Why I Create Content

In this day and age of multi-millionaire millennials who have made all of their money using the Internet, garnering hundreds of thousands and often millions of views, likes, subscribers and whatnot - it can see somewhat baffling and even delusional when somebody says they create content or make YouTube videos for fun or as a hobby. No doubt the listener is thinking "yeah right, you just want to be the next [fill-in-the-blank]" or "you just want to make ad revenue." 

I discovered YouTube when it was still in its infancy - the year 2006 to be precise. Around this time vloggers were all the rage - the group who I followed had very small followings and seldom hit 4-figure viewcounts - yet they were still idolised. Having smaller audiences also meant that they gave a shit about you. This was when the video response system still existed - so we could challenge each other to "name 10 fun facts about yourself" or "tell a funny story about school" - and under everybody's videos there would be pages and pages of these video responses. It was pretty cool. Yes, some people did make a lot of money during this era - one that immediately springs to mind is Brookers - but compared to the "YouTube stars" of today, she was fairly small-time.

Regardless, whether or not you believe me or not - I create content as a hobby. I write blogs and make videos for fun. I started this blog back in 2013 as a creative outlet. I wrote blogs for myself. I wrote about things *I* cared about. Then when I moved onto making videos I discussed content *I* liked, did unboxings of products *I* wanted to show off - etc. And to this day that is still true. If I didn't enjoy doing what I do, I'd stop doing it. If a certain aspect of content creation became boring or frustrating to me to the point where I didn't look forward to doing it - I'd stop doing it.

So why do I post it online? If I make what I make for myself, why publish it?
The same question could be asked of a person who plays a musical instrument and sends a video to their friend. An artist or sculptor who creates a piece and displays it in their home. A chef who bakes a cake and then offers it around - it's exactly the same thing. I am proud of what I produce and thus I want to share it with other people who may also be interested in the same things I am. Shock horror, an easy way to make friends is to share common interests and start meaningful discussions. The point is, whether I get one view or one thousand views - I made that *thing* for myself initially - the fact that other people were interested in it and/or enjoyed it is a bonus.

So why do you monetise? Why run ads? Why have a Patreon?
So you're telling me you wouldn't like to get a little bit of money for doing something you like doing? You'd rather sell off hours of your life doing some bullshit menial job for somebody else? I don't make a *lot* - but the amount I make is irrelevant and of little consequence. Everything I make is fed back directly into my content somewhere along the line. I buy games to review, products to unbox, gunge powder to mix and throw over myself - and of course sometimes fund larger things that are essential to content creation - a new camera, a green screen etc. So you're telling me if somebody can paint a portrait and go on to sell it for £50 that they then spend on more paints and canvasses, they shouldn't do it?

You're wasting your time, you're not learning anything or doing anything meaningful.
Au contraire dear - in the process of content creation I've learned many things - quite a few being transferable skills that helped me get actual paid employment. Did you know that *this* blog was included in a portfolio that secured me an SEO copywriting job and social media manager position? From that job came another - writing content for websites? Then I got my seasonal work that I've done for 3 years in a row - an essential skill for that job? Knowing how to use Photoshop. I'm self taught in Photoshop and keep my skills honed making thumbnails (mainly), banners, buttons and other fun things.

Here is a little list of computer programs, technical things and personal skills I've learned or improved on whilst working on my content creation:

• Self confidence
• Speaking aloud
• Creative thinking
• Problem solving
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Premiere
• WavePad sound studio
• SEO
• Social media management
• General written communication skills
• Video camera technical skills
• Screenwriting & film directing

Now I don't know about you - but they seem like pretty useful things for someone who is interested in working in media/IT/communications roles to me.

But negativity contributes to worsening mental health!

Yes, while that may be true - having a creative project I can use to occupy myself on a day-to-day basis is more beneficial to me. I get to spend time writing and talking about subjects that interest me, learn new skills and techniques constantly and keep my current ones up-to-date and I've met a lot of cool people who I can chat with, exchange ideas or just spam with cute cat pictures. I don't often get negative comments, but those I do, I reply back with a superior air or just counter-troll them. They are the vast minority and are more of an annoyance than anything. They're like having a mosquito bite on your arse. Kinda annoying, but not life threatening - and will eventually go away if ignored.

