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One of the biggest mistakes people starting out on YouTube make
is to try to copy one of the big names.
The logic is that if Ray William Johnson can become famous by reviewing viral videos,
so can anyone.
But it doesn’t work like that, because that’s trying to become famous
by copying somebody else;
and RWJ did not become famous by copying somebody else,
he became famous by doing something he was good at
and doing it better than anyone else.
Now, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch other videos and get inspiration from them —
in fact, you absolutely should —
but you do need to understand the difference between inspiration and plagiarism.
For example, I’m very impressed by the way in which people like...
...Vi Hart can talk about a subject most people consider to be very boring,
but present it in a way that makes it seem fun.
I could learn a lot from Vi Hart,
but what would happen if I tried to copy her doodles and quirky sense of humour?
The inevitable result is that I would fail.
I like to think that I have a sense of humour,
but I’m not Vi Hart — at least, not last time I looked.
And if I tried to copy her, it would always seem unnatural.
It wouldn’t be me.
It would always look contrived, and my viewers would notice.
By all means pay attention to what the big names are doing and how they are doing it,
but the content and style should be yours.
You should be talking about something that genuinely interests you,
not something that you think might interest somebody else.
Now, finding your own style is going to be a bit trickier.
It might take months of videomaking
before you discover what it actually is that makes up your own unique style.
It took me years.
My breakthrough came when I finally realised that what I should be fixing is not my style,
but my preparation.
You see... uh... basically, I was making videos... um...
...like this.
And, uh...
Well, basically, actually, you know, sort of, like, they were, kind of, you know...
...sort of, uh...
I mean, they were terrible.
So then I thought I had to talk really fast
because Hank Green talks really fast and he’s really successful
and I thought if I talked as fast as Hank Green then I would be as successful as him.
I think we can all agree that I’m not Hank Green.
So what I do is to prepare beforehand.
I have a script written out here, which I can refer to whenever I need to;
I read through it several times before I start filming;
and I do multiple takes of each paragraph so I can pick the best one.
And I do multiple takes of each paragraph so I can pick the best one.
And I do multiple takes of each paragraph so I can pick the best one.
And I do multiple takes of each paragraph so I can pick the best one.
And I do multiple takes of each paragraph so— (cough)
But I talk in my own voice at my own pace,
just without all the um... ah... uh...
hum... urgh... ack!
So, basically, don’t try to copy other people.
Take inspiration from them, get ideas from them,
but don’t copy them: be yourself.
Or rather: be a well-rehearsed version of yourself.
Now, finding your own style is tricker.
And... lots of other things I was going to say.
So basically, don’t try to copy other people.
And whatever.
I could learn a lot from Vi Hart.
But not the rest of this line.
But the content and style should be yours.
You should be talking about something that you’re genu...uuh... argh...
then I would become just as successful as him.
then I would be as successful as him.
I would be as successful as him.
I would be as suck-essful as him. Oh, bloody hell!
So then I thought I had to talk really fast because Hank Green talks really fast
and he’s really suck-ess... Bloody hell!
that I would be as successful as him.
then I would be as successful as him.