My Video Went Viral, But Life Had Other Plans...
I often wonder how many people dream about a video of theirs going viral... Well, I was one of the lucky ones.
Creative Beginnings
When I was 18, I'd just finished my education and I was mentally drained. I wasn't ready to jump straight into work or further education, and I was desperate for a breather. So, I asked my parents to support me financially during a gap year. I was very fortunate that they said yes; it gave me time to find my feet in life. 😊
It was around this time I started creating lots of things; I sold paracord bracelets on eBay, I posted photos onto DeviantArt every single day, and I also uploaded small craft videos onto YouTube.
My Makeshift Studio
I will admit, my first videos were not the best; I was mostly running off of pocket money from my parents at the time and I didn't have very good equipment. I used a half-decent bridge camera (that my parents purchased for my birthday) which I balanced precariously on some boxes, and I edited my videos using Windows Movie Maker on an old laptop. For lighting, I'd find a sunny window, or shine a cheap LED flashlight on a few sheets of A4 paper when it got dark.
My set-up was far from professional, but it was good enough for me to get my first few videos out there. 😅
Investing in New Gear (and My Future)
12 videos made it onto YouTube over the course of a year. They took me a while to make, and while they were far from perfect, I knew practice would make me better.
Recognising my equipment was holding me back too; I decided to improve my workflow. I borrowed some money from my parents to buy a new camera, and I spent Christmas working at my local post sorting office to repay them. I still had some money left over, so I invested in overhead lighting, a tripod, and a proper desk. Suddenly, my videos felt so much more professional.
However, pressure to earn more money arose. A part-time shop-role popped up, and I took it. To this day, I still wonder if I made the right decision...
My Video Takes Off, But So Does Life
Around this time, I got lucky, and one of my YouTube videos started gaining traction. I was so excited seeing people follow tutorials I'd created, and loved getting comments from new subscribers; I even managed to get monetised! Then, my new job nearly broke me...
The workplace was so understaffed that my promised 20-hour weeks doubled to 40. Rota changes were unpredictable, and while I worked the occasional morning shift, most dragged on late into the evening. I wanted to fit work around my life, but ended up bending life around work, because finding a routine was impossible.
By the time I stumbled through the door after work, often at 9 or 10pm, I was exhausted. I sacrificed sleep to keep my personal life ticking, and my business afloat. My mental health got worse, and YouTube took a backseat.
Still, I squeezed in content on my rare spare days off, but keeping up was impossible. My camera quickly gathered dust, and my YouTube channel went radio silent.
Hitting the Reset Button
After 18 months of relentless shifts, several staff (including me) quit. I needed a new day-to-day routine; one that made space for my business, my YouTube videos, and myself.
Unfortunately, my YouTube never got back to the same momentum; I'd missed the moment and fell out of monetisation... But that's okay; I was ready for the next chapter.
Counting My Wins
Looking back, I do wonder what would have happened if I'd made different decisions. I'm grateful for every misstep and milestone, and I learned a lot from it. Being a sales assistant gave me confidence in speaking to people, and made me realise that I wanted to work on my own terms if I was able to.
My video called "DIY Guitar Picks TUTORIAL (Customisable)" has nearly 900,000 views on my YouTube channel EmMelody, and people still watch it every day. I missed my chance to ride the YouTube wave, but the feedback I've collected and the revenue it generated helped fuel the creative projects that followed. And who knows, just maybe, YouTube wouldn't have worked out anyway.
So, here I am, still creating, and still chasing those dreams.
The Journey Continues
It's been a long time since I've uploaded a video to YouTube, and I now get nervous about uploading content online. So here I am; posting this is a step towards me putting myself out there again.
I believe things happen for a reason, and you can always learn from both positive and negative experiences. Don't let anything or anyone put you off of your dreams, even if they change a little along the way! 😊
If you'd like to see more, you can explore other Blogs, follow me on my Socials, or pop over to my Shop. Have a lovely day! 😊
- Emma ❤️
