It took over 5 attempts to record my recent video. And after all of that, I still forgot to clean up the audio. Did you notice? Should I take it down, edit and reupload?
It takes so much effort for me to produce a video like this. I’m working around my noisy heater, my kids’ school- and sleep schedules—I often wonder what the experience is like for professional video editors who have a quiet space, time, and elaborate ergonomic setups.
Today’s newsletter will be short. Just a quick update on the romcom table read and my YouTube monetization journey.
🚩🚩🚩Every Relationship Red Flag in ‘Meet Me Next Christmas’
My new favorite romcom has some issues.
Romcom Table Read Update
This week, I’d like you to focus on helping me cast for the male romantic leads: Rocco, and Chris. The audition deadline is Friday, January 31, 2025.
ROCCO GIBBS (36/male/Black/male romantic lead) — On paper, Rocco meets all the requirements of a high-value man. He’s well-built, fashion-forward without being pretentious. He’s tall, cultured, and educated. He’s a seeker of knowledge, a hopeless romantic looking for a running partner. His willingness to help and be a hero makes him approachable and lovable.
CHRIS MITCHAM (37/male/Black/supporting ) — What’s not to love about this high-value man? He’s Dark skinned, tall, and hella ripped–he looks like a Black erotica novel cover model. Confident. Not jealous. Ready to settle.
Casting is so exciting and anxiety-inducing. I get a rush whenever an actor submits for a role because it tells me that my characters are appealing. It’s fun to meet the person who might embody my character and memorialize them in our collective memory.
On the other hand, I feel anxious when multiple actors submit for a role because I have to choose one and send rejection notices to all the others.
Important links:
- Casting call: Oniciamuller.com/ripdd-scripts
- Audition form: Oniciamuller.com/ripdd-submit
YouTube Journey Update
For a YouTube channel to be monetized, I need 500 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. The table below shows a summary of my progress.
| YouTube Monetization Goal | Week 2 of 16 | Week 3 of 16 | Progress |
| 500 Subscribers | 271 | 274 | + 3 |
| 4,000 Watch hours | 20.3 | 28.6 | + 8.3 |
Thanks for helping my YouTube channel grow in views and subscribers! My geriatric Millennial heart is full.
I decided to do an audit of my top-performing videos. My analysis shows it take a moderate amount of effort to edit most of my videos. And, from my recollection, the enjoyability of the process is also moderate. That said, my views might have been a bit skewed just because it took so much effort to record my latest video.
The ‘enjoyability’ score factors in effort during production, feelings about final quality, and feelings about how people react (or don’t react) to the video. I gotta say, a lot of joy is lost when it feels like my videos just die in the void. Like, what was the point of any of it?
In conclusion, although they take the most effort, I really enjoy doing #Scamsss with Devin and producing my original stories. Be them live-action, animated, or audio dramas.
I thought my big questions to you would be: What are you watching on YouTube? What sorts of videos do you think I should upload to let the world know I tell (funny) stories?
Now I think the big question is: what do you think I can/should do to bring more of my stories to life?
| Type/Genre | Example | Effort rating 5=very easy | Enjoyability 5=very enjoyable | Viewership stats |
| Scripted audio drama | La Diablesse | 3/5 | 4/5 | 3.7K in 54 months |
| Video podcast | Scamsss | 4/5 | 4/5 | 2.5K in 41 months |
| Pop culture commentary | Love Is Blind | 4/5 | 3/5 | 1K in 14 months |
| Story Time | Lil Fizz M@nhole | 3/5 | 2/5 | 762 in 24 months |
| Stand-up performance | Call Center Drama | 3/5 | 3/5 | 541 in 116 months |
| Short film | Good Island Gyal | 2/5 | 3/5 | 164 in 14 months |
| Narrative short | Nonprofitable | 2/5 | 5/5 | 50 views in 2 months |
| Creative process (live) | writing a romantic comedy LIVE | 5/5 | 3/5 | 114 views in 12 months |
| AVERAGE | — | 3.3/5 | 3.4/5 | 36 views per month |
Story Time: Mexico, MSN Messenger, and Men of God
Finally, the guy of my dreams was single. If I could keep his attention for two weeks, maybe he’d ask me out on a date when we were both back home for Christmas.
Suckers Garden – Caribbean Audio Drama
A near-fatal carjacking forces a young man with lots of potential but a shady private life to choose between doing the right thing by helping a girl he barely knows and keeping his brother’s secret. “SUCKER’S GARDEN” is a relational drama surrounding the themes of loyalty through the admission and omission of details.
New children’s book: A Safer Place to Stay
Discover the enchanting underwater adventure of Mu, the healing star. After a meteor shower, Mu lands in the sea, using kindness and courage to clean the coral reef and revive its beauty.
In a Safer Place to Stay, Rachel Osbourne debuts as both author and illustrator in this heartwarming tale of transformation and love for the environment.
Carry On Friends podcast turns 10!
Get your headphones ready, more Caribbean American experiences are coming you way! The first episode of the podcast was launched on January 13, 2015. Celebrate this Caribbean cultural institute and keeper of we stories by buying merch. I recently purchased my 2nd Carry On Friends journal. The merch quality is so good you can’t tell which journal is over 6 years old and which is barely 2 weeks old.
Learn to write a screenplay the easy way
In these easy-to-follow e-books, experienced Story Editor and produced screenwriter, Diane De La Haye shares her best story tips. New screenwriters can learn how to write a movie script or screenplay the easy way. Budding Producers can learn script coverage tips that help you find and picks stories worth producing.
Pssst, it’s Diane’s birthday month. Celebrate my friend by sharing her books with aspiring writers.
