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I am so accustomed to Brinda using her key to get coffee brewing in my glob-of-a-kitchen every other Wednesday, sometimes I wander out in the mornings and there she is!
Coffee made, paper fetched, hammock swinging with words of wisdom.
Brinda Berry has been a regular on my site since its inception. Posting a weekly and now bi-weekly article designed to bring me up-to-speed on the many venues for an internet presence.
And, this week?
This week, she tells me I can be a star in my own movies.
I may implement this nifty new tool as soon as I complete certain advance tasks:
- Get teeth professionally whitened,
- De-wonkify hair,
- Find something to teach or talk about that I’d want recorded on the net forever,
- Get eyebrows waxed, and
- Exercise the winter fluff from my around my middle so I fit in my HOT Midnight & Magnolias dress, because
- My video library may include Therapeutic Benefit of Dancing Alone in Public.
With that, I am pleased to turn this post over to Brinda.
She begins her post with words I muttered when I saw it.
You Mean There’s More?
You can’t do everything in social media. At least I can’t. But there are some sites that are helpful to you as a writer. One site that I’ve touted in earlier posts as a research tool is YouTube. I also use it for social media purposes.
YouTube allows you to upload videos to your account and store them for public, limited, or private viewing. I know a lot about this because I talk with teachers about creating a YouTube channel where students can subscribe to it. It therefore focuses the exposure of your viewer to what you upload. I have two channels. I have a channel that I use in my day job and a more personal channel that I use for my author social media. My author channel is brin145’s Channel and can be found at http://www.youtube.com/user/brin145?feature=mhee
What’s on my channel? There are sixteen public videos as of 3/3/2012. You can go check it out and see that my book trailer for The Waiting Booth is stored there. I also have a series of videos that I recorded during a public workshop hosted by my state RWA group, the Diamond State Romance Authors (see video below). The part I have posted addresses why writers get rejected and payment expectations. I took a trip to a castle construction site and recorded video. Those are also on the channel and I embedded them in a blog post where I talked about my trip.
So You Think You Want To Be A Writer, Part 5 of 8
(left to right: Nena Clements, Shayla Kersten, Delilah Devlin, and Elle James)
I have 2 subscribers at this time. Anyone who is a member of YouTube can subscribe. A famous individual or group would certainly have tons of subscribers (similar to followers on other social media sites). I obviously haven’t tried to build my subscriber list, but I recently added the YouTube icon to my social media page on my website at http://www.brindaberry.com/social-media.html . I already had the channel on YouTube so it only made sense that I should add the access with the icon.
After I have a backlist of books with trailers, interviews, and book signing appearances, it might be cool for a reader to have all my videos in one place. I have big goals, so I’m putting my foundation in place on YouTube. For now, YouTube is a great place to store my videos and share links or embed on blog and other sites. I have two videos in addition to the sixteen that I uploaded this weekend and are marked unlisted. I’m waiting to unveil them. Someday, I’ll probably have hundreds of videos on my channel. Are you interested in having a YouTube Channel? If so, let me know that you’d like a future post to address the technical features in YouTube.
BIO: Brinda lives in the southern US with her family and two spunky cairn terriers. She’s terribly fond of chocolate, coffee, and books that take her away from reality.
Find Brinda: FACEBOOK , TWITTER , WEBSITE/BLOG , YOUTUBE
The Waiting Booth LINKS: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo Books, All Romance eBooks, Borders online
Gloria Richard 
Brinda is on the hammock again! Woot!
My book trailer ended up on youtube by default. I made the trailer for my site, never thinking it would be viewed anywhere else. Then I put up my author page at Goodreads. Woot, I could put up my video. Dang, had to feed through a source other than my Mac. Youtube was one of the options.
And so, I have a youtube account.
Never thought of other uses–until my next book trailer comes around, but shall need that contract first–until now.
Thank you, Brinda, for adding to my things to do! Snort!
If anyone is interested, my trailer can be viewed on the Storyteller page of my website (link above). Or, you can watch it on youtube. Search: Sherry Isaac Storyteller.
No pressure.
You have yours started then! Now you can add videos when the next event occurs. There’s no pressure. I’ve already checked out the storyteller trailer. I’m impressed!
