This week marks exactly one year since I quit
my "real job" and become a full-time cosplayer
and content creator.
It's hard to believe that it's been a year
already, because it feels like it's gone by
so fast.
You all have been so supportive and encouraging
from the moment that I first announced this
transition, so I just wanted to reflect on
the year a little and fill you in on how my
first year of self employment went.
If you recall from my announcement video,
which I will link in the cards in case you
need a refresher, I quit my job in mid-December
of 2016 to work full-time as a cosplayer,
YouTuber, singer, and just general content
creator.
Since then, a lot has happened.
Here are a few things that I did in 2017.
I created a cosplay that was a childhood dream
and that for a long time, I thought would
be impossible.
I've loved the centaurettes from Fantasia
since I was a little girl.
But cosplaying one complete with a horse body
seemed completely out of reach.
This past summer with help from my dad on
the engineering, I created my dream centaurette,
a costume that doesn't just look pretty, but
actually walks.
I learned so much, and it taught me that the
only way to find out if "impossible" projects
are possible is just to try making them.
I collaborated with and became friends with
some of the creators that I've spent years
admiring.
One of my favorite inspirational quotes is
"work until your idols become your peers."
Getting to know some of the creators that
I've looked up to and even getting to work
with some of them has been such a humbling
experience.
I feel so lucky to have friends that always
motivate me to push myself further and become
the best version of myself that I can be.
I've pinned down a unique direction for my
work that people really respond to.
I'm talking of course about my pin-up recreations.
(Get it?
Pinned down?
'Cause they're pin-ups?
It's a... you know.
Okay.)
What at first seemed like just a fun, last-minute
Valentine's Day project has expanded into
a unique style that people have actually started
to associate with me.
And I'm full of new ideas for how to bring
this style into some other fandoms that I
love.
I really focused on making more music.
Although I've done plenty of musical work
in the context of production groups, making
music and music videos on my own has traditionally
been very difficult.
They require a lot of money and resources,
and for a while, I could only really make
one or two a year.
But this year I released six new music videos,
and I really think now that I have more experience,
I can make even more next year.
I set up a home studio for shooting photos
and videos, and learned a lot about photo
and video editing.
I really took photography and video production
seriously this year, and despite some missteps
and a few difficult learning experiences,
I really think I've learned to create cleaner,
more professional-looking photo and video
work as a result.
And last but not least, I have found even
more of you, the amazing people who make this
job possible!
There are 10,000 more of you on Facebook today
than there were on January 1, 3,000 more of
you on YouTube, 26,000 more of you on Instagram!
You, my people and my community, are the most
important and rewarding part of this job,
so thank you so much for being here.
For those of you who are more interested in
the business side of how my first year went
and what I learned, I'm gonna be writing a
blog, or maybe a few blogs, about it, so make
sure that you're subscribed to my email list
to make sure you don't miss it.
I'll put the link to sign up into the description.
Overall, this year was incredible.
I came into it scared but excited, and over
the course of 2017, I definitely had some
moments where I worried about whether or not
I was doing the right thing.
But now, as I look back on my accomplishments,
and all the wonderful things that have happened
this year, I feel really confident that I'm
on the right path.
And I couldn't be more excited to see what
2018 has to offer.
Thank you, as always, for your support and
your kindness and for your enthusiasm.
I hope you had a killer year, and I hope next
year is even better.
