So one of the posts that caught my attention during this Blaugust, was this one by Why I Game. In that post, one line really got to me:

There’s just a craving to be heard. To be read. To be seen.

This really resonates with me. One of the things I said yesterday in my post was that my YouTube channel has slowed when it comes to growth. One thing I didn’t say, but should, was that I have always told myself that I don’t do YouTube for money or views. When you first start out on any social platform, doing it for money or views is dumb, because you’re going to get none of either. And your expectations that you will earn money and that you will get views, will often leave you dissatisfied with what little you do get.

But there is a desire to be seen when you produce content online. Whether it’s a blog or a YouTube channel or a podcast, nobody really does this without the hope that someone out there is listening. Maybe you’re honest when you say you don’t want to become Mr. Beast. I know I don’t want to be that popular. I’d take his money, but I don’t need the fame or the hassle that comes with that. But I do lie to myself all the time when I say I don’t do things for views. If I really thought nobody was going to read this blog, I probably wouldn’t blog as much. I know this to be true, because I have stats. And I check the stats. And when the stats are down, I’m sad.

So, I don’t think this feeling is a desire to be popular or famous, but instead just wanting to know that the effort is worth it. Making the juice worth the squeeze, so to speak. It’s not fun if you’re really shouting into the void. But more than that, when you don’t have even a small audience for the stuff you create, you feel alone, and that feeling saps any desire to create more.

The thing is, audiences take time to build. So, for every creator there’s a time period where they really are talking to themselves. We all know that happens because discovery takes some time. But it doesn’t have to be this way. If you’re just getting started, share your creation with your family, with your friends. Don’t be shy about sharing it, in a non-spammy way, on other social platforms. Participate in events like Blaugust, where you can have great conversations about things with other people creating content just like you. It takes work, but really you’ll be surprised by how fast you get your first little audience. Maybe it won’t ever grow beyond those first few fans, but somebody is better than nobody.

With my own creative endeavors, I have to always remind myself to be honest with myself. I do post videos and blog posts for views. I do kind of care about how well they do. I don’t need them to go viral, but I do have expectations. That often leads to disappointment, so a reminder that somebody is better than nobody is always a good thing.

This was day 15 of Blaugust 2025.