Closing up PeggyTeachesChinese?
Friday, August 27, 2010 at 2:16PM Midnight, I dragged my tired body home from a day of filming outdoor under the sun and the heat. We filmed in Danshui today, a tourists’ hot spot in Taipei which is about an hour and 30 minutes away from where I live. I felt so beat! I needed a hot shower! On my way home on the train, I had a thought.
A thought of closing up my YouTube channel hit me again. I actually had this thought after my boyfriend who had been working on this with me from the very beginning and I split up and I had to search for a new producer. You may have noticed, I did not upload any new videos for a while because I was under this hectic search. I was yet lucky to have been introduced to this production crew in Taipei via a friend. Two of my latest Mandarin lessons with a better audio sound are their products. But question: how much does Peggy pay them to make videos for her YouTube channel? The answer is I provide my compensation to their professional skills and equipments with my sweat, energy and time. I have thereby begun to make videos for a new channel they recently launched called discoverformosa in which I am presented as a host. And that’s what I was out for a day to film today.
Because I rent a small room near my school in Taoyuan, whenever I am assigned to film something for my YouTube or the company’s traveling videos, I have to take a train ride to Taipei then the subway to the studio. Today, I left my place at noon and did not make it home until it was almost midnight. I was out with the crew all day under the weather of 30 plus Celsius degree. I had fun but it was very exhausting! I realized that I am spending triple or even more time than before in order to keep this YouTube channel going. I have to journey to Taipei to film and edit my YouTube videos; in addition, I have to travel to Taipei and spend nearly a day filming videos for the crew as the deal. I have begun to worry if any of this is going to intrude my education after I get back to school in a few weeks?
I have been in YouTube business since February, 2009. It’s been more than a year. I know there are many people out there are also trying to become a YouTube partner and hoping to make 100,000 USD a year like some of the very well known YouTubers. PeggyTeachesChinese has come a long way and has finally been accepted as a partner in May, 2010. I celebrated in tears and with joy because it means I finally stand a chance to start making some income from making videos for YouTube. However, I believe many viewers have the comprehension that “once you are a YouTube partner, you are making tons of money!” which is incorrect because the videos generate little or no income if nobody “accidentally” clicks on the advertisings. With that fallacy, many of my viewers therefore believe that Peggy is making tons of income and lives in an extravagant lifestyle because she could even afford professional production company to produce her videos and they are probably paying her to host for them. As I said, I am only making those videos in return as my compensation for their making the lessons you have been watching lately. It’s a done deal. I will tell you how much I have made from YouTube’ I have now earned 180.79 USD since my last payment in June. Between which, I have spent so much of my summer working in order to keep it going. I didn’t want to give it up because of a breakup; besides, so much effort and time have been invested.
You all have seen me in the videos. I have a strong passion for teaching Mandarin and broadcasting Taiwanese culture. I have a great deal of fun while making those videos and what truly keeps me moving forward is that strong sense of achievement when a video is finished editing, rendering, uploading and processing then I would start counting the views and read the comments. We all enjoy what we do when it’s something we hold enthusiasms for. But when tonight I came home extremely tired with only 400 NTD left in my pocket and 18 NTD in my account balance, I could not help but wonder if it’s all worth it? My time, my money, my energy and my mind? Is it time to start to think realistically when my passion is taking up too much of everything without helping me get by easier? As a full time college student who lives independently alone, responsibilities monthly knock on my door just as they do on others, do I NOT have to begin thinking realistically? Money. I need money to pay the bills and put clothes on my back. If you wonder how I survived all along throughout my college life, I have been wise enough to study hard, lucky enough to receive some amount of scholarship each semester, smart enough to sign up for countless English speech contests and brave enough to have won a few grand as the prize. I have also been capable enough to tutor Mandarin on Skype and make some allowance out of those lessons. As for YouTube? It’s been there and it doesn’t help me with my living. Today I had to phone a good friend of mine who only makes 105 NTD per hour and loan some money. I envied him for a moment; at least he is getting paid, I thought.
