Why My Blazor Course Will Be FREE for Everyone
In January 2020, I announced my Blazor - Creating Web Applications with C# online course. As most people will have noticed - 2020 is a different year with different rules.
I want to give the important information first before explaining the reasoning for my decision in more detail.
Yes, there will be a lot of content about how to create Blazor web applications with C#. Instead of putting that content behind a paywall (as an online course), it will be free, and you can watch it on my YouTube channel.
The Truth about Content Creation
It is very time-consuming to produce high-quality content. There are many videos and blog posts about the technology available today.
If you want to make a difference and really help people, you need to go the extra mile to deliver the best content possible.
It all takes a lot of time. I have to admit that I underestimated the effort it takes to create the online course side-by-side with my videos for YouTube, my blog posts on this blog, and my day job.
After all, content creation is a hobby for me. Besides a few cents a day from the YouTube Partner Program, I don’t make money off my content.
Don’t get me wrong - I like doing what I do. Otherwise, I would not invest so much time for it. But at the same time, I want to deliver on what I promise, and currently, the YouTube channel is my main focus. I want to get back to creating as many videos as possible for my channel.
The Future of My (Blazor) Content
During the next days and weeks, I’ll take the Blazor content that I already have for my online course and turn it into standalone videos published to my YouTube channel.
I still like Blazor as a technology, and I want to experiment with it to find out what problems can be solved and how to approach different kinds of applications.
Also, I’m waiting for the .NET 5 release, and I’m eager to find out and document what it means for existing applications.
What Is the Real Difference to an Online Course?
I won’t be charging any money for my course, and therefore more people will get access to it. It allows me to help more people with the same content.
Yes, I initially wanted to make some money to put more time into content creation. I decided to turn things around and help a bigger audience with my content for free.
I cut expenses in my personal life to still have time for content creation besides working for my day job.
It allows me to make sure that I have fun creating the videos and producing the content I like rather than having to stick to a schedule people expect.
Health Issues
Luckily, I don’t suffer from COVID-19, and I don’t have any mental health issues. Nonetheless, I hurt my back during a soccer match back in March 2020, right before the lockdown.
I cannot sit for an extended period. I need to switch between standing in front of my desk (luckily, I have an electric standing-desk), sitting in front of my desk for a short period, lying down in my bed, etc.
It takes a lot of energy to not being able to sit for a long time and work. It means that I need more time of the day to work for my day job. It reduces the time I can spend on content creation. Also, there are days that I feel bad enough that I do not write or record anything at all.
It is not a severe injury, but it can take up to 18 months to fully recover.
Conclusion
Will all the details provided above in mind, I decided to offer everything I do for free, but it might take a little longer than I expected. If you are waiting for the course, I hope you’ll still enjoy my free videos.
If you have any questions about this article, my journey on YouTube, or anything else - hit me up on Twitter.
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