I would stream constantly if I could. I mean, I could, but my channel wouldn't grow...and more than likely my family would end up being entirely pissed at me.
I honestly don't know what's changed about my outlook in terms of streaming over the past year or two. I never really hated streaming, but there was a time where it felt more like a chore than something that I actually got joy out of doing. It felt like a job. I guess that's kind of funny now...because I actually want it to be my job.
I enjoy streaming now. Hell, I even enjoy streaming when I don't have anyone to talk to. Sure, I'm obviously not going to ever be able to stream as a full time job if I don't have people watching. I've reached the point that I can have fewer viewers...and still be happy though. Because...streaming is fun.
I get to play games. I get to tell stories. Time goes faster while I'm streaming than it did with any "traditional job" I've ever had before. There have been times recently where I've been streaming, have looked over to see how long I had been streaming because I just generally wanted to see what time it was, and realized that I had already been streaming for three hours.
Obviously it goes faster when there are more people watching than when I'm having to keep up the conversation entirely by myself, but that's ok. I've started being able to get to a place mentally that I almost look at it as a challenge when no one is talking in chat, and I have to keep the narration and conversation up by myself. I always end stream completely exhausted when that happens, but it's a rewarding kind of exhaustion.
Part of me wants to see how many words I say during a stream. I posted that I wanted to do that on Threads, and someone gave me what seemed like a pretty solid way to do it. So I'll probably do that at some point.
Why don't you just stream more often then?
Well, I mean I already stream 4 hours a day. I could stream more. I would stream more. The unfortunate side of Twitch though is that there really isn't a ton of way to gain exposure inside Twitch. I once did a 15 hour stream to an average of 0 viewers. I could probably do 12 hour streams every day, but I don't think it would really do much in terms of helping get more viewers to my stream. Also...like I said before...my wife would be pretty pissed at me.
If I streamed 12 hours a day then I wouldn't have time to do things like this. I wouldn't have time to write this blog. So all 5 - 10 of you that are reading this right now. You wouldn't have this to read. Wouldn't you be sad?
I also wouldn't have time to doom scroll through thousands of posts on Threads and reply to as many of them as possible. I know that probably sounds like a dumb thing to do, but hold on...wait...let me cook for a minute. So I've been on and off Threads for a while now.
I've noticed there is an absolutely amazing gaming and streaming community on Threads. I've also determined that the best way to grow there is kind of the buckshot approach. The more you post, and the more posts you reply to...the more people that end up seeing the content that you're posting. I don't have a huge following there by any stretch of the imagination, but I am gradually...and slowly but surely starting to see people from Threads find their way to my stream.
I wouldn't be able to take the time to make short form content. I know I'm bound to get this response from someone, "but you're not making short form content right now either." As true as that might me...I would make even less short form content than I am now. Between the blog, Threads, streaming, watching other streamers, and trying to get a job...I hardly have time to watch through my VODs to find clip worthy material and make short form content out of them.
I also should be making long form content. That kind of falls under the same category as the short form content. I'm also just really not a huge fan of editing videos. I'm decent at editing. It just takes so much time...when there's motions at everything else that I would rather be doing
I think the biggest reason I would be sad if I streamed all the time...is that I wouldn't be able to watch my other streamer friends. One of the most rewarding facets of being a streamer to me is taking the time to watch my other streamer friends and support them in what they're doing. Discovering other streamers. Watching what they do well. Experiencing what gives them joy about streaming.
If you are a streamer that isn't watching other streamers then you're never going to grow. It's almost like if you're a writer that doesn't read other books. It's part of learning. It's part of growing. Even if you don't want to support other streamers, which I don't know why you wouldn't, you should be constantly watching other streamers to see what works/what doesn't/and possibly learn some new things that you would like to incorporate.
Conclusion
So sure...I would love to be able to stream ALL OF THE TIME, but I probably wouldn't grow as a streamer. I wouldn't get new viewers. I would just kind of stagnate because to grow as a streamer you have to find ways to get exposure and bring people into your stream.
More importantly, as I said before...I wouldn't be able to watch my streamer friends. That would make me sad.
Maybe one day...just as an experiment (and only if I can talk my wife into letting me)...I might try doing a week of streaming 12 hours every day. It would basically be a 10 am to 10 pm stream every day.
Not sure if that's something I would ever actually do, but it could be fun to give it a try as an experiment.
Yorumlar