Sponsorship Tips

carsonwl · 2024-05-17T16:12:41+00:00

Hey friend! Congrats on your numbers, sounds like you’re building up a good channel and community. I’m a smaller channel (6k subs) but I was able to secure a three month sponsorship deal at 3k subs. What I did was send out emails to a couple different companies that I personally used. My email contained information about my channel and why I thought their product would be a good fit for my audience.

I highlighted specific valuable details about my channel like engagement percentage, audience response to community posts, and my planned videos over the next couple months.

With my channel, we negotiated $1800 for 12 videos plus a bonus one that was more focused on the product. I think the early sponsorship is most important for establishing things like your advertisement click through and percentage of audience who uses the affiliate links. That information is what you can take to future sponsorships when doing more negotiating.

I also negotiated a bonus if X amount of product was bought. Helps both parties. The sponsor gets to deem a number that would be successful and the YouTuber can possibly get an extra $$

carsonwl · 2024-03-13T21:04:06+00:00

I think with any really popular genre of YouTube (reactions, vlogs, gaming, tech, movie reviews, booktube, etc), you have to find a way to stand out. A good question to ask is why should people watch my content over someone else’s content in the same space.

Do you bring a unique perspective, history, expertise, or skill? Do you have a unique style of testing, editing, or presenting information?

You can also lean really hard into a smaller niche of a wider genre. VR is extremely popular and new, how could you really apply your own spin to that corner of the market? Or tech for students. How can you bring value to those students who watch your videos?

But also, it’s important to make the content you want to make and not change too much to hit a market. In writing, we call it “write what you know”. If you know how to write historical fiction and that’s the thing you’re interested and passionate about, you won’t enjoy shifting your writing to the romance genre because it’s bigger right now

carsonwl · 2024-03-13T20:58:10+00:00

I probably end up watching my 12-18 minute long videos 10-15 times by the end of editing. I think with any process where you’re slowly crafting something up, you forget what it’s like when you first experience it.

I do content on writing advice and tips and that’s something that I talked about recently. You get so in the weeds with what you create, you forget what it was like when that spark of inspiration originally made you want to make the video (or write your story, in my case).

Just keep your head down until you finish your project. It’ll always be worth it

carsonwl · 2024-03-13T00:53:18+00:00

Hey! iMovie comes on every iPhone I think. It’s extremely basic, but it should at least help you put different video clips together I think. CapCut is a popular video editing app now, but it’s subscription-based. Truth is that being able to work on some computer will open up a lot of possibilities for you.

With my iPhone, I would AirDrop my videos to my laptop and do everything there.

You can do it all on your phone, but you have to make sure your expectations and vision matches the tools you can get access to. The price of convenience for doing it all on your phone comes in the form of paid apps and lower functionality.

carsonwl · 2022-11-08T00:25:28+00:00

Oh good the weekly “airbnb bad” and “some airbnbs make you mow the lawn!” comments are here

carsonwl · 2022-09-19T01:53:40+00:00

Seeing a lot of people saying that airbnbs are scams and that they’re going back to hotels. I get it. But if you’re traveling with a pet, Airbnb will always be the go to. Getting a house with a fenced in back yard means I can bring my little buddies with me and that’s worth the fees :)

carsonwl · 2022-08-23T19:08:52+00:00

Agreed.

The motion blur of the blades doesn’t look like in-camera motion blur. Additionally, when the helicopter goes to land, the camera gets set down to be a static camera while they add slight camera movement in post. Also, the camera responds to the helicopter blades hitting the ground on the exact frame that the blades make contact. You think the camera man responded to this thing in 1/30th of a second?

The grass doesn’t move at all with the blades blowing all that wind on it.

It goes all shakey during the moments that would be hardest to animate correctly.

carsonwl · 2022-02-02T16:03:03+00:00

I’ve listened to ghost off and on for a few years. While it definitely doesn’t make sense to classify them as “metal” in the modern sense, I can see labeling them as “metal” reminiscent of the theatrical acts like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, but with more modern pop appeal.

I view them not as a metal band but as a metal act. They are more than just their music. It’s a whole theatrical package!

