TURNING HESITATION INTO GROWTH: MY FIRST STEPS ON YOUTUBE

 

This year, I finally decided to take YouTube more seriously and explore it in a meaningful way. I had created a YouTube channel some time ago, but back then, I wasn't really focused on making videos. It was more of a casual interest, something I had but didn’t fully engage with. A few years ago, I had experimented with video creation—I made and uploaded a few videos, but I wasn’t consistent or serious about it. There wasn’t a strong direction or goal behind what I was doing at the time, and eventually, that interest faded into the background.

However, over time, something began to shift. I found myself spending more time on YouTube, not just watching videos, but specifically listening to audio novels. I became quite fascinated by them. I admired the calm, immersive storytelling and how people used only their voices to hold the listener’s attention. That inspired me to think—could I do something like this? The idea kept growing in my mind. I was hesitant at first, especially because I never considered my voice to be particularly good. I felt self-conscious, and for a while, that stopped me from even trying. But then I thought: everyone starts somewhere, and improvement only comes with practice.

So, I finally made the decision to try. I bought a microphone—not a very expensive one, just something decent to get started—and set up a small space in my room to begin recording. At first, it was much harder than I expected. Speaking clearly and with the right emotion was challenging. I had to repeat many lines, and sometimes I would spend hours on just a few minutes of audio. I found myself wondering how other creators made it seem so effortless. But instead of getting discouraged, I took it as a challenge. I started practicing regularly—speaking out loud, recording myself, listening back, and trying to improve each time.

Eventually, I began uploading my work. So far, I’ve published nine audio recordings on my channel. Some of them I’m really proud of—they turned out well and received positive feedback. Others were more average, and I can clearly see areas where I could have done better. But what’s important is that each recording taught me something new. Every upload was a step forward, not just in content creation, but in personal growth.

Throughout this journey, I’ve learned a lot. One of the biggest lessons was about sound quality—how important it is and how to achieve it with the tools I have. I learned how to control my voice, how to edit out background noise, and how to make the audio feel smooth and professional. I also picked up skills in visual design. Even though my content is audio-based, the presentation matters a lot on YouTube. I learned how to create thumbnails, choose fonts, select background images, and make titles that are both attractive and relevant.

Another valuable lesson was in writing. I had to plan what I wanted to say, write scripts, and sometimes even rewrite them to make sure the story flowed well. Writing for audio is very different from writing for reading—it's more conversational, more intimate—and I had to learn how to make that work. Slowly, these skills came together, and I started to feel more confident.

Even though I still have a long way to go, I can say that this experience has helped me grow—not just in technical ability, but also in patience, discipline, and self-belief. Creating audio content for YouTube has pushed me out of my comfort zone and into a space where I'm constantly learning and evolving. It’s a journey that started with hesitation, but now it's something I genuinely enjoy and want to continue developing.