[THREAD] I think this is a good time to share my story about being a content creator. I know i've probably tweeted this before but it's 2018, so many things changed.
I started out as a Blogger in 2008, thank god I got 3 best blog awards, and then I expanded to Twitter in 2010, got 1 million followers in 3 years before Twitter got quite dead in Indonesia (now it's going back alive)
I actually had youtube account since 2006, but it took me several years to learn all about video making. Thanks so much to Andrew Kramer @videocopilot, the legend of video editing tutorial. I still remember his voice until today. I bet all old youtubers know him.
In 2010-2012, it's really hard to get views and subs on youtube. I'm talking about Indonesia. The internet was very slow, not many people active on youtube. I was veeerrrrrryy happy to get 1K views. Couldn't imagined 1000 people were actually looking at my video.
And back then, youtube monetization is not available yet. I tried so many things to get my channel monetized because i know that i want to be a creator as a career, as a living.
I contacted several youtube and google person. I looked for them on LinkedIn. Email them one by one. And finally got 1 reply but got no answer for the monetization part.
I remember some of the first videos that i watched and got inspired on youtube was @MysteryGuitarM @fwong @TheRealRyanHiga and @RayWJ. I was really envy that they were living in the same country and got the chance to collab with each other. Oh, I was 20 yo by the time.
Why i got envy? Because i couldn't find anyone to collab here in Jakarta. Until finally i bumped into @aulion's youtube channel. He's one of the pioneers on youtube.
In 2011/2012 (i forgot), youtube officially came to Indonesia. And my channel got monetized. But still, it's really hard to get a living from Youtube only. Twitter was the best platform for me.
Let me share to you guys some facts. I could pay my college, I could buy Mazda CX-5 in 2014, I could buy an apartment and i never asked for money from my mom ever again. It's all because of @Twitter (and the royalty i got from my book)
And then, still from Twitter. I don't believe in coincidence, but the legendary creators i mentioned above, @fwong & @MysteryGuitarM, I got the chance to know them from Twitter. Thanks for your time and advices you gave in direct message. Thanks for answering my questions. 🙏🏻
I accidentially met Freddie Wong in Type Racer game, we were playing head to head and i won the race. And then he followed me on Twitter. (Fun Fact: Yes, we type really really fast)
In 2015, I got the chance to fly to Los Angeles (thanks to Walls Cornetto), but sadly didn't get the chance to meet with MysteryGuitarMan. I did set a meet up with him, but the schedule just didn't match.
2010-2014 was the best time in Youtube. Eventhough they changed the algorithm and the home page couple times, the contents are still GREAT. Really few clickbaits, few misleading videos, few misleading thumbnails, and of course VERY LITTLE DRAMA.
In 2012/2013, there are few indonesian youtubers that i know. @aulion were making artsy stopmotion videos, Tara Arts were making English VFX Videos and tuts, @marloernesto were making funny vlogs, and me, making stopmotion, vlogs and sketches.
Long story short, after the rise of Indovidgram in 2014, 2015 was the year of the rising creators. A lot of new youtubers (and also a lot of star syndrome youtubers).
I don't blame them. Star syndrome is a phase in life that could happened to everybody. But what really matter is HOW the person manages that Star Syndrome phase in his/her life. It did happened to me and i think i managed it quite well and quick.
I really believe that there are ups and downs in our lives. So being grateful and stay humble is the key. (at least for me).
Anddddd jump into today. After 10 years living as a Content Creator, now I'm writing this in a hotel in Anaheim, California, finally attend @Vidcon, got invited by @Instagram, met so many legendary creators, got so many privileges. Can't be more grateful than this.
Also another secret fact: thanks to @instagram, thanks to @youtube, thanks to Internet, thanks to all the brands that have been working with me and special thanks to my followers for supporting me, i could get my own house and a great life living with my wife and my son.
One thing that i want to say is, What we say is What we pray for. God hears us. Everytime. Everything that we ever dreamt of could really be real. (it's cliché, but) Nothing is Impossible. Thanks for reading this guys. 🙏🏻
Oh it's not over yet. If you guys wondering what is my thought about youtube. Hmm.. I don't know. It doesn't feel so good. If you guys see the trending page, there are a lot of clickbaits, controversial videos, misleading contents, and many sh*tty videos trying to get adsense.
I don't know how youtube gonna be in the next several years. But what i really believe that being a Content Creator will still be a huge thing for the upcoming years and decades.
And also, I love how Instagram grows, I hope they will really support and hear what the creators are saying. I hope @instagram could make more events in Indonesia. And last but not least, a photo of me and @mikeyk, the co-founder of Instagram. 
