal house. A new car, im talking Toyota, Honda, Jeep, whatever. That's reasonable. You never know what the ups and downs are gonna look like.
Also some smaller names, some of whom had loyal followings. Sometimes they just disappear with a community post...or nothing at all. I recall a great mod who simply went dark. Disappeared. No one knows anything to this day 😢. Mods are essential for channels doing lives.