Short answer
Before you start
- A game you already know and like
- One or two friends who can drop into your chat for a while
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What to do
- 01
Start with a game you're comfortable with
Nicole Rojas | YouTube | 2:27 ↗Does the thought of who's watching freeze you? Relax, you're far from the only one. When I ask people joining my community what their biggest struggle is, embarrassment is the most common answer. I always worked behind the camera, and honestly, I'm still shy. I'm just very good at faking it. The first thing I did was stream what I like instead of what's trending. A game you've played before, an old one, or a popular one you actually enjoy. When you know a game, talking about it gets much easier. For me it's horror: I play something, it reminds me of a film or another game, and the conversation starts itself. Once you've done a few comfortable streams, you can move to bigger games if you want.
How you'll know it's working: In your next VOD you can hear yourself talking about the game, without long blank stretches.
- 02
Invite your friends to your first streams
Nicole Rojas | YouTube | 4:18 ↗At the start you have zero viewers, which makes learning to talk to chat really hard. What I did was force my friends to watch, even for 10 or 20 minutes, sending emojis and messages. I felt less alone and it was like chatting with them while we played. By the time strangers show up in chat, you've had practice. If your friends game, they're easier to convince. Maybe they want to stream too, and then you go watch theirs.
How you'll know it's working: Messages from at least one friend show up in chat, and you answer them out loud.
- 03
Put conversation starters where people can see them
Nicole Rojas | YouTube | 5:19 ↗A conversation starter is anything that gets people talking, and it helps precisely because the conversation stops being about you. It can be what's behind you (mine has a Freddy, photos of my friends, my dog and a Mario Bros poster), a T-shirt with a design on it, an overlay with personality, or a stream title that asks something, like what the best anime of the year is. When someone comments on your shirt, you've got a topic you know inside out.
How you'll know it's working: Your title or your background shows something chat can comment on or ask about.
- 04
Make a list of questions and topics
Nicole Rojas | YouTube | 6:47 ↗I know it sounds very school project, but a list at hand saves you in the silences. Questions for chat: how was your day, work, school, have you watched any anime or a film you'd recommend, have you ever played this game. Plus topics you could talk about forever. Mine are horror films, video games and Five Nights at Freddy's. On Mondays I play Phasmophobia with friends, so paranormal experiences is a perfect topic there. When your mind goes blank, check the list.
How you'll know it's working: A list of at least five questions or topics sits next to your screen where you can see it mid-game.
- 05
Say what's going through your head
Nicole Rojas | YouTube | 7:42 ↗This is one of the tips that helped me most with dead air: I say whatever comes to mind, with a small filter so I don't get cancelled. Sometimes I look ridiculous or overreact. Instead of thinking people will laugh at you, think that you'll all laugh together. That moment can also make a great clip for social media. People want something real, and as I put it in the video, AI already has perfection covered.
How you'll know it's working: Going through the VOD, you find at least one spontaneous reaction you could cut into a clip.
- 06
Play background music to cover the silences
Nicole Rojas | YouTube | 11:41 ↗Music fills the gaps and makes the stream feel livelier. I use it at the start of my streams and while I'm chatting. I recommend NCS (NoCopyrightSounds), which you can use on stream and later on YouTube. Its current usage policy covers independent creators and asks you to credit the artist and the song in your video or stream description. You'll find it on their website and on Spotify.
How you'll know it's working: While you chat, the music plays underneath, quieter than your voice.
- 07
Turn the camera on, even if it isn't perfect
Nicole Rojas | YouTube | 12:17 ↗When you're shy, the camera is literally the worst, I know. But people who drop into your stream want a human face, someone to connect with, on top of the gameplay. You don't need perfect lighting or a perfect room. Those standards come from you. If showing your face really isn't for you, you can be a VTuber with an animated avatar. Custom avatars are expensive, though there are free options to start with. It's not my first recommendation because it's not my specialty, but it can help you build confidence.
How you'll know it's working: Your main scene shows your camera, or your avatar, from the first minute of the stream.
- 08
Watch your recorded streams, cringe and all
Nicole Rojas | YouTube | 13:44 ↗This one's uncomfortable, I know. I have to edit my own videos and watch myself, and that was a wall I had to get over. But the VOD shows you things you miss live, like silences or on-camera moments that didn't work. I found out I touch my nose constantly, and it did not look good. Note which moments were funny and which were dull, and make clips. If the cringe is too much, watch a few minutes at a time, or ask your friends to clip something funny for you. It gets easier each time.
How you'll know it's working: From your last VOD you've written down one moment that worked and one you want to change.
If something does not work
- You go quiet and have no idea what to say
- Go back to your list of questions and topics, and keep music running so the silence weighs less. If friends are playing with you, they'll talk when you go quiet and take the pressure of carrying the show off you.
- You die a thousand times and feel embarrassed for being bad
- People come to your stream for your personality and a good time. Lost on the map again? Laugh at yourself. Your chat will laugh with you.
- You feel like streamers have to be hyper and loud
- They don't. You can be quiet, calm and relaxed. There are cozy streamers playing games like Stardew Valley or Coral Island who connect with people who just want company. Don't force a personality that isn't yours. The screaming is my thing, and it comes naturally.
- You're terrified people will laugh at you
- Flip it: you're all laughing together. The weird moments, the overreactions and the cringe are what show your personality. They can also make good clips.
Before your next stream
- You picked your next game from ones you've already played and enjoy
- You messaged a friend to drop by your chat for at least 10 minutes
- An NCS playlist is ready, with the credit line saved to paste into your description
- You did your confidence ritual before going live, whether that's makeup, an outfit or a snack
Cómo superar la timidez para empezar a streamear
Watch the full video (in Spanish) ↗Common questions
Can you be a streamer if you're shy?
Yes. Being shy doesn't mean you can't stream, and plenty of streamers started out very shy. I still am. What practice changes is that you find the tools that let you be yourself on stream.
Do I have to show my face?
I'd recommend it, because people are looking for a face to connect with. If you're not ready, you can start with an avatar, and the guide on streaming without showing your face with a PNGtuber walks you through it. The goal is to show your lovely little face to the world eventually.
Does playing with friends on stream help with nerves?
A lot. Pick one day a week to play together on stream. You loosen up, you share history and stories, and when you go quiet they keep talking. Over time you'll be able to talk to the camera without them there.
What can I do before going live to feel more confident?
Find whatever gives you a boost. For me it's makeup, but you don't need makeup to stream. It could be clothes you like, a hairstyle, tidying your room, a new poster or eating something tasty before you start.
How long until the shyness goes away?
It won't vanish overnight. Each stream gets a little more comfortable, and not every tip will suit you, so try several and keep the ones that work. Treat yourself the way you'd treat your best friend.
