How To Make a Million Dollars on YouTube

by Philip DeFranco on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at 6:58pm ·

If you've followed me for a while you know that I always joked about making a book.  But I've realized that my experiences over the past 5 years have been weird, scattered, but most importantly something I wanted to share.  I jokingly leave the working title as "How To Make a Million Dollars on YouTube" after all those articles came out guessing what I make from the work I do, and I'll most likely change it if it ever becomes a reality.  I thought I'd just share a completely rough first 3-4 scattered paragraphs I wrote and never edited down/fixed.  Enjoy or ridicule as you do internet.  ;)

 

All the best,

 

Philip DeFranco

 

--------------------------------

 

YouTube ruined my life.  I mean it was ruined as much as you can ruin a derailed train on fire, flipping, and thrashing its way to the edge of a cliff.  If you watch my show you know I love analogies.  A little bit too much.  But they are my favorite way to get across a point so expect them.  Now lets get started.

 

I was in college with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry.  I wanted to be a Doctor, or better yet my father wanted me to be a doctor and I thought it would be easier to just stick with that rather than have any input on the subject myself.  In other words I fucking hated college.  It was like going to the DMV even though you don't have and never plan on actually driving a car.  Or better yet, whats the point of getting certified to drive big rigs if you're only going to drive a Prius.

 

I was lost.  I didn't know what I wanted to do.  And its not that I lacked passion.  I had lots of passion.  But I found myself more passionate about the hustle itself, and not what I was hustling for.  I built custom PC's, made people websites (even though the only html I knew was from Myspace), and sold some things on Ebay that ended up getting me in trouble to pay for college tuition after my loans ran out.  Sorry BananaTod31, but that copy of Titantic you "won" might have been bootlegged.  I apologize.

 

But during one day while I may or may not have participated in criminal activity I got bored and found a little show on YouTube called," LonelyGirl15" and I didn't even know that my life would change forever.


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  • Lupe Esquivel, Alyson Iler, Zoritza Dimitrova and 1,308 others like this.
    • Rich Parkinson Keep it up, Phil. Force yourself to write a bit each day, even - no especially - when you don't feel it. Blast through it until you think you are done. Then share that rough draft with some people you trust and tell them to be honest and critical. Take their criticisms to heart, re-write it, and do the same with your second draft. Rinse/repeat/go!
      October 20, 2010 at 3:49pm
    • Monika Anna Mednick This sounds like it has a lot of potential! Like others said, keep it going, I'd really enjoy reading the full copy. The end sounds a little cliche, but other than that I like it :)
      October 20, 2010 at 3:57pm
    • Nolan Bell make full book...ill buy
      October 20, 2010 at 5:43pm
    • Trevor Kamioner
      After reading that I feel closer to you than i had before. You are probably my favorite Youtuber, and trust me a watch a bunch of people. I see myself in yourself Phil. I think your story is insanely interesting, and i would love to read... a book about it, and i never read books. My name is Trevor I'm from Reading, Pa, and just wanted to say that "LonelyGirl15" is what got me started on Youtube too. Keep up what your doing Phil, best of luck to all your creations, and I hope to watch you until you decide to stop...

      ps my name on Youtube is vega1221      See More
      October 20, 2010 at 5:58pm
    • Katie Griggs Haha Lonelygirl15 started youtube. That's even how I first heard about it. :) I am excited read more :) I hope you actually do write a book. I would definitely read it.
      October 20, 2010 at 6:18pm
    • Steven Mitchell Dude keep it up, in my opinion you deserve this, you have inspired me and I will buy like 10 copies of this book if you make it and I will let people know about you (if they don't already know) you are so awesome, thank you
      October 20, 2010 at 7:15pm
    • Asiel Sepulveda phil keep it under 150 pages and ill read the book,
      October 20, 2010 at 8:38pm
    • Nickyy Blake Haha, sweet. Stolen Titanic Movie xD
      October 21, 2010 at 7:11pm
    • Tarek Ahmed
      Haha, Hey I'm 16 but your words have sometimes made me smarten up and look at the world in a different way, I dont agree with all the things you say but you're a guy who lives with a sense of humor and lives life to the fullest with a smile... on his face. I really wish I could be happy like you when i grow up. And this book will probably guide a bunch of people who need that person who can atleast show them common sense is not completly dead yet. :DSee More
      October 21, 2010 at 11:06pm
    • Joseph Kitchens awesome start, i like where it's going.
      October 22, 2010 at 8:58am
    • Runner Pk You keep writing Phil :D!
      October 23, 2010 at 3:04pm
    • Angela Durante write it, hire an awesome editor, publish it, and I'll definitely read it.
      October 24, 2010 at 9:06pm
    • Liselle Sisler That's not bad for a rough draft. I want to read more...
      October 24, 2010 at 9:36pm
    • Shaquan Godbolt I love it! I laughed so hard just in the beginning. More peas!!!!!!!!!!!! ♥
      October 24, 2010 at 10:56pm
    • Jordan C. Pelly
      The internet is very small. (lonelygirl15) Thats pretty classic. By the way i really want to set up a studio set for you i dont know why but i do. I remember watching your show from your very humble beginnings and well Ive been hooked pret...ty much ever since. I really hope you gain success mainly because you stand out in this very un-informed america. Anyways keep writing, a biography is good, just remember how popular you are and well everything will be read.See More
      October 24, 2010 at 11:36pm
    • Amanda Tabor Sign me up for a book! And if you need a Beta reader/ editor Id totally do it for you, I think it would be super fun! I love to write! Keep it comming. :D
      October 25, 2010 at 8:55pm
    • Hanna Larsson Long time stalker, first time poster. ;D
      Id pay to read the rest of that, your life sounds like it has been quite the wild ride. Looking forward to it.
      October 26, 2010 at 11:13am
    • Corina 'Aura' Paolisso Well written and analyzed. Very respectable. I'd buy your book.
      October 26, 2010 at 2:30pm
    • Omar Longou I'd buy it, if if you do publish it, put it on iBooks
      October 26, 2010 at 8:54pm
    • Jackie McClanahan Okay, so I know I'm totally the one millionth person to do this, but "Ah! You're writing a book! I edit books! We could like, combine that, eh? EH?" lol
      But realistically, great start. I can't wait to see the finished project.
      October 26, 2010 at 11:45pm
    • Matt Thomson I am going to buy this on the day it comes out.
      October 28, 2010 at 1:07pm
    • Tanner Benson i would totally buy this
      phil is awesome
      October 28, 2010 at 6:48pm
    • Haley Nicole Magar Personally I'm a grammar hawk, and I saw like three things that I would change. It's really good though and your idea is marvelous.

