Cam Girl 2.0: Make Boss Money at Home While Keeping Your Panties On
Author: Thomaseli
Publisher: Thomaseli, January 2017.
Cam Girl 2.0, Originally published in March 2014 and revised and updated in January 2017, is a guide to how to become a successful cam model without getting naked.
Self-proclaimed cam fan Thomaseli begins the book by offering an explanation for the cam phenomenon and why he believes so many people become a part of webcam culture. Essentially, according to the author, camming delivers a level of social connection that things like a standard chat room (now a dead platform in his view) can’t. He writes, “To succeed as a cam girl (and not be miserable) you have to like talking to people. You have to have some interest in the people that come into your room and in interacting with them.”
Thomaseli makes several valid points in the short book, mostly relating to the necessity for a mental connection in addition to a physical one. Something that immediately caught me off guard, however, was the title of this book and the author’s further revelation/constant reiteration that this kind of cam girl, the non-nude kind, is a sort of “upgrade.” Apparently, the Cam Girl 2.0, which is essentially referring to a non-nude model, is a sort of “better” version of a traditional cam girl.
Um… No.
Be it a contemporary 2.0 or a throwback to more traditional times, the notion a non-naked sexual display is somehow better than something more risqué is a direct form of shaming. In a backhanded manner, the author is shaming women who cam in the nude and choose to display their sexual prowess and pleasure for viewers to watch. Whether or not the author realizes it, he is reinforcing the notion that to refrain from exposing oneself sexually (as a woman) is to be a superior woman — something we all know is bullshit.
Looking past this, I did find Thomaseli offers an interesting point of view, seeing that he is a fan and not a performer. This work as a whole is an interesting look into camming from a viewer’s perspective, a viewer who is open about being interested in more than seeing a naked woman. He gives some insight into why gorgeous models you’d think would be popular don’t get much attention at all: “What differentiates girls on page 5 from girls on page 1 is how they connect.” He goes into depth about a desire for models to be transparent. In his view, models need to be real and vulnerable on an emotional level. He encourages sharing things about yourself such as your favorite books, movies and music, and also how you feel and what might be bothering you in your life, etc. This is valuable insight about what keeps returning viewers and builds relationship clients, as well as how to engage their interest for longer periods of time.
The rest of his advice pertains mainly to performers using free cam sites and how to go about getting more tips as well as tricks and ideas for entertaining viewers outside of sexual performance. He also covers things like recommended equipment for first-timers and tips on promoting oneself and sustaining an audience.
Do I think this book should be a definitive guide to camming? Of course not, especially since it lacks substantial advice for cam models who enjoy being nude. However, reading the book will not be a waste of time. It is valuable to hear a fan’s point of view, especially one who has taken the time to do so much research and put himself in a cam model’s shoes.
Cam Girl 2.0 is available on Amazon.
(The author provided a review copy to YNOT Cam in exchange for an honest review.)
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Sonia Stevens is a writer-comedian who picks apart the absurdities women face daily. Email her at Sonia.Stevens@ynotcam.com.
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