Thread by @garius

This.

Also anyone who says you MUST have a webcam is lying.

Stream how you want to, because YOU want to.

For your own wellbeing, create a stream you'd spend time in as a viewer, because you're the person who'll be in it the most.

No point trying to be something you aren't.

https://twitter.com/aquarterghost/status/1367788953911361537

And if people tell you:

"To get viewers you need to make your stream like X person's stream!"

Remember: The viewers who LIKE that style are ALREADY watching X person. You think they're going to suddenly start watching you?

Be yourself. Have fun. Assume you'll have no viewers.

If people show up? That's a bonus. If ENOUGH people show up that you can potentially make cash off it? Congrats! You are both good at it AND super lucky.

Now you have a job. One that demands long hours, a LOT of dedication and dealing with people who want you to fail or change.

But at least you know that people are watching because YOU DID YOU.

Not because you turned yourself into something you didn't really enjoy being, just to get those first views. Which is the worst place to be, because you can't pivot to be yourself at that point. It's too late.

A final note (it came up in replies): Be SUPER WARY of viewers telling you it would be cool if you played a certain game, changed a little bit about your stream, or changed your time to something else.

Those comments come from a well-meaning place, but are often wrong.

This is because human beings are very good at convincing ourselves that our OWN experience/desires are universal.

And also that what would make US happy must also be good for the person we are asking to do it.

We also want 'more of the same'. We like choice.

So it may be better for THEM if you change your stream time, games or style. But that's often because they (subconsciously) want you to give them MORE CHOICE.

i.e. they want to be able to log on and see the most people, at their preferred time, playing their favourite game.

But you've got NO GUARANTEE that they'll choose YOU to then watch at that new time, or playing that new game.

You've just moved yourself into a position of competing with other people they were ALREADY watching. 100% good for them. No guarantee it's good for you.

This is governance/digital product 101, but a lot of streamers don't think of themselves that way (which is good! yay! community!) so don't think to apply the same logic.

Streamers: Your viewers AREN'T lying to when they ask for different times or games. But they ARE lying about it definitely being good for both them AND you.

There's zero guarantee of the latter. They just don't realise it. Just remember the most important lesson of Dr House: