Why Did I Stop Making YouTube Videos and My Journey Back

For two years, I maintained an YouTube channel dedicated to military history. However, the journey has been more challenging than rewarding. I've recently decided to hang up my video-making hat, a decision driven by both personal and external factors.

Time and Effort

YouTube is often portrayed as a simple platform for sharing content, but the reality is far more complex. As a content creator, I've discovered that it's a full-time job, with a steep learning curve and significant time investment. Managing a channel, producing high-quality content, and engaging with the community are all demanding tasks. Even though my channels haven't been monetized, the effort required is substantial.

After two years, my channel has 87 subscribers, and success is measured in hundreds rather than thousands of views per video. Two of my videos managed to achieve a few thousand views, but the majority of my content receives less than 100 views a year. This is despite countless hours spent on each video. When compared to the rapid growth experienced by many other channels, it becomes increasingly discouraging.

Is It Worth It?

There are clear signs that time and effort are not yielding proportional rewards. For instance, it might take me months to produce and edit a video, only to see it receive fewer views in a single day. The lack of immediate returns makes it difficult to justify the time invested. Many successful channels can attract views in just a few hours, which seems incredibly far out of reach for my content.

Therefore, the decision to stop making YouTube videos became a necessity. I concluded that the amount of time and effort needed to achieve success on the platform are not aligned with the returns. It's simply not worth it at the moment.

Lack of Growth

YouTube's main criteria for channel success include the frequency of video uploads. Consistent posting is crucial, and my schedule of one video a week is appreciated by my subscribers. However, the consistent posting doesn't translate into sustainable growth. The number of subscribers and views remain stagnant, despite the efforts put in.

It's clear that the rapid growth experienced by many creators is not easily replicable for everyone. The competitiveness of the platform and the saturation of niche content have made it increasingly difficult to stand out.

Personal and External Factors

While the digital realm demanded a significant amount of my time, personal life also played a role. Responsibilities and commitments outside of content creation led to a gradual decrease in the quality and consistency of my videos. I realized that I needed to allocate more time to personal matters and my growing science fiction projects, both of which deserve my full attention.

I have decided to take a break from YouTube momentarily. Instead, I plan to focus on other platforms and projects that better align with my current interests and lifestyle. I will be uploading videos related to my music and science fiction stories to Vimeo and Dailymotion. This will allow me to share my creative projects in a way that feels more consistent and achievable.

Conclusion

The decision to stop making YouTube videos was a difficult one, but it allowed me to reassess my priorities and continue my creative pursuits more effectively. While the challenge of the platform remains, I am now focusing on content that will allow for more sustained growth and personal fulfillment. The journey isn't over, and I look forward to finding new ways to share my passions and connect with audiences.