Truman Capote at Home
If your readers love your books, they’re going to want to fall in love with you too! Maybe that sounds a little creepy, actually. What I mean is this: fans want to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their favorite author’s life, an inside look that makes them feel more connected and invested to that writer and their work.
Give your fans up close & personal access with affordable video/editing technology. Don’t have a video camera? Borrow a friend’s smartphone, and find a computer with iMovie. In a few hours you’ll have behind-the-scenes video content to share on your blog, website, YouTube channel, Facebook, and Twitter (and for use in any blog outreach and promotion you’re doing).
Here’s a few video-promotion ideas for writers to help spark your brain:
1) A 1-minute documentary about your writing room: the desk, the window, the typewriter or computer, the cup of water or whiskey, the full ashtray, and the cat lounging by the door. Show us where the magic happens!
2) A mini-documentary: gather or shoot whatever footage or photos you think you’d need to edit together a 3 or 4 minute story of you, your writing, your influences, your motivations, your struggles, and your successes. Show the world what makes you tick!
3) Moving-picture marginalia: if they’re done cleverly, you could even entertain your readers with short (30-90 second) video clips about things that have little direct connection to your writing life. Show us the bleachers where you had your first kiss, the snowed-in car that you’re shoveling off, the cranky way you sit when you’re in the airport, etc.
You don’t have to reveal too much, if that sort of thing makes you uncomfortable. Just a quick 30 second clip with something compelling will go a long way to maintaining a sense of connection to your readers. Try it out!
We’d love to hear about your experience shooting promotional videos for your writing career. Feel free to comment or post links to YouTube in the section below.
Also, check out:
Video Promotion for Authors, Pt 1: the video interview
Video Promotion for Authors, Pt 2: live-streaming for readings and book clubs
-Chris R. at BookBaby
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