video | From the Writer's Desk

I’ve been following a woman on YouTube for some time who is about to publish her first book. I’ll call her, “Denise.” Denise talks about the everyday things we can all relate to; schools, kids, pets, healthy eating, gardening, elderly parents, the weather, and so forth. She’s a very intelligent, articulate woman. Her content is always interesting and thought provoking.

When Denise first started talking about writing a book I offered to help, free of charge, with the typesetting and cover design. She gives a lot to her community, and I wanted to do what I could to help make her book a success. I also told her I would walk her through the self publishing process. She asked me if I could publish her book for her. Unfortunately, my publishing company, Good Oak Press, LLC, isn’t set up to publish books for other authors. While I could do most of the work on my end, I wouldn’t be able to provide an ISBN number or upload her files.

Denise has just uploaded a new YouTube video about her upcoming book. However, instead of using KDP Direct Publishing and Draft2Digital, as I had recommended, she’s decided to pay a publisher seven-thousand dollars to publish her book. (Which is the first a big red flag.) She’s so excited. This unnamed publisher is also going to advertise her book. While I honestly hope it works out for her, I have some serious doubts. Denise has no idea that she’s taking an incredibly big risk.

There are a LOT of bad actors in the book publishing world. They charge huge sums of money, such as seven-thousand dollars, but don’t deliver on their promises. In the industry, they’re known as vanity publishers. They prey on unsuspecting authors, which is why I consider them predators.

Denise is asking her YouTube followers to help her cover the cost with five hundred dollar donations. The donor will get a dedication page at the front of her book where they can make a personal dedication to anyone they so choose. She’s also telling her prospective donors that her book is going to be on The New York Times Best Seller list. I’m not sure if the publisher has promised her this, or if Denise has assumed it on her own. Either way, it’s another red flag.

There isn’t a first-time author out there who doesn’t want their book on the New York Times Best Seller list. In fact, it’s part of The Author Myth. Unfortunately, The New York Times Best Seller List is only for the big, mainstream publishers, such as Random House. There are other best seller lists out there which she may qualify for, but she would have to sell a substantial number of books in order to get there. I believe the NYT list requires a minimum sale of five-thousand copies a week. While not impossible, it is extremely difficult for an unknown first-time author to have this much sales volume.

To her credit, Denise does have an one advantage most author’s don’t. She has a successful YouTube platform. Let’s say she has fifty thousand subscribers to her YouTube channel. That’s a good number. No doubt some of them will buy her book, but how many is anyone’s guess.

I’ve also advertised my books on social media as well as on Amazon. While advertising does indeed help boost my sales, it can also be expensive because those pay-per-click ads can run up in a hurry. I don’t know how much her publisher is charging her for advertising, but I’d be willing to bet she’d get a better rate if she did her own ads and promotions herself instead of going through a third party.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of authors and publishers upload new books on Amazon and other platforms each and every week. Most, if not all of them, want to have a bestselling book. There’s a lot of competition out there, and the book market is oversaturated. It takes time and effort to build a following, and people who enjoy watching YouTube videos aren’t necessarily interested in reading.

I’ll end by saying I found her video jaw dropping, to say the least. However, I’m biting my tongue and not saying anything on her YouTube channel. She’s made up her mind, and I highly doubt she would listen if I tried to warn her. Nor do I want to be perceived as an, “I told you so,” if things don’t turn out the way she’s hoping. I won’t be donating five hundred dollars either because it would be a conflict of interest. Remember, I offered to do her typesetting and cover art free of charge, and I didn’t get so much as a, “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll pass.” In fact, I was waiting for her to get back with me about when she wanted me to start the typesetting when I saw the video, and I honestly feel like I’ve been blindsided.

I hope, for her sake, that things go the way she is hoping. However, having been in the small press publishing business for over a decade, I know how things work. The red flags are there, so in all likelihood, she’s working with a vanity publisher who’ll produce low-quality books which may end up in her garage because they’re not marketable. It’s also entirely possible that she may not have the option to republish her book herself, because she may have signed the rights over to the vanity publisher. It’s yet another reason why I call them predators.

