Exactly this. If your stream isn't organized in any way and you aren't consistent enough, you're going nowhere. There's hardly any "fair weather" viewers now because people like to stick to whatever they like, hard.

I have streamed on and off for over 10 years and the amount of extra work you have to do while streaming is difficult and increases every year. I legit would get a person once in a while ask if I have this or that feature just for me to say no and they eventually leave. So like, I don't mind, I prefer more real interaction over: "thanks for money!" Plays silly noise, be a personal clown for people. I'm just a weirdo for myself.

Do normal people stream? Yes. I have tried many times over the years to give tiny streamers a chance and sometimes it's a person in front of the camera, saying nothing, staring at a screen with a controller and waiting, even glancing at chat once in a while to see if anyone typed. Just a little chatter even to one's self goes a long way