Persistence, inner me…
If you are about to start streaming your art process for the very first time on a platform like Twitch/Youtube or Facebook Live/Twitter Live/Instagram Live, here are some important things that I’ve learned. Also, pardon the blatant, shameless self-promotion, but I’ve only been live streaming on Twitch for about 3–4 months and want to impart some words of experience.
1. Make sure your rig can handle it.
My computer is probably 8 years old. Now there are bits of it that have been more recently added, but the important parts are bordering on senility in their old age. I know I need to invest in a new computer, or at the very least a new motherboard/CPU/RAM combo, but making the plunge when I have only a little bit of spending cash with each pay check is a hard sell to my I-think-I’m-seconds-away-from-poverty-anxiety brain. It’s something I know I need to overcome, but for the past 10 years I’ve been trying to adult with my big purchases and anything larger than $100 sits on my guilty brain making me shy away from probably-important system upgrades and other necessary purchases. Like tires. And shocks. And struts. And literally any else to do with my car beyond an oil change.
Ultimately, my computer can get the job done, but it’s going to scream at me the entire time because it is on the brink of oblivion and I’m too stubborn to just shove it over that cliff and go get a new one.
2. Do it do it do it do it
Once you are ready to stream (i.e. You have a decent enough set up to launch) don’t worry whether people will watch you or for how long, just do the thing! Obviously, put it out there that you will be streaming (Note to self: not just 5 minutes before hand, but a couple of times that day, at least) but if no one shows up: do the thing anyways!
I’m posting several places a few times on the days that I stream (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7pm-9pm AZ time if you’re curious 😉) to try to get the word out. Of course there are some days when I totally space it and don’t post until I’m actually streaming, but I’m making a habit to be sitting in front of my computer ready to stream at 7. This will at least get me in the routine of documenting my process. Which is actually important. AND a good habit to cultivate and support.
3. Talk about your process
One thing I will do while streaming is simply talk about my thought process. If someone has a question on what technique I’m using, or what my inspiration is, etc., then I get to fill the silence with that conversation, obviously. But if I’m getting nothing from my audience, no questions to keep the conversation going, I’ll just start talking about my project without these kinds of prompts. You can’t really rely on your audience to want to participate, because they aren’t obligated to. That IS a perk of live broadcasting, but it’s not a requirement. Sometimes people just want to sit back and watch the project come to life. There maybe an occasional burning question or random head scratcher. If they aren’t ready to breach the gap, though, then you can at least entertain yourself! You can walk people through your entire process, which some find inspiring and entertaining, and you benefit from gaining a better understanding of your process. It can start out as a subconscious knowing, but putting that process into words can be both cathartic and enlightening, for you AND everyone watching.
These points all seem fairly obvious upon reflection, but if you just needed that extra push to get on it and these helped, then I’m excited for you and you’re welcome! I’m going to optimistically leave it at that, because whether this helped or did nothing, I still did the thing.
