I had a YouTube channel once. I think I even have most of the videos I made still out there. For some things, I felt they could be better discussed in a video, and somehow I started putting everything in a video. I did this for a couple years before slowly returning to blogging. Video is how I get most of my information today, like many others. It’s easy to turn on while doing other things. So why am I back to blogging?
Video may work for some, but when you don’t speak well it takes a while to put a video together. I’ve watched all the “Start Now” type videos out there on YouTube, saying it’s never too late to start a channel and don’t worry if you’re not comfortable in front of a camera you’ll get better. I did get better, but the videos were taking me forever to edit and put together. I stumbled over words, I couldn’t think what to say, or would think of things to say and then some time later think of something to say that would go great with something I had said several thoughts ago.
I tried using notes, but again I would stumble over what to say. Word choice. I would think a word wasn’t strong enough for how great a book was, or would struggle with remembering what all I had thought of with a particular note. I’d remember I had a great complete thought and great phrasing, but when sitting to make the video would have trouble to remember the full thought and nothing seemed to be right. I tried writing a full script. I used a free teleprompter web app, set my laptop up just off camera. Except it drove me nuts editing because I could see I was reading a script. My eyes would hardly glance at the camera.
The editing would take forever with all my stumbling over words. The videos I could get up fastest were actually the readathon vlogs. I wasn’t trying to say something specific and they seemed to come more natural. Yet I would still take half a day to edit them. And there goes a good chunk of reading time! Not to mention grabbing and creating a thumbnail for the video.
Blogging I realized was basically the writing of the script and maybe creating a thumbnail of sorts to accompany the post. I don’t need to find time to record, I can just write the post, format it, and post it right then and there or schedule it for later.
I also prefer writing. I’ve been writing since I was little. I’ve been telling stories probably since I learned to write. I love writing and have wanted to do something with writing since I was little. I didn’t waiver much in what I wanted to do. I don’t remember thinking of other career options, I know I had some, but never kept these other things for very long.
I may still do a video here and there, but it’s not likely to become my focus. I tried it, and didn’t like it. But I can thank it for the lessons it taught me. Planning months in advance, gathering ideas, make hobbies a priority, and you can do anything you put your mind to.
Vlogging takes a lot of dedication, patience, and time. Blogging takes the same, but I don’t think it takes as much of those things for me. Everyone is different though. If you want to give vlogging a try, I recommend you give it a try. You may learn things which help you, and you may learn things about yourself. Same for blogging. But I have discovered blogging is my jam, and I am here to give it my attention.