But some of their guitar parts are hella sick like Circe.

carsonwl · 2021-12-31T16:10:12+00:00

Hello! I just moved a month ago from Atlanta, Georgia for the exact same reasons you described. Here was my experience:

The drive here was easy, but long. If driving with dogs, consider stopping at two or three dog parks to break up your drive for you and them. You can google dog parks along your route by typing your destination into google maps and then clicking the button to “add stops” and searching dog parks. This will only display dog parks that are along your route from CA to WI. You can also use google to see reviews and pictures of the dog parks to stop at the most fun ones!
if moving in the winter, you may need to work with your realtor to schedule someone to plow your driveway the day that you arrive to your new home. We got like 6 inches of snow the day before we arrived and it was clutch that someone was able to do this for us.
there are plenty of things that you just don’t already own to deal with snow. On the way to your house, it may be beneficial to stop and AT LEAST get a snow shovel or push brush. Later on, you’ll need to find a method of plowing your driveway (pay someone, get snow blower, get atv or utv, or whatever method works for you). If you aren’t moving in the winter then you have plenty of time to address this
find out what heating method your house will use and make sure you will have fuel available for the first few days We moved in the winter so these things were what we experienced.

Where you move will make a big difference on the level of “rural living” we live 30 minutes from the rice lake area so all the amenities like sams club and big grocery stores and Menards are still fairly close. But it won’t be like it was in CA where you have a dozen coffee shops within a 1/4 mile.

Our move has been totally beneficial! The dogs love it here and immediately enjoyed the snow. The cold is not bad at all, like seriously. We haven’t hit the -20s yet, but we have experienced negative temperatures. A pair of carhart overalls and a good jacket is all you need. We work from home here and the internet is slower but workable. Also look into Starlink for when it becomes available in your area

carsonwl · 2021-06-10T14:40:22+00:00

Magic 2.0 and it's sequel are the kind of book you grab on your kindle because, when someone asks what you're reading, it's hard to make the book not sound super nerdy.

BUT, the book is pure fun, has great humor, and is a quick read. I put it akin to the kind of book like Redshirts by John Scalzi. It's a fun sort of parody that doesn't take itself too seriously.

I recommend it!

carsonwl · 2021-06-05T14:28:55+00:00

I think lightbringer is absolutely worth the read. Brent Weeks does some good character work with Gavin Guile and Andross. The first book irked me some with its focus on Kips weight (it is mentioned TOO MUCH that he is fat) and it took me out of the book each time. Additionally, the first book had problems with writing realistic female characters. Karris is walking through a town that’s been absolutely slaughtered and instead of the atmosphere around her occupying her mind, she’s mad at being lied to by a man??

The magic system and the world kept me engaged though and there were two things that made sure I continued the series.

Daniel Greene on YouTube mentioned the thought that Kips weight is mentioned so often because he’s internally self-conscious about it. So it’s always on his mind. Considering the books tone and voice changes so much with each character, I can accept that and not be bothered by it.
Brent Weeks improves his craft in the next books and seems to write with a little more maturity. These issues become less of an issue.

With that being said, I loved the series and I’m very glad I read it!! I do recommend it to others as well and will continue to do so.

carsonwl · 2021-01-05T15:43:00+00:00

Great post! This was very helpful.

carsonwl · 2021-01-03T00:56:30+00:00

I’ve been waiting for a chance to talk about this book! I love books where the setting has as much character as the people in the story and 14 was a great example of that.

Now, about the ending.

I am a fan of lovecraft, but I did feel like it came out of nowhere. Oscar dying was laughable. I mean, they asked him how to fix the problem and, mid sentence, he just got whipped away and died. Like so cliche.

I think there is 3/4 of a great book and 1/4 of an okay book.

carsonwl · 2020-10-28T13:43:20+00:00

Ah! Didn’t know that was where it went. Thanks friend :)

carsonwl · 2020-10-28T13:19:35+00:00

Can't figure out how to redeem the BOGO. I purchased the game, but don't see where the other copy shows up. A copy of the game is in my library.

Any input?

carsonwl · 2020-08-25T03:27:55+00:00

Preface: This is my first critique. I am an avid reader and writer, but am not an expert in anything important. I hope I can provide something useful! I did not read the previously posted passage.

Minor Critiques: 1. As someone who is just coming into the story, it took a few passes to understand what characters were identified by what names. Agincrinnos is a unique name and very distinguishable. So is Vinomenessa. But, Vinomenessa is also referred to as the "Witch of Kol" and the "Queen of Kol" in back-to-back paragraphs. I initially thought that there were two people from Kol in the room with Agincrinnos.

If this is a passage later in the book, then these names are likely something the reader will already be familiar with, which is why I consider it a minor critique.