My YouTube channel, PeggyTeachesChinese is still growing, slowly and reluctantly. If I want to continue it, it’s going to take so much of my time and energy to keep it running.
As my exhaustion and frustration are getting released after I finished typing this blog, would I have a more positive thought tomorrow morning after a few hours of sleeping?
I hope I do.
Peggy Lee, YouTube, peggyteacheschinese, thought, videos in Announcements
Reader Comments (15)
Perhaps it is time to take your endeavors to a new level? If the work you need to do to get production for your videos is too much, maybe you should find like-minded people and organize a group. You need not do everything yourself. Find people who are interested in the same things and team up. Sign up to projects that can use your talents but which have other talented people already invested in them. Get involved in the right projects and find your dreams realized. Baby steps. You've already done so much with your YouTube Channel, so your talent is obvious. Have confidence in your ability to go even further. Just food for thought. I'm sure you'll do very well.
Peggy,
For the past three years, I've been throwing all of my spare time and energy into making my web sites a success. I make money through my web sites, but it doesn't even come close to compensating for all of the hard work I put into them.
What does make it worthwhile, though, are my readers. The rewards that I have reaped may not be financial in nature, but I've made new friends and acquaintances all over the world, I've received love and support from them in many different kinds of ways, I've landed jobs that I wouldn't have even considered doing ten years ago, and the free products I receive are a nice incentive as well.
Like you, I hit a plateau. I was so busy maintaining my web sites that I wondered if it was all worth it. I decided to persevere and I've never regretted my decision. I can only begin to imagine how busy you are at the moment, but I just want to say that I love what you do, you're talented, you have drive and I hope you don't give up now. I hope that things will get easier for you and I know that success is just around the corner. Don't lose faith in your ability to get things done and if there's anything that John or I can do to make things easier on us, we're only a phone call away. xx
Time, it’s always a problem. It would be a pity if you gave this up, there are so few Taiwan based teachers on the internet. And your video’s are always interesting.
I hope your able to sort something out.
Hi Peggy. Thanks recently for all your hard work. Working to achieve your dreams and goals is all we really have in life. I find those times of the month when bills are due very depressing too, but to me the reality is in achieving. All other things are inconvenienes along the way which help me grow to the level i need to be to achieve further. What ever you decide to do, however you decide to do it, dont give up your dreams or goals. God Bless.
Pay-gee-
Don't get upset. Sometimes you have to grind and grind and hustle and hustle. Then have a little bit of fun to relax. I speak for many people when i say that we'd be sad if your youtube videos go away.
Don't give up. Your style of teaching is the best that I have found on learning Mandarin on youtube. And it is important that a Taiwanese perspective be out there. The PRC stuff is often pedantic, dull and ignorant of Western learning modes to be of any use to a Westerner. If you work on your video production skills, especially the sound, you should be able to get away with making your own without expending excessive energy and time. Please keep it up if you can.
Peggy
you are a great teacher and very interesting to watch. You make learning fun and many people have benifited from your hard work. I hope you will soon reap the rewards and continue to bring your language to the masses. I would also like a bikini pic of you to inspire me to learn more ^_^
I wasn't much into the Chinese lessons, as there are so many professional alternatives out there, but I did like the Discover Formosa alot. It suits you well and you bring something into that that few others do.
From where I'm sitting, I think there's a decision for you to make. Is what you're doing about what you love doing or about making money. All the promises of making quick cash online are 99% hoaxes and after more than 6 years online with various blogs, communities and project I truly believe it's passion first, money later. Don't push yourself to do something for the money in it, only apply yourself if it's interesting and satisfying for you, and perhaps one day - money will follow. Youtube, especially, takes forever to record and edit, so I kept wondering where you got all that energy to go through with it.
There are a few of us Taiwan bloggers, some of who I know you're close to, who could maybe give you other tips as to their experience with monetizing their online presence. I strongly recommend you talk to them.
