Welcome to a new series I’m hoping to get rolling on my blog, the Voice of the Pros. We had a ton of fun doing a more in-depth interview series with Roll20 a while back, and the biggest response to that was simply “we want to hear from pros more.” So, in an effort to provide that, I’m going to start trying to get more interviews with top players across every game I cover. The focus of these interviews will be more casual, usually just a few questions about one topic. Drop any feedback, along with topics or players you’d like to see featured, to me on Twitter.

For our inaugural edition of Voice of the Pros, we’ll be featuring Khroen, ranged player for the newly HGC-certified team HeroesHearth. Recently Khroen discovered that he’d hit a new milestone in his career as a pro gamer–streaming every day consistently for over 30 days. In our interview we discussed what that meant for his personal brand, and learned more about what it’s like to be a professional player with an active Twitch stream.

Can you describe your streaming schedule during those 30 days?

Khroen: My schedule varied between streaming from about four hours minimum, to eight hours maximum, usually landing around the five-hour mark. The times I went live varied from around 1 pm EST at the earliest, to even as late as 8 or 9 pm EST start time. However, the usual start time was around 2 or 3 PM EST.

Was all of that time spent playing Heroes or did you play other games as well?

Khroen: The majority of the time was spent playing Heroes of the Storm, however, on Sundays I wouldn’t stream HotS, and instead would stream Dungeons and Dragons. I wouldn’t get as many viewers on these days, but still maybe 20 – 40% of normal viewers.

What sort of increase did you see in views, chat activity, subs, etc during that time?

I saw a steady increase of viewers and subscribers, going from about 100-150 average viewers, to 200-300 average viewers. However, there were also other variables such as if I streamed at the same time as larger streamers, when time I started to stream, etc. Chat activity increased a little bit as the viewer count steadily increased, however my chat is fairly quiet a lot of the time in general. Most people just chill.

How do you think your ability as a streamer improved during your consistent period?

I think my ability as a streamer improved by me learning how to better help myself remain consistent. Sometimes in life I often feel like I need to take a break or just chill out and have some time away from most things. However, this past month or month and a half or so, I’ve learned to handle that urge better. Maybe I just need to be a bit quieter, or stream without a camera sometimes, but it’s worth it because I’ll feel like I’m still enjoying streaming, which I believe to be one of the most important things while streaming; If you’re enjoying streaming, then other people will be more likely to enjoy it as well.

If a HOTS streamer wanted to grow their audience, would you recommend they try to stream every day?

I don’t think a streamer needs to focus on streaming every day to grow an audience, I believe that just having a consistent schedule is one of the most important thing for growth. If I was trying much harder to grow my stream, I would’ve stayed on a schedule to always start at the same time. If you’re able to stream every day without tiring yourself out of streaming, then sure, go for it. But I don’t think that’s a viable option for everyone.

We see a ton of complaints and rage on social media from pros who find solo queue frustrating. How do you keep your stream relaxed and entertaining when playing solo queue?

I think it’s just a mindset thing. Everyone has their own goals when they play [Hero League]. I don’t play it to win every game, but to practice my mechanics and to become a better player. It’s cool when you win, sure. However, you’re not going to win every game, it just won’t happen. So instead of getting frustrated over it, I just try to focus on the positives. I think it’s important to try to convey that in my stream as well, because I think that raging and toxicity is unhealthy, and you should try to refrain as much as possible. Everyone gets frustrated, but it’s important to find an effective outlet for it.

For those that haven’t tuned in yet, pitch your stream a bit–what will viewers find when they check out Khroen?

First and foremost, my stream is a positive place. I keep the salt levels very low, the chill level high, and the love and good vibes are high as well. I also try to be very interactive with chat. If there’s any questions, I’ll try my best to respond to as many as I can. Also being a professional player, I try to be educational when I play and provide a place where people can actively learn how to become a more skilled and smarter player.

Thanks so much to Khroen for sharing his thoughts. Be sure to check out his stream, and give him some love over on the tweet box. If there’s something you’d like to hear about from your favorite pro player, be sure to let me know!

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