How I Became - a Streamer.
How I Became - a Streamer with @meowsparky
Welcome to the ‘How I Became’ series where Billie talks to girls across New Zealand who are killing it in their chosen career and see how they got there!
Trying to decide what you ‘want to be when you grow up’ is hard enough as it is and your careers counsellor probably won’t have all the answers you need.
HIB aims to give you a bit of insight into different career paths and what it takes to get there.
In what’s perceived to be a male dominated industry, women actually make up almost 50% of the global gaming community with the rise of mobile gaming and women streamers. Putting the spotlight on women, Logitech G has released the Aurora Collection, a gorgeous range of gaming gear dedicated to the needs of women gamers first but gender inclusive. To celebrate we interviewed Logitech G ambassador and Twitch streamer Ally (@meowsparky) on what it’s like to be a female Twitch streamer in today’s world.
Firstly, what drew you to streaming?
I was a bored, only child and gaming unlocked this whole new world for me. I’ve continued gaming as an adult because it’s a really fun way to unwind and it’s also a really social activity for me now with online gaming and discord.
What subjects did you take in high school that you think helped?
Design, photography and graphics all helped with my streaming career. Being a streamer isn’t just playing games. It’s also building a brand and marketing yourself.
What did your pathway towards starting your career look like?
I just started streaming for fun and to make likeminded friends. When I found my niche on Twitch and really started building a viewership is when I realised streaming was becoming more than just a little hobby for me.
What did you study/where/how long did it take?
I got a degree in Design Innovation specialising in Media Design at Victoria University.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Making so many amazing friends from all over the world! People I share so much in common with and I probably never would have found them if I hadn’t put myself out there with streaming.
What’s the hardest part?
Strangers invading my privacy and being harassed. Unfortunately, 99% of your audience can be the most amazing, kind and respectful people but there will always be that 1% that are unhinged. You never think that will happen to you as a small streamer but it’s crazy how obsessive some people can be.
It can be hard to get taken seriously sometimes as gaming is seen as such a male dominated industry when actually women and gender diverse players make up almost 50% of the community. But great to see brands like Logitech G spotlight women and gender diverse players with the Aurora collection and help to change this perception.
What surprised you most about your job once you started working?
How rewarding yet exhausting streaming is. Streaming is so much fun but after a stream I can feel really drained and I need some alone time to recover. That might be because I’m an introvert and streaming require me to talk a lot.
What does an average day look like for you?
An average streaming day for me looks like this. I get up in the morning and have my breakfast and check my emails. Often, I will have sponsorship emails to reply to or analytics I need to send. Then I will spend a while doing my makeup and planning out an outfit. I film some content for other platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. I post reminders on all my social platforms that I will be streaming that evening. I drink a Redbull so I have energy for the stream and get my stream room and computer ready. That involves getting all my lighting and camera set up (I use a Logitech Streamcam), picking a stream title and category and getting all my bots and stream software loaded. I post that I’m live on Twitch and broadcast. Afterwards I zone out like a zombie for an hour and eat a snack.
What advice would you give to those looking to follow a similar career path?
Start streaming for fun not just for success. Be consistent with your stream schedule! You don’t need to be broadcasting every day but you do need to be consistent with the days and times you broadcast.
Utilise all social platforms to bring new viewers to your stream. Even when you have 0 viewers make sure you’re always chatting and being entertaining while you game as that’s how you’ll keep people that click into your stream. And don’t be too hard on yourself! It takes time to grow an audience.
What are the biggest challenges in your opinion to getting into streaming?
Beginning with 0 viewers and not seeing that number grow for a while can be disheartening. Don’t give up! Finding your niche can also take some time and be a challenge. Lastly, dealing with hate. It can be hard to read so many horrible things about yourself. If you can, recruit a friend to mod for you so that it’s not too bad and remember the people typing out hate are only doing it because they’re unhappy with their own lives.
What kind of skills does your job require?
Not so much required as some of these skills I didn’t originally have but I developed them the more I streamed. Charisma, public speaking, troubleshooting tech problems, graphic design, photography, understanding of lighting and sound design, community building and being friendly.
What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?
When people send me messages saying how much my stream means to them or how much I’ve inspired them. If someone is having a terrible day and my stream cheered them up a little then I feel like I’ve succeeded.
What has been an absolute highlight of your career?
Interviewing Aimee Garcia for a brand at Armageddon. I’m a huge Lucifer fan and being flown out to host was an amazing experience and meeting a celebrity that I’m a huge fan of and having an in-depth interview was such an honour.
What’s an unexpected element to your job that people don’t realise you have to do?
Troubleshooting tech issues! I have so much equipment and an intense PC setup to give my stream a high quality. But tech has a tendency to have issues and it can happen while you’re live on stream. My advice is to remain calm while trying to solve it even when it’s frustrating.
Describe your job in three words
Exciting, rewarding and fun!
