Update
Hey everyone (and happy Homestuck day),
I've received some messages about people concerned about how I'm doing, as well as just people wanting a general update- and now that I'm doing okay and getting back into things, I wanted to respond and give you guys an update about how things are going.
First and foremost, I wanted to apologize for dropping the ball on monthly Patreon exclusives. I want to assure all of you that those videos are still going to come out, and I will get polls out on them as soon as I possibly can. I can't say thank you enough for being patient with me on this, and I promise you these past few months' videos are going to come out.
In terms of the break I'd been taking from regular video releases, it honestly had the effect I'd hoped it did. To be completely transparent, I was in a bit of a rough place when I announced that I was going to be taking a break. I'd received some negative responses online that were starting to feel incredibly overwhelming, and the expectation to release regular videos during the height of it was contributing significantly to a feeling of burnout and stress. I was likewise dealing with some body image issues that made me hate editing myself and gave me a lot of anxiety even putting myself out there for an audience. I had started to really hate it, feeling like people hated me, that I hated the work, and that I was overwhelmed by expectation. And genuinely- getting to take some time off of working on them was incredibly helpful to me in terms of dealing with burnout. I've been feeling so much better and have gotten a lot of well-needed rest and work done. I have a whole new cache of ideas and inspiration, and I'm going to be back to releasing regular videos this month! I was going to release my first one a couple of weeks ago, actually, but life circumstances got in the way as I learned my Opa passed away very suddenly. I've been taking some time to rest, get non-YouTube work done, and deal with things. The next video will probably come out sometime in the next week, and I'm really proud of it and excited for you all to see it.
I want to thank every single person who has been so patient with me for sticking with me during a time where I really needed support and to get my bearings again. I feel incredibly confident about the next few video ideas, and I'm really really excited to get them all out for you guys. Thank you so much for being so patient with me (and I am again going to assure you that the Patreon exclusives are still going to come out).
Thank you so much for your support. I'm so excited to be back.
Sarah
Comments (31)
I have been watching your videos on the recommendation of both friends and my daughter. I've always appreciated your takes, but the discernment and empathy you showed in your Replika essay made me want to show my support with a Patreon sub. I just wanted to make my support visible with a comment, and suggest, as someone else did upthread, that there are a lot more folks who value your work without saying it. Thanks.
Your videos are so good and thought-provoking that I've just registered to Patrion for the first time to watch more of them. So thank you for making them, and I hope you'll feel better soon. (And don't worry about your looks, you look great.)
so glad you’re feeling better sarah !! im so excited for your upcoming stuff
Your videos are always the highlight of my evening, and get me motivated to get on my rowing machine and exercise while I watch. BUT, I am more joyous that you are taking care of yourself!
love you SZ, happy you took the time you needed :)
Long time listener, first time caller… thank you for the transparency. Please take what time you need, your mental health comes first. I’ve just been enjoying hearing from you on Trials and Trebs in the meantime :)
Take all the time you need! I will be excited for the video(s) when they come but I am happy that you prioritize your health and development!
Glad to see you back : ) Totally agree with the commenters saying don't worry about the backlog. Most jobs have sick time or personal time, it's not fair that independent creators are expected to have zero down time. I hope one of the cool things about having a Patreon is that it gives you a cushion when you need to take that kind of time. And besides, recovering from a mental health roadblock is work imo. So you've been working hard, it's just not public-facing.
Glad you’re feeling better!
I think there’s an unfortunatelly silent majority that just really enjoy your videos, and are happy to see them come at whatever pace they come. The chill people who understand that creators are people first, their creating-job second are probably not the biggest tweeters or commenters Hope you keep doing better!
💙
So happy to hear you were able to take all the time you needed to rest and recover. You're an amazing and inspiring writer/creator, and I'd wait a year between videos if that's what you needed to keep going. Excited to see what you're cooking up next!
I can only speak for myself, but I like to think that contributing to someone's Patreon means supporting them enough to let them take time to take care of themselves, especially when the internet is being cruel to them for no good reason. Even if that means no rewards for a minute. TL;DR, Excited for the new video, glad you had time to recharge and heal, very sorry for your loss, glad to be here.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Sarah. I hope you've been managing okay since then. But on the flip side, it's wonderful to hear how fruitful and helpful your break has been for you! Best wishes and vibes as always, and thanks for the work you do 💕
just here to echo ever one else, thank you for taking space and time to care for you.
I'm glad you took time for you. I'm glad to wait patiently. (Your Dashcon video is a favorite of mine.)
That's also one of my favourites. My mother saw the thumbnail for the Dashcon vid and I think it's piqued her interest, should be able to lure it into it tomorrow. She... she isn't ready to learn about Oncest. She just isn't.
Very glad you took the time that you needed to have a regular life, with all the good and bad that entailed. Happy to hear that you are on the upswing now. Yay Sarah and yay Mira!
I’m sorry for your loss.
Hell yeah! Glad you're back, excited for whatever happens next even if it takes a while. Your interview on CJ the X was awesome!
It's so good to hear from you! Glad you're alive and on the up and up :)
Don't worry about making up that backlog of videos; prioritize yourself when you decide to start up again. That said, I'm looking forward to your videos again.
I am sorry for your loss. I’m excited to see more from you and I’m glad your break was good for you ❤️
So sorry for your loss! ❤️ And good to hear you are doing better! Personally, I don’t care about the Patreon perks, I just want to support the creators I like, so please take it easy and don’t prioritise that for now!
I'd been a patron of your co-writer for a while to show my appreciation for your two's content. I became a Sarah Z patron a month or so ago because I realized I'd not seen anything from you in a while. I was parasocially concerned tbh. At the same time I have a lot of respect for someone who knows when to take a step back to regroup. The grind will grind you down. Life ain't just about work.
Self care is way more important than YouTube. Your work is great, but you come first!!
Hell yeah! Take as much time as you need
We Stan taking a much needed mental health break 💜💜💜
Too true
Sounds like the break was much needed and I'm glad you were able to step away from the noise for a bit! You have to take care of yourself first - you made the best decision from what it sounds like. Can't wait for new vids :)
Glad to hear things seem to on the upswing! Sorry to hear about your loss, you definitely deserve to take all the time you need <3