'I made $30k in one week as a cam girl – and it's not doing what you think'

It’s no nine-to-five life

Forget everything you think you know about sex workers today. This spicy webcam streamer from Melbourne is defying stereotypes every day, proving there’s more than one way to define success.  

Meet Nova Hawthorne, the twenty-something webcam streamer who (in just three years) has managed to buy an apartment and a block of land, and pay off every cent of her student loans. 

It’s a trajectory of success most Aussies can only dream of amidst the current cost of living crisis, but one that nonetheless comes with its own string of complications, such as navigating other people’s misguided assumptions. 

“I'm out here pulling 60 plus hour weeks, often seven days a week because clients expect me to be accessible and part of their daily lives,” she says, defending her career against the critics that believe what she does isn’t considered ‘real work’.

So, what does a typical working week look like for Hawthorne? As she explains to Body+Soul, no two days are the same.

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Hawthorne’s round-the-clock commitment

The high-ranking OnlyFans user credits her success on the streaming platform to her constant engagements with new and existing clients, with checking her social and streaming platforms being the first and last thing she does on any given day. 

“While I'm getting myself ready for the day I engage with followers and friends on social media, and then I head over to my studio space where I spend a few hours live streaming,” she says, adding that her afternoon, evening and late night schedule following a similar trend. 

“[There is] no such thing as a personal life when I’m sharing almost every waking moment online, but I know my subscribers really value being part of my everyday life,” she muses. The webcam worker has had customers call her in almost every situation imaginable, such as while they are at work, on holidays with their family, on public transport, or even while lying in bed next to their partner.

Her round-the-clock attention to detail and dedication are also responsible for her biggest payday ever, earning over $30,000 in one week after streaming for more than 140 hours.

Hawthorne's line of work isn't for the self-conscious– or lazy. Image: Supplied

Putting her skills to the test

Despite her obvious success in the industry, Hawthorne was originally set to pursue a career in a completely different field. Three years ago, the spicy webcam streamer picked up the gig while studying for her master’s degree in social work. 

But there’s far more to her streaming work than meets the eye (literally). “I’m no Victoria’s Secret model… It’s not about what your body looks like,” Hawthorne shares. “It’s all about the relationships you’re making with your members.”

Fascinated with the people she’s encountered in her line of work, Hawthorne often finds herself drawing on the many skills she learned during her social work study, finding she’s been able to foster a ‘strong compassionate ability to recognise, work with, and show respect for difference’.

“I work every day with people from different social, economic, religious, and cultural backgrounds, and people that are single, married, virgins, in their seventies, and their early twenties,” Hawthorne says, sharing that she takes notes on all people she interacts with, finding they appreciate the way she remembers small details about them. 

“I’m often working with challenging ideas, especially around masculinity and femininity and what sexual relationships mean to individuals. I definitely slide in my social work skills to encourage people to think critically and to challenge social norms and stereotypes about sexuality, relationships, and gender.”

The surprising side of webcam work

One misguided assumption Hawthorne is passionate about calling out is the idea that all consumers of webcam content are ‘weird, creepy men that can’t get it any other way’. “That couldn’t be further from the truth,” says the cam girl. 

“Some of the guys I see on webcam are truly magnificently handsome gentlemen who just like a little bit of online fun from time to time. I've also encountered a number of women and couples that enjoy webcam to add a little bit of spice to their sexual relationships.”

The therapeutic side of webcam work is another thing Hawthorne thinks would surprise most people. Many of her regular clients struggle to establish physical and emotional relationships in the real world, having sustained a lifelong physical injury or disability. 

“Through my work, I provide them with a fantasy escape to a world in which they have full sexual function and fulfilling physical and emotional relationships for the duration of our call,” she says. “I also find that I have a large number of people that seek me out to explore their sexuality in a safe and non-judgmental environment.”

The webcam worker is proud of her impact in the industry. Image: Supplied

While it’s clear to see Hawthorne’s work is making a positive impact on her customers and followers, the Melbourne-based creator has also seen her confidence and knowledge of the industry grow exponentially. 

“I had never known about fetishes for balloons, underarms, leather pants, smelly socks, earlobes, and how many intricacies are in each!” She explains. “I've played personal trainer, high-powered CEO, furniture mover,  fashion designer, and so much more all In the name of sexual fantasy.”

But, as positive as her experience in the industry has been over the last few years, Hawthorne is doubtful the long-held attitudes and judgments of society are going to evolve any time soon. 

“It’s hard to know if attitudes have changed, I assume for the majority of groups they are much the same,” she says. “But through my progression in the work, I'm in a much better financial position to cut out the social pressure to conform to other people's moral standards and keep on doing what I do.”

Originally published as 'I made $30k in one week as a cam girl – and it's not doing what you think'