In today’s Journal
* Quotes of the Day
* My First YouTube Video
* More About YouTube
* Of Interest
* The Numbers
Quotes of the Day
“Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and adventures are the shadow truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes and forgotten.” Neil Gaiman
“Just write one true sentence.” Ernest Hemingway
My First YouTube Video
You can see it at https://youtube[dot]com/live/NJj5bpcw4J4. Lasts all of maybe 6 minutes.
One thing I learned (on watching the video separately myself later) is not to turn the computer away from me while I’m talking. (grin) I pretty much muted myself. Lesson learned.
Also, a couple of folks mentioned it would be better if I lit-up my face. We’ll see. The next edition will be in the Hovel, which I keep naturally dark (so no backlighting issue).
The next one will be this morning (Friday) at 9 a.m. Arizona time, live from the Hovel. I’ll give you a little tour of the Hovel (at least the east end of it where my office is) and we’ll go from there. I hope you can join me.
More About YouTube
Although the following instructions are for a PC, you should have similar settings on any Apple product.
1. The following is contingent on you setting up a YouTube channel. It costs nothing and it isn’t difficult. I recommend these instructions from Google Support:
a. Sign in to YouTube on a computer or the mobile site.
b. Click your profile picture. Create a channel.
c. You’ll be asked to create a channel.
d. Check the details (with your Google Account name and photo) and confirm to create your channel. Then fill in all your account information, preferences, etc.
2. To broadcast over your channel, first, click Create (or the icon, which looks like a small video camera facing right with a + on it) in the upper right corner, and then click Go Live. YouTube will make you wait at least 24 hours the first time to go live, so go ahead and get this out of the way.
Note: I haven’t tried the Upload Videos, New Playlist, or New Podcast settings.
3. Once you’ve done that, be sure your computer has a webcam and a microphone. To check,
a. Click the Wndows icon in the lower left corner of your screen, then click Settings > Sound. Scroll down to Input. The box below that will display the name of your microphone(s).
b. If the box says “Disabled” or “Microphone Disabled,” click it and then click “Enable.” That should solve your problem.
c. If YouTube still doesn’t “see” your mic, right click on the Windows icon in the lower left corner of your screen.
1. From the ensuing pop-up menu, select Device Manager.
2. When the Device Manager opens, click the arrow to the left of “Audio inputs and outputs.” It will show one or more microphones (if your computer has one or more) and speakers.
3. Double-click the listed microphone, and then click the Drivers tab. When that opens, click Update Driver and select “Search automatically for drivers.”
4. If the Device Manager says your drivers are up to date and the mic still doesn’t work, go back to Settings > Windows Update and see whether it recommends an updated driver. (You can also go to the manufacturer of your PC. They usually have drivers available for download, but they don’t deliver them as a suppository the way Windows does.
d. Follow the directions, then close the Device Manager.
4. When all of that is done and YouTube recognizes your camera and your mic and you’re ready to “go live” or livestream for the first time, um, don’t. Trust me. (grin) Instead, do this:
a. Open your YouTube channel and click Create or the video camera icon and then click Go Live again. (If you didn’t do this earlier, you might have to wait 24 hours.)
b. On the next screen, click Start on either of the two options. I recommend the second option, Later Date. This will give you some much-needed flexibility.
c. On the next screen, click Go on either of the two options. I selected the first option, Built-in Webcam. That will lead you to the Create Stream page.
d. Check your details and edit if necessary. Be sure to scroll all the way down to see all the choices and boxes you have to tick. Click Next.
e. Check your preferred customization. Click next.
f. Select your Privacy setting. For the first one, you might want to click Private. Just sayin’. (grin). Then schedule it. Click Done.
Obviously, you can also go live instead of scheduling your video for later. Up to you.
That ought to do it.
Now, it’s your turn. If you find ways to fine-tune any of the above or if you encounter glitches I didn’t mention, please be as unabashedly unashamed about “failure” as I am and share.
After all, if you fail that only means you were bold enough to try in the first place. In my world, being bold trumps being timid at every turn. You may either comment on the blog itself at https://hestanbrough.com/more-on-you-tube or email me at harveystanbrough@gmail.com.
Talk with you later.
Of Interest
See “Smith’s Monthly” at https://deanwesleysmith.com/smiths-monthly-2/.
See “Happy Summer Solstice” and “Exciting News” at https://preview.mailerlite.com/e4w9k6x9p3/2242955214334204186/k8j0/.
See “Along with the standard computer warranty agreement” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/along-with-the-standard-computer-warranty-agreement/.
The Numbers
The Journal…………………………………… 890
Writing of Rose Padilla (WCG10SF5)
Day 1…… 4283 words. Total words to date…… 4283
Day 2…… 3963 words. Total words to date…… 8246
Day 3…… 1463 words. Total words to date…… 9709
Day 4…… 2445 words. Total words to date……12154
Total fiction words for June……… 12154
Total fiction words for 2023………… 110022
Total nonfiction words for June… 16100
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 125520
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 235542
Calendar Year 2023 Novels to Date…………………… 2
Calendar Year 2023 Novellas to Date……………… 0
Calendar Year 2023 Short Stories to Date………… 4
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………………………………… 73
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)………………………………… 9
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……………………… 221
Short story collections……………………………………………… 31
Disclaimer: I am a prolific professional fiction writer. On this blog I teach Writing Into the Dark, adherence to Heinlein’s Rules, and that following the myths of fiction writing will slow your progress as a writer or stop you cold. I will never teach the myths on this blog.