If you have anxiety, how can you post videos of yourself online?

Ah, I get this one a lot. The answer is simple. I'm in control. Streaming on the other hand is far harder to control than edited and scheduled videos. Firstly, I can script videos. I can plan, I can use cue cards or refer to some sort of script. I can edit. If I go wrong or record something I don't want to share - use that good ol' razorblade tool and chop it off! I can re-record. If it goes wrong, I can always try it again another time. And if in the end I'm not happy with whatever I've done - I just don't post it. It's simple. I can present myself online exactly how I want people to see me. Whereas in day-to-day life, I can't script. I can't edit. I can't re-do over a social situation if I fuck it up. Now do you get it?

But you only have ____ subscribers/views/likes - hur hur why bother?

See above. I make content for myself. Numbers are irrelevant. Plus, the way I see it - 50 views is 50 views. Imagine 50 physical people. They wouldn't all fit in my kitchen, that's for certain. Also, how many people are interested in the mundane shit you post dear? Yeah, I thought so. Also, consider this. Every successful creator, be they an artist/writer/musician/etc started somewhere. They didn't just go multi-platinum or Turner art prize overnight. Everybody started out small, for the most part - many had to struggle, work hard and deal with their own failures, shortcomings and lack of recognition. Only a few manage to achieve stardom - but what ignoramuses like you fail to realise is that not everybody *wants* to be fucking famous! I know I certainly don't. I've never been recognised by someone in person - and the day that happens I'll probably run away and cry because I'm ridiculously shy off-camera. Plus - celebrities are not role models. They're just people. They have all had diarrhoea at some point in their life.

You're wasting your time/money/effort!

Regardless of if I am or not - which I feel I'm not - how does that affect you? It's my time. It's my effort. It's my money. I fail to see how I spend *my* time affects you. I'd rather sit and create than sit and blandly consume. I want to watch/read/see things that are specific to me - and being a bit of an oddball, not much actually exists - so I decided to make it myself!

So in conclusion... Creating content has:

• Improved my overall self image and self confidence
• Allowed me to be creative and try out new and exciting things
• Amuse and entertain other people with my nonsense
• Make a little bit of cash that can be fed back into the blog/channel/etc
• Learn new skills and improve on ones I already had
• Make new friends and chat with cool like-minded people online
• Spend my time doing something meaningful that I enjoy instead of sitting around bored and allowing the negative thoughts to take hold

As I personally enjoy what I do - if anybody else is inspired or has been thinking about content creation and is still dithering about it - I recommend you at least try it. After all, it's the age-old adage that you don't know what you enjoy until you try it - and believe me, there's no greater satisfaction than seeing your vision come to life - seeing your idea blossom from notes into a finished product. And if you're still jaded and bitter and cynical and who hates the idea of anybody enjoying themselves, go back to your sad, boring, lonely and pathetic existence.

Apologies For My Absence

*THIS POST CONTAINS PHOTOS OF KITTENS!*

LOLHI. 

Regular readers (not the 100+ daily hits I get from people who find my Fallout: NV SPECIAL guide) will no doubt have noticed a lack of blog posts in the last 8 months. I haven’t updated since January. I’m back now – but allow me to explain my absence from blogging.

In February, I moved out of my mam’s house. This amuses everybody – I moved from #93 to #94 – on the same road. My bank manager thought this was hilarious. “…you only need to change the ‘3’ to a ‘4’…” The house we moved into could charitably be described as “somewhat dilapidated”. We had a really low budget, so I think what we've accomplished is pretty good. We were given a lot of stuff for the kitchen, some furniture and bought some 2nd stuff from the BHF – but it took us a long time to get the house into a liveable condition. 

I've moved in with my fiancée – but I've never not lived with my parents before. If you’re considering moving out – fucking do it. It’s amazing. Somehow, it’s improved my relationship with the folks. I think it’s because they now see me as a “proper” adult, if you like. I know I'm only renting a house, but the % of people from my generation who will be able to own their own house is pretty low. I hope to do it one day, but for the time being – Shelly and I have been together for 6 years, it’s about bloody time we moved in together. Lesbian U-Haul stereotype my arse.