Gayle Martin

From the Writer’s Desk does not include AI generated content or use AI software of any kind. It is written and edited by a real human being. No part of this blog may be used or reproduced or transmitted in any form, or used in any matter by AI, without the express written consent Good Oak Press, LLC. Requests for permission must be addressed to Good Oak Press, LLC, P.O. Box 51244, Denton, TX 76206-1244.

One of the perks of being a novel writer is learning new skills, and one of the new skills I learned was video production. Book videos are a must-have tool for building your brand and marketing your book(s). They’re like a TV commercial or a movie trailer and they’re used on websites, blogs, and social media. There are several different ways to go about producing a book video. The most common are slideshows, author readings, and book trailers

Video Slideshows

Back in the mid 2000s, when I wrote my Luke and Jenny series of historical novels for young readers, Internet videos were a new technology. Video editing software was expensive and difficult to use. So, back then, many authors produced video slideshows, which were easy to create in Powerpoint. My first two book videos were simple PowerPoint presentations that I produced myself for very little money.

Even today, you can still create a nice video slideshow without having to spend a lot of money. Powerpoint has come a long way, and nowadays you can animate slides, record voice overs, and add music tracks to your presentation. Or you can take it to the next level and produce your slideshow in iMovie or one of its Windows counterparts. Whatever approach you take is entirely up to you.

Author Readings

Thanks for smartphones, we all have a camcorder in our pocket. Those authors who wish to make a more personal connection with their readers may opt to read a portion of their book to their readers. Such videos are inexpensive and easy to produce. All you need is a smartphone, a tripod, and some basic video editing software, such as iMovie.

Lighting, however, may be a challenge, so you should definitely take some test shots of your set before you begin shooting. If you have the means, consider hiring someone to shoot the video for you. A professional will know how to light the scene and can determine which camera angles are the most flattering. Either way, be sure to read a sample that’s interesting and action packed, but don’t give too much of your story away.

Book Trailers

Book trailers are like movie trailers. You shoot a few scenes from your book, but like the author reading, you don’t want to give too much of your story away. The idea is to entice a potential reader.

Unlike slideshows and author readings, book trailers are more expensive to create, and in most cases you’ll need to hire a professional to produce the video for you. Be sure to read their contract carefully before you sign. You may also need to hire actors. If so, they will need to sign a release form, granting you their permission to use their image. There are many release form templates available for download on the Internet, and oftentimes they are free.

Whether you are creating your video yourself or hiring a pro, there are a few things you need to be aware of when it comes to producing a video.

Royalty Free Doesn’t Mean Copyright Free

Some people think royalty free means copyright free. However, this isn’t the case at all. Royalty free is a term for a particular type of licensing agreement. Simply put, it means you don’t have to pay the right holder each time their image or music is used. You still have to pay a one time licensing fee up front to use the footage or music. There may also be limits on how the footage or music can be used. For example, it may be limited to editorial or non-commercial use only, so be sure to read the fine print carefully.

Other Sources

Pond5 is my go-to company for video production. You name it, they probably have it. Stock footage, music, photos, and whatever else you may need. Shutterstock and Can Stock Photo are also good sources. All of these companies will charge a fee, so you may want to shop around. Be sure to read the licensing agreement before you buy, and be wary of any website giving you “free” stuff. The quality may not be that great, and you may be buying pirated materials.

And finally

Whether you’re doing a simple slideshow video, or hiring a professional and doing a full board production, it’s important to remember that content is king. You want viewers to take an interest in your books, but you don’t want to give them too much information either.

I’ve posted one of my book trailers below. It’s for my Marina Martindale contemporary romance novel, The Deception. I’ve come a long way since I created my first book video. Instead of a simple Powerpoint slideshow, I’m now producing book trailers.