Hi Peggy,
i really like your videos.
It would be sad if you close your channel.
I wouldnt mind if you lower the number of videos you post online.
As other's wrote already, decide whatever you think you should do.
Can you earn any money teaching Mandarin in Taiwan? Can you do something else with your language abilities to earn money? I don't think it is a good idea to be bartering your labor in this way. It would be much better if you could develop an income stream and then use this money how you wanted.
Maybe you expected to make a lot of money from having a youtube channel. Unfortunately this is much more difficult than you might have thought. There is enormous competition for this sort of thing. Only a tiny, tiny percentage of youtube stars make decent money.
From my perspective one thing you can do is try to leverage your youtube channel for some other business. An example of this would be to organise private Chinese lessons. There are different problems with this such as a lot of Chinese learning now going to China instead of being in Taiwan as it was about 15 or 20 years ago.
I see that you offer private skype lessons. It might be good if you could try to develop this. Slowly develop a client base for this type of business.
This type of thinking means you should treat our youtube channel more as a special hobby. You shouldn't think of it as a career. You need to start thinking about how you are going to earn some money.
It is really good you have the youtube channel because as I said it might help you develop different things. For this reason you should really treasure it. It is extremely difficult for someone to get to the stage where you are now. Now you have to think about how it can help you earn an income, either directly or more likely indirectly.
I only offer these words as a suggestion. I do not know your current situation at all. The things I have suggested might be wrong for you because I don't know your exact situation. I am just telling you these things so you can have other ideas to think about when you make a decision.
Good Luck!
Discoverd your youtube lessons only recently, i love your way to teach!! think you are doing a great job and hope you find the way to keep this going (by the way, i'll click on the advertise now on!!)
good luck from Italy!
ciao!
Hello Peggy! just wanted to add some words of encouragement. You are a beautiful and intelligent girl, with a beautiful and bubbly personality to boot, so even if you do not continue your channel I think you will probably find fame and fortune in entertainment anyway. However, if you do continue your lessons, I think that you do not need to worry so much about the production aspect--its nice to see good editing and well planned filming, but really what makes your lessons great is you yourself. So, I think that if you just continue your lessons, but on a smaller, more impromptu scale, your channel will continue to grow. I studied chinese a bit in college, and still keep it up, but eventually switched to Japanese as it was easier for me. I don't study chinese actively anymore but have subscribed to your channel simply because it is so fun to watch your lessons and i find you a great teacher. I wish there were more teachers like you teaching other languages on the net, but you seem to be the exception to the rule! Anyway, good luck in your endeavors and please don't stress yourself out; you have our support!
thanks
Hi Peggy,
I fully agree with the comments above. Don't give up, you are truly talented. Success can be just around the corner.
You might slowdown a bit and support yourself and your studies with different temporary jobs, and still keep going working on your lessons and videos.
You already have outstanding and original content, your own videos. This is the most difficult part and you have already done it.
You just need to work out how to be more easily found on the internet. This is the easiest part!
My 2 cents: the name of your website is peggyteacheschinese.com. It is a wonderful name, but I guess most people on Google will search for "learn chinese" instead ... unless they are chinese teachers themselves so likely your competitors, not your customers ...
Besides, I had a quick search for "learn chinese" or even "teach chinese" on Google. I cannot find your website, even your videos on the video category, on the first 10 Google results pages.
Peggy, I have the feeling your lessons cannot be found so easily on the Internet, you just need to work on this.
All the best!
Luca
Hello Peggy,
Maybe it's time to ask for sponsorship? :) I thought you must have LOTS of viewer right now that can be shown as metrics to your presentation to sponsor. I really enjoyed your video. I hope you continue your lessons and maybe we can talk if you need help. ;) I post my email along this comment.
Warm regards from Yogyakarta, Indonesia. 日惹，印尼.
Both your videos and writings are of good quality. Please don't give up and continue more seriously than before. Best Wishes.