Everything I learned from my first year on YouTube, my honest opinion. Starting a YouTube channel. 

As an active 76 yo I am inspired to not give up on creativity and it's value. And, maybe making a little money from my art. So I hope you stay around for awhile because I know I am not the only one who loves the little nudge, and great inspiration you give, to keep going.

I subscribed to support middle aged (I’m older, but still) women in the content creator economy.

I'm enjoying watching your journey after 50. I'm in my sixties and got laid off from my job of nine and a half years a few years ago. I started a resale business that got saturated so I closed it down. Now I am resurrecting a skill that I learned when I was nine and am working on figuring out how to monetize that. Thank you for your input and frankness.

Hi Michelle! Another new subscriber here 😊 So inspired by your videos, esp. those encouraging women in their 50s. Like you, I was turning 50 when I started to think about my creative side. Then COVID came and I lost my dear friend in late March 2020. To ease the pain of that loss, I drew a pencil portrait of her smiling face from her fb photo. That’s how I wanted to remember her. It took me awhile because I was crying while drawing. This encouraged me to draw some more portraits. It inspired me to explore another medium. It was also good for my soul, my mental health during the pandemic. Thanks for sharing your story and giving hope to women like me to find a renewed purpose in life. And maybe earn from my art, too, when I find the courage to share my artwork online. I’ll be watching all of your other videos so I can learn from your experience. More power to your channel. God bless you ❤

"Inspired" I agree with everything you said! I have been posting consistently on my beauty channel; however, I'm still at just 447 subscribers after 8 months. I try my best to interact with my community but it's hard to get anyone to interact. I am a little older than you being 59 years old. There's not many of us older ladies on here. I've wanted to quit so many times but keep on pushing through. I'm feeling defeated right now and so badly want to quit but I'm trying my best not to. I put a lot of time, effort and hard work into my whole schedule of creating content. It's hard to continue when you receive no payoff. Your channel is doing great I'm sure you'll be monetized in no time!❤

Your honest list of pros and cons is really refreshing after watching countless hours of how-to for my new channel. As a 50-something woman embarking on the YT journey, it's inspiring to hear your story. Thanks so much for this video! And yes, the editing takes soooo much time, that's what I'd outsource too 🙃

I started a RU-vid channel in 2020, today I have 1050 lovely subscribers but very low watch time. I don't understand RU-vid algorithm and why my channel does not do as well as others. I enjoy sharing my art and have put a lot of time over 300 videos. Maxine

Yeah !! 50s to the power !!!

Have you thought about making a video about your time working in wardrobe for television? It would be so cool to hear the choices and decisions that go in to choosing what a character wears!!!

I do the same thing. the biggest procrastinator ever. I get overwhelmed very easily and if I don't understand something I usually will not do it for a long while. for instance, I have paid for a full year of online classes to improve my art skills. the catch is they are teaching me to paint in oils and I'm an acrylic painter so the unknown has stopped me in my tracks. I'm just now after 12 months getting up the courage to make mistakes and learn by doing. I'm not sure why I do this, but I know I have this issue. lol, I'm grateful for your videos that help inspire me.

Congratulations Michelle, I can see that since you made this video your channel has grown- so exciting! :)

You are so right about it taking time. Sometimes I doubted if I wanted to do this. Spending hours and getting so little views. Right when my doubt was getting stronger, I made that videos. They always say it takes just one video. I went from 1920 subscribers to 5000 like in a week and I got monetized. Guys! all my videos that were stuck at 100, 200 are now at over 1 k. Why were my videos not being pushed out. What I have realized is that it takes one video and then if you have really good quality videos with value, people are going to stay and watch the rest of the videos and follow you. So if you think you are making good videos, just continue. Your tribe will find you. Yes it’s hard work especially in the beginning, but I enjoy doing it. I love videography, so for me it’s a hobby and if I make money then it’s a bonus. Good luck guys 😊

So many valuable insights on pros and cons. Thanks for sharing all this Michelle! ❤️

Inspired - listened to the end …. I appreciate the real talk also ! Thank you for sharing your true experience. So glad I’m not the only one … it is a lonely road especially when no one around (friends or family) support you. ~Michele from Myrtle Beach 🏖️

Hi from Costa Rica! 🦥 Your videos just started coming up in my home page and I’m enjoying them very much, thanks for sharing your thoughts & advice of starting on RU-vid, I personally love that you leave in all the ums and ahs, it feels much more realistic and relatable. I also love the slower pace to the video and that there aren’t a million cuts and zooms and other things. It feels more peaceful and relaxed than the majority of videos nowadays. 😌 We just started making videos last year and the editing is exhausting so I will follow your example of simplifying the process and not over editing every little thing. Thanks for that! Looking forward to seeing more of your content 👏🏻 and congrats on your recent success 🎉

Inspired, liked and subscribed after watching 2 videos this morning from a very hot South of France. 🥖🇫🇷 Now i'm off to check out Canva so thanks for that tip too.

Oh wow you’ve about doubled your subscriber count in 2 weeks, since this video came out. Guess it resonated with a lot of us! You’re well on your way to becoming monetized if you aren’t already. Congrats 🎉

🎉your people, right here! 😊

All so true! Starting my channel made me see youtube content creators in a whole new way. Appreciating the hours and hours and days and days just to edit one video! And then there's the algorithm! RU-vid put this video in my feed and I'm so glad to subscribe! And think of all the content we don't see because the algorithm doesn't show us. Btw my "other job" is being an exhibiting artist and educator...you are doing great! ❤

You are very good at communicating ❤

Great video. I have only made a couple of videos and the editing has definitely been one of the reasons I've not done more. I am also still trying to be less critical of my videos. As is usually the case, we are much harder on ourselves than others are.