      Now I'm going to go look up lonelygirl15 ;D
      October 30, 2010 at 1:50pm
    • Bianca Wall I really enjoyed these few paragraphs. So many kids go to school for the wrong reasons. You have to find out what you want to do and the only way is to try and sometimes fail at new things. I always enjoy your videos Phil and your philosophy on life is very refreshing. I hope you continue with the book.
      October 30, 2010 at 11:25pm
    • Megan De La Torre epic
      October 31, 2010 at 12:11am
    • Ingrid Galejs Schveet dude I'd buy it
      October 31, 2010 at 9:17pm
    • Ryan Taylor I'ma buy it.
      November 2, 2010 at 4:55pm
    • Trystan White I'd try to buy it. But I doubt i'd find a place that sells them :(
      but if i had the chance, i would definantly get it.
      November 2, 2010 at 6:46pm
    • Amanda-Jane Pisani
      the start sounds great so far, but I think that should explore more things into depth that you talk about to give the reader a deeper sense of understanding to how you felt when you were experiencing these events. when you talk about your d...ad wanting you to become a doctor and you not wanting to, you should explain the situation more deeply from both persepectives- your fathers and yours. from what you talk about in your vlogs and how you touch upon certain things that happened in your childhood very breifly, i think your biography is going to be an interesting one! keep writting.See More
      November 4, 2010 at 7:40pm
    • Ammar Ghori It's like a Cracked article. Fucked up, but interesting to the point you wanna punch the person who wrote because he/she/shemale wasted your time.
      November 6, 2010 at 9:53am
    • Amanda Reid keep writing phil!!!!
      November 7, 2010 at 2:31pm
    • Brandi Leigh Infante I like all the analogies. Analogies can be poetic and they create great ways of looking at things and make for awesome books. : )
      November 8, 2010 at 3:03am
    • Lisy Cubanita Very Nice, Keep it going, I think this is a fresh way of writting a book,you know not the classic old boring writting style. You should really finish this work Phil.
      November 16, 2010 at 4:32am
    • 'Faris Jasarevic' LIKE PLEASE !!!!
      http://www.facebook.com/pages/Farischino-ArtistProducer/104375416295459
      November 21, 2010 at 6:13pm
    • Wil Corn Albers Do it phil!!!!!
      November 23, 2010 at 5:09pm
    • Tyler Lewton Go for it Phil . . . not everyone watches youtube videos . . . by writing a book more people will get to enjoy your awesomeness!!!
      November 27, 2010 at 1:05am
    • Matt Reid make a book. you already have over 1 million buyers. hence, subscribers. milk us while you can
      November 28, 2010 at 9:00pm
    • China Ciriacruz i ♥ it!
      November 29, 2010 at 11:28pm
    • Briana Lynn Siegell write a book... I'd buy it :)
      December 28, 2010 at 1:07pm
    • Adion Mallett WRITE THIS BOOKCAUSE ITS SO AWESOME ILL BUY 5 COPIES OF THEM!
      January 3, 2011 at 7:44pm
    • Elizabeth Marcela So Phil got in trouble selling things on Ebay! I'd like to hear more.. been in some trouble myself ;-) not because of Ebay tho.
      I watched old videos and heard you talk about wanting to be a Dr and then wondered why 3 yrs later you're still on YouTube, NOW IT MAKES SENSE, you never really wanted to do that. Cool. :) Hope you're happy in your current occupation, you're certainly entertaining to watch.
      April 4, 2011 at 10:51pm
    • Tom Miller Whens this book going to be out? or is it already?
      April 23, 2011 at 6:41am
    • Dunarentu Radu awesome :)
      June 26, 2011 at 2:50am
    • Jake Shephard Phil!! Why you no continue with book???
      July 25, 2011 at 12:58pm
    • Peter Beck make this book i would love to read it
      August 5, 2011 at 7:31pm
    • NGuyễn Thành Văn Fuck you
      November 18, 2011 at 5:57am
    • NGuyễn Thành Văn bú buồi
      November 18, 2011 at 5:57am
    • Lilia Jocelyn Felix Marquez Aww... I've just been philled in and its not even a full page's worth.
      December 17, 2011 at 7:18am
    • Rhett Stevenson Well it looks like haven't watch Phillip Defranco shows + vlogs enough.
      December 20, 2011 at 6:13pm