Flame Con: Streaming as a Hobby or Career
Due to… the state of the world, this year’s Flame Con went virtual. I was honestly really looking forward to going to New York to do this panel, but there’s a pandemic. Everything changed. Thankfully, they were able to pivot and hold the event online!
I’ve done the Streaming as a Hobby or Career panel a few times at BlerdCon and MAGFest, moderated by my friend Tanya, so it wasn’t difficult to talk about, and it was nice to get used to doing a virtual panel. It’s a different feeling and energy than when you’re at a table in person, microphone in front of you and a crowd who may or may not be hanging on your every word–or depending on the convention, just holding a good seat for whatever more popular panel is in the room after yours.
A lot of people think Streaming is easy, you just turn on the console, PC, get a cam and go! We’ll have a real, maybe difficult-to-hear [conversation] on what actually goes into streaming whether or not you consider it a serious hobby or want to make a career out of it.
Join this discussion led by moderator Tanya DePass (cypheroftyr) Founder and Director of I Need Diverse Games and featuring panelists:
Vanessa Brasfield (PleasantlyTwstd)
Brian Gray (urbanbohemian)
GenericNerd
Omega Jones (CriticalBard)
Kandi Williams (DiceyAmazons)
We had a fun hour of chatting, we had a nice mix of people who see it as a hobby, but are also moving in more focused ways on developing their stream. Twitch as a career is a lot of work and focus, but due to COVID-19, a lot more people find themselves inside, and they are looking for not only a creative outlet, but something that can help supplement their income. And I’m excited to see how streaming evolves due to this new influx of content creators.
If you’re not already following me on Twitch, you should be, I’m delightful. But if you ever have questions about streaming, maybe our panel will help. There’s maybe some sobering truths, but the real talk about making streaming something you enjoy even if only as a hobby is definitely valuable.
Having done the panel a few times now, if asked again, I might bow out and give different people a chance to talk about their experiences, but… not gonna lie, it depends on where the convention is. Once we can travel again, I am off this couch and on a plane/train! 
