I have watched Melanie Murphy for the last few years. I adore her content as it delves into sex, relationships, sexual health and much more. She has mounted nearly 600'000 YouTube subscribers and is a best selling author of her non-fiction book titled 'Fully Functioning Human (Almost)'. Now the Irish entrepreneur has penned her first fiction novel due to be released on 6th June.
Melanie was kind enough to chat with me about her new novel, YouTube life and her boyfriend Thomas.
What made Melanie start YouTube?
"I was a big fan of lifestyle content for a couple of years before I found the courage to start a channel of my own, and one of the people I was watching mentioned how much confidence filming and uploading videos gave her.
"I was finishing up my degree in education and training from DCU and I was really struggling with standing up and giving presentations. So a huge reason for me starting to upload was to loosen up when publicly speaking. Over the first three years it really helped me - I came so far out of my shell and my confidence levels went through the roof!
"I always wanted an outlet for my interests that nobody in my life really cared for, and to make new internet friends. Back in 2013 it wasn't really something that anyone would consider 'a job' or career and the term 'influencer' didn't even exist."
Melanie has a huge audience but still takes time out of her busy schedule to interact with her viewers on YouTube and her other social media channels. I wondered if she felt her audience were more friends than viewers?
"When I meet viewers there is certainly this instant feeling of friendship and shared history even though it's not *real*. I know myself, as a fan of many YouTubers, they feel like a virtual friend even if they don't know who I am.
"I definitely feel some benefits of friendship such as the various dialogues I have going on with viewers.
"I'll post something but they'll comment and get into discussions and debates with me, it's fantastic. And I always feel like I have somewhere to turn when my real life friends are busy, which is lovely. I'd like to think my viewers know they can always reach out with messages and comments too even though I don't have the time to reply to them all."
The comments and debates that Melanie speaks of aren't always as positive and constructive though. Trolls and bullies permeate every aspect of the internet - something Melanie has experience with.
"The most common criticism I receive is that I've changed my content too much over the years.
"However, if I stuck to one niche I'd become incredibly bored! So I try not to let that issue bother me as it's not my issue.
"People say they miss the 'old me' a lot but ALL of us are in a constant state of change, it just so happens that my change as a person is documented on the internet and so it is easy to note and to challenge."
This has become a common criticism in the YouTube community. Youtubers like Melanie and Louise Pentland (Sprinkle of Glitter) face widespread criticism in changing up their content. Melanie's content has always been focused around the same sort of topics, one's that most of us would keep the details of close to our chests. So is there anything Melanie wouldn’t share on YouTube?
"There are loads of things that I don't share, mostly to do with family situations.
"There are also huge parts of my life that are never on camera because I need to hold some things back - certain hobbies, certain personal struggles etc.
"Though with most things I find opening up about them in hindsight cathartic."
In recent years audiences have seen creators move away from a singular career in YouTube and branching out to different ventures. A key example of this is Joe Sugg. He has gone into voice acting, writing graphic novels and was featured in the last series of Strictly Come Dancing. Melanie has branched out also with her writing. Does she see writing books as her future beyond YouTube?
"I don't really see writing novels as my future career but more-so just a part of my career. I don't ever want to replace YouTube with another hobby or form of media because YouTube is so much fun...I'll only stop doing it when it becomes boring!
"But I'd absolutely love if people, who don't even know I'm a content creator online, could find and enjoy my novels in bookshops. That's one of my biggest lifelong dreams!
"To have people pick up my book, maybe because they like the cover, and to read it and really enjoy it."
As said previously Melanie has a non-fiction published already with her first fiction novel 'If Only' out soon. Is writing non fiction more enjoyable than writing fiction? Or vice versa?
"I absolutely prefer writing fiction.
"Writing non fiction wasn't actually very enjoyable which I opened up about in a coupleof videos. I had to re-live some really difficult times from my past and it felt very self-indulgent, writing about myself when I already talk about myself online. But the publishers wanted a book all about me, and if I could prove myself with sales, reviews and writing style, THEN they'd offer me a fiction deal.
"That was the main reason I wrote Fully Functioning Human (Almost), and of course because I knew my audience would appreciate the topics covered.
"But writing fiction is far more fun, it's challenging and anything is possible!"
Melanie has also made a few short films on YouTube. One covered the contentious issue of abortion before the Irish referendum. Was being an author or film maker her first passion?
"I think film has been as much of a lifelong passion for me as writing has, but I always saw myself as an author, I never dreamed I could even attempt making a short film.
"But now, I'd absolutely love to one day write scripts or to work behind the scenes on films! Though I really don't want to spread myself too thin, to become a Jack of all trades and a master of none.
"If I had to pick one over the other, I'd pick writing. Both are storytelling, though, so it's a really tough call."
Melanie has a long term boyfriend who features in some main channel videos and, of course, throughout her monthly vlogs. Melanie has previously spoke very frankly about her experience with abusive relationships with previous boyfriends and for viewers to now see her madly in love and happy she is, is a joy. Did love with Thomas surprise her after all of her heartache?
"It did - it was actually very, very difficult for me to let him in and to give him my heart after everything I had been through.
"but the man is patient and determined and is so full of love that I couldn't not surrender."
What’s your favourite part of being with Thomas?
"Definitely the fact that we laugh together so much and we have a million different voices and characters that we do when we're alone, when nobody can judge us or get creeped out haha."
A massive thank you to Melanie for chatting to me.