This is cool – the house had no internet for a few months – until we had a brainwave. Move my dad’s wireless router into the front bedroom of his house and set up my computer in the living room downstairs with a wireless dongle on a long cable. FREE INTERNET BITCHES. All I have to do is occasionally text him to reset the stupid thing when it goes on the fritz.

I also started a new work placement at the end of January. I do two days a week – I’m in charge of copywriting, social media, SEO and guess what else? BLOGGING. I’m technically a professional blogger now. (This site uses my real name – ignore it, it’s shit. Hence why I prefer to go by Dixie.) 

I’m also working on a self-published novel, but let’s keep that on the down-low – I've written like 2 chapters in a year. It’s all planned and shit, but I just can’t get my arse in gear and frigging write something.

The best thing about moving into my own house was that I was allowed to have pets again. I had a cat growing up – she was a few months older than me, she died when I was 11. So I went 12 years without a cat. Now I have TWO.

The one on the left is male, and he is called Jet. The one on the right is female, and she is called Ruby. (And yes, I believe in neutering, they've both been done recently.)

Jet was originally called Jess. Like Postman Pat’s cat. (This reference will sail right over your head if you’re not British, I feel sorry for you if you grew up without Postman Pat.) Then we noticed that he had some fuzzy bits. He’d already learned his name though – so we settled on Jet. As in Whitby Jet, because he’s black. :)

I wanted to call him Maiq, like Maiq the Liar from Skyrim – but Shelly wouldn't let me. :( She named Ruby, I have no idea where she got the name from, but Ruby still doesn't respond to her name, the ignorant little cowbags. :P

I now have an excuse to post random photos of cats everywhere. If you like cats, let me know - and I'll fill my blog with pictures of my babies. :P

Sleeping together on my lap

Having fun in their play tunnel

Anyway, as this is a gaming blog, I feel that I should mention something about games. The house I now live in has essentially the same floor plan as my mam’s house (except she had two rooms knocked into one living room and we have two rooms knocked into a big kitchen-diner) – the room what was mine in my mam’s house is a spare room in mine. We use it to store books, games and computer stuff. Oh, and it has a bed in it too, obviously. I bought these shelves 2nd hand from eBay and my daddy put them up for me. 

By the way, this isn't even HALF of my games collection – which has grown since I now claim joint-ownership of everything Shelly has. (I now have a PS3 and an Atari 2600!) Our Xbox 360 and PS3 games are downstairs in the drawers of this amazing IKEA TV stand Ash’s mam gave us, our PS2 games are on the opposite side of the room spread out across 3 racks (Shelly has some fucking random PS2 games, I can tell you), my PC games are in another rack, downloaded games are metaphysical, obviously – and all of the loose cartridge games for the NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy, GBA, Atari, Mega Drive etc. are nicely put away in drawers and storage boxes to stop them from getting all dusty. My ideal “dream house”, which will be owned, not rented, will have a dedicated games room – but this is a happy medium for now. :)

So why all of a sudden have I started writing again?

Well, I've been toying with the idea for a while, but yesterday evening, I received an e-mail from a fan. Wow, I thought – this is the first time anybody’s ever e-mailed me. 

(By the way, feel free to e-mail me: mog_anarchy@hotmail.co.uk) 

He expressed that he liked my blog and had been following it for a while and requested that I start writing it again. This e-mail was the proverbial kick up the arse that I badly needed. 

I have a massive folder of half-finished posts, random ideas, tons of screenshots and photos I could use – I have plenty to write about. Albeit not about any “new” games, because there hasn’t been a decent release for years with the exception of remakes and sequels. 

Let’s hope I don’t lapse into my rut of playing modded to hell Skyrim every evening while Shelly bakes bread and pies (she’s a trained pastry chef, by the way, I've put on half a bloody stone since I moved in with her) and two kittens sitting on my lap and neglect my blog baby again. Honestly, I get 100+ hits daily – I know most of those come from people who find my Fallout: New Vegas guide – but if you’re a regular reader, please get in touch – hearing that there was SOMEONE who actually gave a shit about what I do really motivated me to start writing again.

Cheers babes. :P

1337 Hits!

Just thought I'd let you know, yesterday I reached 1337 hits. :)


(And I've set up Blogger so it doesn't count hits from my IP address, so that's 1337 visits from other people. :D)