“Like so many other sex workers, I started out in the business because I was a broke university student in need of a part-time job,” DarlingJosefin told us.
“I think what attracts a lot of university students to sex work is the flexibility,” she continued, “but I’m also disabled, and because of my symptoms, flexibility is even more important to me. I weighed my options — retail, fast food, starving — and sex work seemed like the best choice. It wasn’t just the flexibility that attracted me to the industry, but also the level of control I would have over my life. Being my own boss is incredibly empowering.”
“I started out live streaming with my partner. That turned into streaming solo, and soon, I started filming videos. Now, filming is my main focus as a sex worker,” DarlingJosefin said.
DarlingJosefin shared some incredibly thoughtful answers to our questions about being an online content creator and sex worker in today’s industry — read on to learn so very much!
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Loyalfans: Is being an online content creator and sex worker different from what you’d expected?
DarlingJosefin: There is one thing about my sex work journey that is mountains different from what I expected — the longevity of it. Obviously, there’s a lot of stigma around sex work and with that comes plenty of stereotypes and misinformation. People don’t think sex work is legitimate work, and so, of course, they don’t think it’s viable to do it long-term. If sex work isn’t even a “real job,” then how could it be a career?
I’ve learned that this is clearly completely false. Successful sex workers come in all different shapes, sizes, and ages. You don’t age out of sex work — your market just changes, and making sex work your career is totally viable. This is a legitimate industry and a legitimate career path.
When I first began sex work, I assumed that I would be doing this temporarily and eventually move onto something more socially acceptable, but that boat has sailed. I love my job too much to let it go that easily! I hope that I can continue doing this until I retire. As long as I continue to adapt, there is no reason why I can’t make that happen. To industry outsiders, this might sound unrealistic, but I think us more experienced sex workers know that, truly, our jobs age like fine wine.
We all know that being an online content creator is a 24/7 job. How do you keep up with the workflow and demands of today’s industry?
Organization is important. I have a filming schedule, a release schedule, an advertising schedule, and a time-off schedule. I’m my own boss, so I work when I feel like it. And when my body tells me that I need a break, I close my laptop and do what I need to do.
I spend evenings and weekends with my husband, and I make sure I always have a creative project to work on. Currently it’s knitting! I’m a creative person and so having a project like this on-the-go keeps me happy. I also try to schedule in longer breaks. For example, I might plan a little week-long vacation to another city. As long as I know it’s coming, then I can film content in advance and set it to release at my usual times. My fans always understand and encourage me to do this. They like seeing me happy!
What are some other things people think are easy about your job but are actually really challenging?
Outsiders to the industry seem to think that all online sex workers do is take quick selfies of themselves naked, post them online, and instantly make $10,000. Obviously, that’s not the case.
People like to think that, as a sex worker, I make easy money by getting naked for a living. Of course, sex work is so much more than that. Getting naked is such a small part of my job. I’m a naked actor, a naked photographer, a naked videographer, a naked editor, a naked audio engineer, a naked social media manager, a naked advertising expert, a naked customer service representative, a naked screenplay writer… and so much more.
What’s your favorite feature on Loyalfans?
I like that Loyalfans has a clip store where you can sell videos to everyone on the site, not just subscribers. This is a great form of advertising.
Actually, Loyalfans has so much more options for advertising than most of the other subscription sites I’m on. Other sites tend to just give you the platform, and then expect you to get followers by advertising on social media, which really only works if you already have a huge following. I really appreciate that Loyalfans tries to help out their creators a bit more.
What is a big online goal you want to hit?
My current online goal is to reach 100 subscribers across my subscription sites. I have a very long way to go! I hope that as long as I keep creating high-quality content, posting regularly, and focusing on subscriber retention, then I’ll be able to reach this goal eventually.
People often feel A LOT of pressure to get a bunch of gear when they first start creating content online. What do you think are the most useful things to have when you’re very first starting out?
Honestly, I think most of us can film good quality content on our phones. Phones nowadays have really great cameras, and since most people are looking at porn on their phones anyway, taking photos and videos this way is probably going to look just fine. I’d suggest new sex workers look at YouTube videos on how to create professional-looking videos and photos with a phone. It really is amazing how good you can make your content look with very minimal equipment. Aside from that, just be creative! Put thought into outfits, backgrounds, and angles and your photos will be a lot more likely to stand out.
What was your first big gear upgrade?
My first big gear upgrade was my video camera. My husband bought me the Sony ZV-1 as a gift, and I think there was a huge jump in my video quality after that. It also helps to have good lighting. I use a ring light that I got off of Amazon and it makes a huge difference.
In the future, I’d like to get a DSLR camera so that I can switch lenses when I’m taking photos and videos, and I’d also like to get a few softboxes so that I can light up my wide shots a bit better.
What’s one thing you do for work that’s “unexpected”…like, no one does this except YOU?
I’m not sure if anything I do is totally unexpected or original, even though I try hard to be unique! If I had to choose something, it might be my video style. I like to make my videos like little films. I add storylines, realistic dialogue, multiple camera angles, and so on. Since I’m a musician, I’d like to add an original score into a video one day.
Maybe something unexpected could be that I often try to incorporate comedy into my videos. I think that the two best bodily experiences in the world are laughing and cumming, so combining those two things is really interesting. I have a few videos that I’ve tried to make both funny and hot, and they’ve gotten pretty good reviews, so it seems like there are at least a couple people out there who feel the same way as me!
Besides working, what’s your favorite pastime or hobby?
I write, sew, knit, paint, sing, craft, and pretty much anything else where I can be creative.
My favourite thing to do is make music. I produce my own music on my computer and sometimes release it for my fans. I have some song covers on my YouTube channel and an original song on my ManyVids. I’m planning on releasing another original song once I finish one. Eventually, I’d like to release an EP or maybe even an album.
Find Darling Josefin on Loyalfans at loyalfans.com/darlingjosefin
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