You can check Melanie's channel out here - http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDwHFuZJV_2qukjmkJGWIfw
You can also pre-order her new novel here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/If-Only-Melanie-Murphy/dp/147369177X/ref=tmm_pap_title_1?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1556182550&sr=8-3-fkmrnull
Melanie was kind enough to chat with me about her new novel, YouTube life and her boyfriend Thomas.
What made Melanie start YouTube?
"I was a big fan of lifestyle content for a couple of years before I found the courage to start a channel of my own, and one of the people I was watching mentioned how much confidence filming and uploading videos gave her.
"I was finishing up my degree in education and training from DCU and I was really struggling with standing up and giving presentations. So a huge reason for me starting to upload was to loosen up when publicly speaking. Over the first three years it really helped me - I came so far out of my shell and my confidence levels went through the roof!
"I always wanted an outlet for my interests that nobody in my life really cared for, and to make new internet friends. Back in 2013 it wasn't really something that anyone would consider 'a job' or career and the term 'influencer' didn't even exist."
Melanie has a huge audience but still takes time out of her busy schedule to interact with her viewers on YouTube and her other social media channels. I wondered if she felt her audience were more friends than viewers?
"When I meet viewers there is certainly this instant feeling of friendship and shared history even though it's not *real*. I know myself, as a fan of many YouTubers, they feel like a virtual friend even if they don't know who I am.
"I definitely feel some benefits of friendship such as the various dialogues I have going on with viewers.
"I'll post something but they'll comment and get into discussions and debates with me, it's fantastic. And I always feel like I have somewhere to turn when my real life friends are busy, which is lovely. I'd like to think my viewers know they can always reach out with messages and comments too even though I don't have the time to reply to them all."
The comments and debates that Melanie speaks of aren't always as positive and constructive though. Trolls and bullies permeate every aspect of the internet - something Melanie has experience with.
"The most common criticism I receive is that I've changed my content too much over the years.
"However, if I stuck to one niche I'd become incredibly bored! So I try not to let that issue bother me as it's not my issue.
"People say they miss the 'old me' a lot but ALL of us are in a constant state of change, it just so happens that my change as a person is documented on the internet and so it is easy to note and to challenge."
This has become a common criticism in the YouTube community. Youtubers like Melanie and Louise Pentland (Sprinkle of Glitter) face widespread criticism in changing up their content. Melanie's content has always been focused around the same sort of topics, one's that most of us would keep the details of close to our chests. So is there anything Melanie wouldn’t share on YouTube?
"There are loads of things that I don't share, mostly to do with family situations.
"There are also huge parts of my life that are never on camera because I need to hold some things back - certain hobbies, certain personal struggles etc.
"Though with most things I find opening up about them in hindsight cathartic."
In recent years audiences have seen creators move away from a singular career in YouTube and branching out to different ventures. A key example of this is Joe Sugg. He has gone into voice acting, writing graphic novels and was featured in the last series of Strictly Come Dancing. Melanie has branched out also with her writing. Does she see writing books as her future beyond YouTube?
"I don't really see writing novels as my future career but more-so just a part of my career. I don't ever want to replace YouTube with another hobby or form of media because YouTube is so much fun...I'll only stop doing it when it becomes boring!
"But I'd absolutely love if people, who don't even know I'm a content creator online, could find and enjoy my novels in bookshops. That's one of my biggest lifelong dreams!
"To have people pick up my book, maybe because they like the cover, and to read it and really enjoy it."
As said previously Melanie has a non-fiction published already with her first fiction novel 'If Only' out soon. Is writing non fiction more enjoyable than writing fiction? Or vice versa?
"I absolutely prefer writing fiction.
"Writing non fiction wasn't actually very enjoyable which I opened up about in a coupleof videos. I had to re-live some really difficult times from my past and it felt very self-indulgent, writing about myself when I already talk about myself online. But the publishers wanted a book all about me, and if I could prove myself with sales, reviews and writing style, THEN they'd offer me a fiction deal.
"That was the main reason I wrote Fully Functioning Human (Almost), and of course because I knew my audience would appreciate the topics covered.
"But writing fiction is far more fun, it's challenging and anything is possible!"
Melanie has also made a few short films on YouTube. One covered the contentious issue of abortion before the Irish referendum. Was being an author or film maker her first passion?
"I think film has been as much of a lifelong passion for me as writing has, but I always saw myself as an author, I never dreamed I could even attempt making a short film.
"But now, I'd absolutely love to one day write scripts or to work behind the scenes on films! Though I really don't want to spread myself too thin, to become a Jack of all trades and a master of none.
"If I had to pick one over the other, I'd pick writing. Both are storytelling, though, so it's a really tough call."
Melanie has a long term boyfriend who features in some main channel videos and, of course, throughout her monthly vlogs. Melanie has previously spoke very frankly about her experience with abusive relationships with previous boyfriends and for viewers to now see her madly in love and happy she is, is a joy. Did love with Thomas surprise her after all of her heartache?
"It did - it was actually very, very difficult for me to let him in and to give him my heart after everything I had been through.
"but the man is patient and determined and is so full of love that I couldn't not surrender."
What’s your favourite part of being with Thomas?
"Definitely the fact that we laugh together so much and we have a million different voices and characters that we do when we're alone, when nobody can judge us or get creeped out haha."
A massive thank you to Melanie for chatting to me.
You can check Melanie's channel out here - http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDwHFuZJV_2qukjmkJGWIfw
You can also pre-order her new novel here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/If-Only-Melanie-Murphy/dp/147369177X/ref=tmm_pap_title_1?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1556182550&sr=8-3-fkmrnull
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