Trying To Turn My Creativity Into A Full Time Job: Looking for Citiques & Advice

chrismsx

All of my life I've always been known as "the creative one" amongst my friends and family. So naturally when it came time to pick a career I tried to choose something in the "creative field". I graduated from college with a degree in Graphic Design & Digital Communication in 2007. I am currently working Full time as a graphic designer and part time as a web designer, commercial illustrator and videographer. While financially lucrative, none of these jobs are particularly creative ( at least not in the way I imagined). In fact they are mostly technical, which leaves me with a lingering need to do something creative outside of work.

This year I started recording music, illustrating nerdy t-shirt designs and making youtube videos....all of which I love. 3 months ago I decided I should just throw myself completely into my "art" because these hobbies left me feeling 100 times more fulfilled than my full time and part time jobs ever have. I have since discovered that you can make a living from youtube of you can become popular enough...so I've been focused on that recently coupled with attending different conventions and selling my t-shirt designs.

It's been a tough climb and last night while reading up on other youtubers I found a guy that has less than half my output (I release 2-3 new videos weekly...he does 1 every month) but has way more subscribers and hits and I suddenly became discouraged because it felt like I didn't need to be putting as much in or that what I was doing was secretly subpar. Bah anyway, my ultimate question is does anyone have any experience turning their creativity into their full time job and more directly, has anyone here done this with youtube, recently? I'm looking for tips and encouragement without resorting to cheap tricks or spamming. I hear a good way to get people that genuinely like your videos is to market to blogs and related media. I'm note even sure where to start with that. I've sent e-mails to blogs but have never heard anything back.

I'd also like critiques so I can learn what I'm doing wrong or where I can improve on my content.

For reference: My channel

Latest Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a-UfSppo0w

Marslo

I found the "the 50 things a design student should know." thing by Jamie Wieck fairly intresting, there some advice and some encouragement as well. Just take some of what is stated with a grain of salt. But its still all around good advice for any kind of creative flied.

Also the tedtalk by Simon Sinek a marketing consultant is also inspirational.

Personally i do industrial design, visual arts and furniture building, so i couldn't really help you with youtube.