YouTube Writer’s Block

“YouTube: An Insider’s Guide to Climbing the Charts” authors Alan Lastufka and Michael W. Dean are doing a five-day blog post series on “How to create and promote more effectively on YouTube.” Here’s part four of five:

When my publisher asked Michael Dean and I to run this week-long blogging event, I sat down and planned out what I was going to write for each day of the week, except today, Thursday. I sat there confident last Sunday afternoon simply knowing that by now, a topic would have presented itself. But one never did.

This happens sometimes on YouTube as well. Especially if you try to make a video on any kind of a schedule. I’m Monday on the YouTube channel fiveawesomeguys, we each take a day of the week and make a video on that particular day. Every week. And some weeks I just don’t know what to say.

But I’m not the only YouTuber who posts on a schedule.

Michael Buckley, of the YouTube channel WhatTheBuckShow, attempts to post three videos a week. Every week. So I decided to ask him a few questions about writer’s block and keeping up a frequent posting schedule:

Alan: What’s the most difficult part of trying to post on a regular schedule?

Buckley: It’s easier for me to have a schedule and plan my week in advance. Sometimes it is hard because something will happen and I should probably post on it but I have already pre-taped most of the week. I would rather just get it done in bulk.

Alan: What do you do when you run into writer’s block?

Buckley: When I run into writers block, I pace. I just go away from the computer and get a drink and chill out for a few minutes. I am very disciplined now to write for hours at a time and if I have writer’s block, I can always find a topic I would prefer to write about.

Alan: Do you feel guilty taking vacations?

Buckley: I do not feel guilty taking vacations but somehow I haven’t taken any this year. I do always plan on having one or two videos go up even when I am on vacation so I remain present on the site. I always pre-tape and plan ahead if I will be away.

Alan: Why do you prefer a schedule over posting whenever you feel like it?

Buckley: I am on a schedule of M-W-F because that is what works for me. I could not post everyday. It takes me too long to write/film/edit to my liking. I wish I could do it daily, I just physically cannot at this point. Also, I like a M-W-F WTBS and supplement with peron75 on the off days.

Few of us would be able to keep up with Buck’s production schedule, but that’s also why he’s in the Top 10 Most Subscribed channels of All-Time. Regular content will almost always win out over those who post once a month or, you know… whenever.

Michael Dean adds:

One tip I have is this: when you think of an idea for a video that you don’t feel like making right now, put the ideas in a Word document on your desktop. Call it something like “Rainy Day Video Idea List”, and add to it often. (And back it up! See pages 226-227 of YouTube: An Insider’s Guide to Climbing the Charts.)

The ideas can be as short as just a good title or as long as a complete script. Best yet is usually title and a paragraph. For a short project like a YouTube video, this would constitute a “treatment.” (See pages 24-25 of YouTube: An Insider’s Guide to Climbing the Charts.)

If you’re vlogging on a schedule, and just don’t have an idea for that day, you can always “go back to the well” of your “rainy day video idea list” for inspiration. Newspaper columnists often will have one or two articles “in the can”, stored with their editor, in case they get sick or something comes up where they can’t meet their deadline. It helps if these articles (and your rainy day video ideas) if they’re not about a current event, so they will be timely tomorrow, or a year from tomorrow.

Another idea that can result in a good video is to interview someone who has never been interviewed in their life. A neighbor, roommate or relative. Most people have something interesting to say about something that, with proper editing, you can make them brilliant.

Try scheduled vlogging for yourself. Set aside a special week where you upload daily. Can you do it? If you plan to, leave me a link in the comment section, I’d love to watch you do it. I don’t think I could.

If you enjoyed part four, please subscribe to read part five tomorrow, Friday December 12th. And tell two friends!

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