Looks like you got those monetization goals since posting this!! Congratulations

Hello Michelle great video, I think what you said about leaving videos behind so family members can watch when we are not here any more is my reason for creatinng RU-vid videos these days. I had the privilege of earning money here on RU-vid and it's not one of my goals any more. If you don't mind a little advice when ever you do start earning revenue from your videos do not rely solely on that income because it really not stable and changes at the blink of an eye. Have a great day Oh and I love your simple edits that's another method I will be using because I hate spending so much time editing one video

I appreciate the realness of this video

Totally inspired. I started with your video about becoming an artist at 50. You have had a similar background to me so it inspired me to continue watching. I watched all of it when I was feeling really disheartened. It helped inspire me again. I then had your video come up to say that you reached your goal of monetisation (quicker than you hoped). Woo hoo, well done. I then began watching some of your others. They’re very inspiring. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for this! I especially was touched by the thought of making videos for generations to come 🙏💙

Inspired!

I just started my channel just over a week ago. I’m 34, and I’m having women like yourself are super inspiring to look up to. This advice was really helpful. It’s a ton of work, but I’ve learned a lot in the creative realm and discovered I love it! But I am discouraged, it’s hard gaining subscribers and it’s a lot of work for no one to watch your stuff - so thank you for making this video ❤

❤ love your videos….. 😊

Thanks for sharing, I don't think it will be too long before you get monitzed. You just need a bigger library of content. Keep going. New subscriber here.

I get so overwhelmed thinking about starting a channel. I think I need to know all the things and get all the things. I am also a caregiver for my 88 year old mom and 4 dogs, one of which is a senior and very sick. I wonder if I'll have time to learn all this. Then the worries about the fact that I'm 67 now and realistically, how much time do I have left, you know? I'm thinking maybe I'll just start a channel for friends and family, maybe fans of my work, to share tips and such. That sort of takes the pressure off. Where do I want to be in 5 years? 10 years? Well, 77 years old, I doubt I'll be wanting to put in all the work to do a channel. I really don't know. Thanks for giving me stuff to consider.

I’m considering doing kind of what you are doing. Well done on taking the plunge!

Thank you from South Australia...aged 55 and gwtting into my art again..👌😘💜👍🌹

Kindred spirit here. 🙋‍♀️I feel like I need to know all the things before starting. I wasn't always that way though. I kind of abandoned my first channel. Starting again has been harder. I don't know why. I just want my videos to be edited well, and it is a pain in the butt. Also, It's just easier to do the thing, than to set up the camera, make sure you have the shot and film all the things.

Just started a channel with my 2 sisters this week. We’ve only posted shorts for now to test the waters, but we are working on long form videos. Not looking forward to the editing part lol. Keep at it! I’m Sure you will get monetized soon! Keep at it!

You can answer the questions you would want to know about your grandparents. Thanks for sharing.

Totally inspired❤

That's why I don't edit my videos. I'm sharing information for women over 40 conversationally. I teach, so comfortable talking for a living, lol.

Been on RU-vid for 4 months and it can be awesome and brutal at the same time

Some people only do lives and shorts from those. Because they hate editing.

New subscriber! I’ve always thought about having a RU-vid channel! Great video! Thank you for sharing! I think you will get monetized!

I have been making RU-vid videos from last year August.... sometimes i wakeup wanting to quit sometimes i wake up very motivated so its just a rollercoaster of emotions i hope by the moment I reach 1 year i would have reached 100 subscribers...its not an easy journey

I'm curious to know how people can reach this number of views and subscriptions in only one year, tbh.

How many hours a day or week do you spend please?

New subbie here 👋 we are the same age so that's nice. I have been on RU-vid for about 12yrs I've had close to about 30 channels now. RU-vid is the hardest things I have ever done but for some reason I refuse to quit so I am back yet again. Editing for me is the best part but you are right it does take forever. Even after all this time a video still takes me 3days to make! LOL I just deleted two channels I had for about 2yrs I started them in 2021. My main channel I only had 1500 subs after 2.5yrs but I was only 200hrs away to being monetized and I decided to delete them it anyway and start over yet again. Im still in pure shock i did that! lol I have to say for those out there that are struggling DO NOT QUIT just live by the motto you are ONE VIDEO AWAY from SUCCESS and YOU WILL BE FINE! Try NOT TO DELETE YOUR CHANNELS and START OVER. I have these two new channels now about two weeks I have posted videos on both with zero to no views. I have a vlog channel and this channel here which I am trying to discover what my niche will be. The SMI Industry is really hard its like being a starving actor in a sense. I've been doing shopping hauls shop with me's for over 9 yrs but recently have fallen in love with thrifting and hope to attempt vintage DIYs if I get brave enough. But I will say never in my wildest dreams did I know how hard it would be to start over from scratch in 2024. Now I cant even get a view or subbie to save my lfie! LOL It appears I've thrown myself into a depression about it but I am trying desperately to get back on the horse as my friends in this industry say. I solely agree with you though doing youtube is a true test to ones work ethic. You only get back what you put in and with them changing the algorithm all the time that doesn't help either. But I do have a passion for this platform though and I'm trying to keep the faith! Great video I look forward to following your art journey. =)

You got me sub'd, let's grow together ❤🎉