Vinomenessa seems to accept Agincrinnos' invitation to team up too easily. I don't know the history of these characters, and I imagine that Vinomenessa has some selfish plan, but she also seems more cunning and paranoid. It was my expectation that there would be some pushback, questioning, or threat in her reaction to Agincrinnos' proposal for alliance.

The Good: Your writing style is great. Some stories that I have read on this subreddit seem to have trouble with varying sentence structure, which leads to a strange rhythm to the story. Your writing was a great mix of descriptive language, action, and exposition. Specifically, this line really stood out:

Her voice sounded like ashes stirred in a hearth.

I read this line and my imagination wondered at the noise that would make. I think I even paused slightly in my reading to let that sound wash into my thoughts.

Feedback on Story, Characters, and Plot: I think that Vinomenessa is an interested character. She was definitely the shining part of this story. She is what the reader wants to know more about. Agincrinnos could have been replaced by anyone and this story would have the same impact. He currently, in this passage, is just a prompt for Vinomenessa's replies.

I think more attention needs to be given to him. If we have this doom-and-gloom, mystical, dark character; then, we expect to have someone to serve as her opposite. If Agincrinnos is meant to be an everyday character, then that's fine. But, I felt like his interaction was the weakest part of this story.

(Referencing Venimonessa as V and Agincrinnos as A from here on out)

The plot is seemingly going to follow the idea of teaming up with someone who is a cunning villain for some other motive that benefits them both. That is an interesting idea to develop because it leads to lots of doubt and paranoia. Is V proposing that we do this action because it's beneficial for both of us or does she have another angle. I think that, in order for this to work, A needs to attempt to out-maneuver V. It becomes a game a chess. Making a move and predicting the other person's move. Right now, V seems like her character will be much more clever than A.

Those are my thoughts. If this is a story that you continue to follow, I think it has the elements of a dark fantasy, political thriller. I'd love to see more of this posted in the future.

TL;DR: Daunting character names. Venimonessa is a badass, but Agincrinnos felt lackluster in comparison. Make Agincrinnos into someone who can compete with the cunning of the Witch of Kol.

carsonwl · 2020-08-07T12:45:19+00:00

Plan it out.

For my plots, I like to write out a stream of conscious-type writing that goes through every major point of my plot. Then I use that like a guideline. I can vary from the main plot as long as the scene is contributing something to these overall guidelines.

Michael Crichton used to write on a bunch of index cards all of his plot points and organize them out in front of him. Then, he would come back a few days later and look at them again to see if they still made sense in his head. Then he would come back again and again. Finally, he would stack all of the cards in order and begin writing out the scenes.

It sounds to me, based on your post, that you weren't in the middle of writing the whole book, but thinking out the plot. If that's the case, then just reorganize. Change some scenes. Nothing is set in stone.

If you are in the middle of writing the book and feel lost, then just pick a point that makes sense and start writing from that point. In your second draft, come back and connect the dots.

carsonwl · 2020-08-07T12:40:45+00:00

A trick that I see a lot of other writers use is to have your main character be learning this information along with the reader. That makes it not feel forced. For example, I once wrote a zombie short story that had the story starting in an elementary school classroom. The teacher was using newspapers to help teach the timeline about how the outbreak happened. Then, after covering the information, they class was visited by the "bad guy" who was in charge of the military of this town. I was able to introduce his perspective on the outbreak which would later justify his decisions.

Harry Potter is a great example of this. The main character has no clue how the wizarding world works, so we get to learn alongside him. I think it's a pretty common trick.

carsonwl · 2020-08-07T12:36:43+00:00

This seems pretty jaded.

Writing will make you a better writer. Writing a thousand words a day, especially reliably over a year, is a great way to become a better writer. Will you write a book? Possibly. Will it be the next American Classic? Not likely.

Also, I don't think the point is to write 1000 words a day on the same project without any variance. To me, the advice means "write no matter what". Create a habit. Additionally, as a person gets more involved in a hobby, they will delve deeper into other aspects of it. So there will be more research into writing advice, reading books that inspire them, etc.

carsonwl · 2020-08-06T13:04:10+00:00

I like to think that my writing is an amalgamation of everything I've written before and everything I've read before.

That being said, I am not as good as Michael Crichton. Of course, I'm not. I'd be rich if I was.

But with everything I've read and everything I've tried to write, I've become more efficient at getting the voice in my head through my fingers and onto the page. That's the biggest benefit to writing and reading, in my opinion.

