Thread by @mikeyface

Going full-time Youtube has been eye-opening in a lot of ways. You’re chasing unhappiness in a strange way. You grow, but as you do, so do the number of people that are unhappy with you and the have no qualms sharing that fact. (1/x)

You make decisions, hoping to satisfy the largest number of people. Not all, most. But the comments that got to you before, calling you all kinds of insipid things, are now multiplied. The noise becomes louder. (2/x)

The positive stuff is louder too, but the distinction becomes amplified. You will literally have people telling you that you have made the best thing you ever have, and the worst thing you ever have. 2017, my dudes: polarization is in charge. (3/x)

I guess I’m saying growth requires a certain homogenization of your content. And you can’t say “audience size doesn’t matter” because it hella matters. The Patreon kerfuffle was the airhorn for me. That could have ruined me. If that cratered, I am screwed. (4/x)

Youtube is anxiety 100% of the time, because you just don’t know what anyone will think. You are one bad video away from destitution. And trust me: we see it. Even if you think you’re just using the comments to let off steam: we see it. (5/x)

And everyone (people are doing it right now in this thread) will have all the answers. Everyone has it all figured out, save for one person: you.

Everyday you say to yourself: this will be easy when I’m huge.

But what if you never get huge? (6/x)

I wanted to give you a glimpse of this world, mentally. Being a Youtuber (that doesn’t have millions (or even 100k) subs is a tough one.

Imagine if your job had peer-written feedback for everything you ever did, all the time, about everything. (7/8)

It’s not as sexy as it appears from the outside.

I love doing what I do and I love my audience. But I think it’s important to see the other side.

Here’s my feedback to you, taken from the good Doctor:

Always try to be nice and never fail to be kind

(8/8)