I really miss streaming! It was helping me to interact with others. I also enjoyed sharing my love of languages, as well as the games I played. I usually stick to games long after others get bored with them. It takes a great deal of trust to play with others, so I don't usually mind playing alone. Often, I would spend days creating scenes for streams, such as ASMR or Kind Words, with the understanding few if any would actually watch them. I not only loved the process of creating the scenes along with curating the sound effects and music, I enjoyed watching them and usually available if anyone wanted to chat.
In June 2024, I had to make a choice to have my internet turned off for financial reasons, so I haven't been able to stream. I just got my 2024 Twitch recap, and was amazed at the hours stream in that short of time! There were also a ton of chat messages sent (12.6K), but I had a lot of them on timers for a variety of reasons. Many were asking for help with a link to my GoFundMe, others were topical trivia, and some were time and weather for various locations. I figured if someone didn't find my stream interesting or enjoyable, at least maybe the auto messages would give them something.
I present myself as I am on my stream. I am typically straightforward, and say what is on my mind. I prefer to play my game without having chatters tell me what to do or what I can expect. I don't mind suggestions, but I think one should ask before offering advice. A large part of my enjoyment comes from trying new things and being curious. It is possible something could be accomplished easier, but that is not what I am always after. I may be doing some experimentation doing things 100 different ways, and if a chatter comes into my stream and blurts out the "right" way to do something, I can get very frustrated. In these instances, I want to be able to respond graciously.
I will continue to pray that 2025 will be brighter, and I will be able to resume streaming. The signal strength on my cellphone where I live is unstable, so I can't even attempt streaming from my mobile. I am thankful I at least have hotspot data, allowing me to write posts and maintain this blog! It may be something you haven't thought about, but there are a lot of similarities between blogging and streaming.
Content Creation
Personal Expression: Both involve sharing thoughts, experiences, or skills with an audience! If only one person watches my stream or reads this blog, it is a success!
Focus: Blogging and streaming can either revolve around a specific topic or interest area or they can both encompass a variety of interest.
Originality: The creator's voice, perspective, and creativity define the content in both formats. When I first started streaming, I would never talk, only type.
Titles: They both posts and streams require titles. Creating a title I like always takes awhile! II have been known to use "Add Title Here" in the past.
Audience Engagement
Building a Community: Both platforms aim to attract and retain a dedicated audience. I believe having a supportive community is more important than having a large number of viewers or readers.
Feedback Loops: Audience comments on blog posts or chat messages in streams provide direct engagement. I am thinking of opening comments on my blog posts.
Interaction Styles: While blogging has delayed interaction, streaming features live interaction, but viewers can watch streams through videos on demand.
Growth and Monetization
Discoverability: Blogs rely on search engine optimization, while streams focus on visibility in platform algorithms. Word of mouth and business cards—tell a friend!
Content Monetization: Both offer monetization avenues through ads, sponsorships, affiliate links, or direct support (e.g., subscriptions, donations).
Consistent Effort: Regular content creation is necessary to grow and maintain an audience in either medium. Keep 'em coming back for more!
Skillsets and Tools
Content Planning: Both require careful planning to create engaging material.
Storytelling: Successful bloggers and streamers use storytelling to capture and maintain attention. My stories have lots of twists and turns!
Tech Savvy: Blogging involves website management, while streaming requires proficiency in streaming software and equipment.
Challenges
Burnout Risk: Both blogging and streaming demand time, effort, and creativity, which can lead to creator burnout. It is important to recognize it before it happens!
Algorithm Dependence: Both are subject to platform algorithms that influence visibility and growth.
Balancing Personal and Public Life: Sharing personal experiences can blur the line between privacy and transparency. This is not an issue for me, as you will notice, I am an open book! Seriously, I’m so open, I might as well come with a table of contents! I’ve shared so much, my audience could probably write my memoir.
Streaming has been an important creative outlet and a source of connection for me. While I’ve had to step away, reflecting on the similarities between blogging and streaming has reminded me of the passion I have for both forms of content creation. They each offer unique opportunities for self-expression and audience engagement, whether through carefully crafted posts or live interactions. I remain hopeful that 2025 will bring new possibilities, including a chance to reconnect with my streaming community. For now, I’m grateful to still have this blog to save my thoughts and share my experiences that may in turn help others.
Proverbs 16:24
“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
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