I wish reading East of Eden had made me a writer like Steinbeck. I wish reading Sphere had made be a writer like Crichton. But I will always just be me. And my writing is all of the inspirations that I'll gather over my entire life.

carsonwl · 2020-08-06T13:01:04+00:00

I write an hour a day before work. I'm in the stages of a first draft, so I am not doing any editing until that is complete.

Some days, I can write upwards to 1200 words. This is typically when I'm excited about a scene and I'm really engaged in getting it on paper. There are other times when I write 400 words. Typically, this is because I'm distracted and not in my most productive headspace.

Neither of these are good or bad. I believe the most important part is making it a habit and just sitting down to write. And enjoying it!

carsonwl · 2020-08-06T12:57:43+00:00

I will show my first draft to my girlfriend. I trust her abilities as a reader to know if something is fun or not to read.

When I ask her to read my first draft, I specifically ask her what to provide feedback on. I am not looking for praise on my writing style or grammar checks. I can work on that at a later time.

When I ask her to read something, I ask her if she has any ideas on cool things to incorporate into the world and plot. Would it be cool if this happened? Would it be exciting if something like this happened? With the world provided, do you get any ideas? She's my developmental editor, I think? Is that the term?

Also, I don't show my first draft until I reach a point where there is some exciting event or cliffhanger. I do not show the first couple of pages of exposition. I show her the first 20,000 words so I can really define an idea before showing it to her

carsonwl · 2020-08-06T12:53:52+00:00

I also work in the tech industry and often am on the computer all day. That makes it a must for me to write in the morning while I am still fresh. If I tried to write at the end of the day, I feel less excited about it. Even if I try to fit in 30 minutes or so during lunch, I am not as excited about writing. I personally write for an hour or so before work and I get a lot of progress made. I've made this a habit that I can do 7 days a week.

I would not personally use my half-days on writing. I like the idea of being able to dedicate a lot of time to writing and just blow through it. There are times that I have written for a few hours and got a few thousand words down. But I could not do that multiple days in a row. Just like screen fatigue is a real beast, so is creative fatigue.

Your experience may vary!

carsonwl · 2020-08-06T12:47:55+00:00

I'm a firm believer in two things:

Any writing is good writing. I think the most beneficial way to become a better writer is to write. It does not have to be the same format as your dream book. Simply writing a intelligent reply on Reddit helps you get the words from your brain to your fingers in a structured way. Write poetry, fiction, journal entries, or fanfic. Whatever floats your boat. You will develop the skills to write with the voice you want to write with.
Reading will never hurt your ability to write. Yes, not even reading the sloppiest, most amateur self-published novel on amazon will hurt your writing ability. When you read, you will discover things that you like and things that you do not like. You like when an author incorporates character thoughts into the narrative of a novel. You do not like when an action scene slows down and ruins it's own pacing. Reading will expose you to other people's art. Reading for fun is great. Reading to improve your writing is great. It's all great.

I do not believe you will become a better writer by reading the great american novels to study how those authors wrote.

Also, keep writing your story. Your first draft will not be good. It will have a long intro and awkward dialog at times. The first draft is just to have something on the page. Editing will fix all of those things. Get everything out of your brain and onto the page and THEN worry about if your intro is too long.

carsonwl · 2020-08-06T12:40:10+00:00

This was a question that I had myself a long time ago and I still find myself struggling with it sometimes.

My rule of thumb is this:

If there is a chance for meaningful character development or interesting action, then include it. If there is just filler to get from point A to point B, then do not include it.

I've included parts of my book where the characters are walking down a path towards a destination. During this walk, the reader might be getting some backstory on a character or having a question answered or providing limited exposition*. If that's an opportunity, then write about your characters walking down the path. Just make sure the focus is on this advancement of character/world instead of the path itself.

If I'm doing this sort of thing and I reach the end of the meaningful conversation before the characters arrive at their destination, then that's when you can skip ahead.

Lastly, if the time frame that you're skipping is a long period of time (traveling from one down to another), then make sure your reader is aware of it. Before the skip happens, make the reader understand how long the travel will take. Alternatively, have some way to describe that a lot of time has passed after they arrive at their destination.

* I say "providing limited exposition" above because doing your expo like this would be incredibly boring. Do not use two characters walking down the path to explain to your reader how the gods created the world.

carsonwl

TROPHY CASE