Brinda Berry http://www.brindaberry.com
Waving good morning, Sherry!
Your trailer is awesome.
As is Brinda’s. Many of you have seen Brinda use videos to demonstrate techie tasks during her series.
The link for her book trailer is above. Go on and click it. You’ll see her creative side as well. You won’t be sorry. Well, you might slobber with envy, but…
If Brinda got the mechanics of posting YouTube videos through my thick skull (why do I hear echoes of Mom’s voice saying, “When are you going to get it through your thick skull that…”)…
But, I digress.
If you click here. You’ll be taken directly to the AWESOME trailer for Sherry Isaac’s published Short Story collection.
Gloria, sorry I snuck in on you! I WANT to see videos of all the activities you listed.
Brinda Berry http://www.brindaberry.com
Hi Brinda and Gloria! Great post. YouTube sounds like a lot of fun. I’m about as good at making movies as I am at drawing pictures! But maybe with time, practice, and lots of help from others, a YouTube channel could be a fun experiment!
YouTube does sound like a lot of fun, doesn’t it? I don’t know how good I am at making movies, because I have never attempted one.
But, as soon as I complete those prep tasks, and write a post on the Therapeutic Benefit of Dancing Alone in Public, and find someone willing to tape me at my silliest, I’m ON IT!
Thanks for visiting and commenting, Jill. SO kind of you.
Off now for a workout date. I’m shooting for an average of 7 miles a day on my virtual walk to Canada and–thanks lackluster performance yesterday–I need to be a perpetual motion machine today.
I’ll hop to your site to see what you’re up to when I return.
Jill, Making a video is easier than it used to be. If you have a smartphone that makes videos, an iPad, or even a digital camera with a video function, you’re set as far as equipment needs.
Brinda Berry http://www.brindaberry.com
No, no, no. I’m shaking my head. Pushing the heel of my hand into my forehead–in that place right between my eyes.
There’s more I need to be doing????
Oh, Brin, why don’t you live in my cul-de-sac? I would make you coffee every morning. Buy you one of those nifty little back pillows. Massage your feet–well, maybe not so much on the feet. I don’t really like feet. Other people’s feet.
And then you could make my youtube channel 🙂
Did you NOT think I was going to read this, Lori?
Trying to steal my techie guru resource from me?
Seriously?
Expect a direct email me. No. I don’t plan to yell at you. I plan to pick your brain about the new timeline I’ve consciously ignored until now. NOW, it’s critical path b/c they’re forcing it on us in 3 more days. Gaaaah!
Nifty little back pillow? Very tempting….
Brinda Berry http://www.brindaberry.com
First off: Gloria, I have wished it before and I will wish it again: why can’t we be neighbors? I would LOVE to sit down with you and just CHAT — for this reason right here:
“De-wonkify hair”
LOL. Man, you’re funny, and creative, and humble, and selfless, and supportive, and . . . I could go on for a while. 🙂
Brinda, heading over to YouTube now! Thank you for all the info. I had no idea YouTube offered such an array of helpful resources.
Hi Cara *waving*, Can you tell that I’m a YouTube fan?
Brinda Berry http://www.brindaberry.com
Aw, shucks, Cara *blushing*. Thanks for all those wonderful compliments.
I didn’t include destinkify because I take a shower every day. It might have given the wrong impression; made people think it was a special event.
Can’t wait for your next installment over at This Little Light. Do an instructional video on one of your crafty days. Or. Oh! Oh! Video one of your forays into those thrift and craft shops that offer fodder for your creativity.
LOL! Probably a good idea, though I don’t peg you for the unsanitary type.
Those are exceptionally grand ideas, Gloria! And I may just have to do one — or both! In fact, the Hubs and I — before he started a new job and was lost to me forever, lol. I’m kidding (sort of) — talked about vloggging as oppose to blogging. I liked the idea then, and I like it now. Thanks for giving your 2 cents. It’s worth at least a dime, in my humble opinion.
🙂
Good morning Gloria and Brinda. Where’s my coffee?
Okay, number one: I love the heck out of youtube. Found the plot whisperer there. Find great songs and other videos there. Never knew a person could have their own channel. How neat is that … very neat 🙂 One of these days after I do everything on Gloria’s list (plus a few more of my own we won’t mention) … I might enjoy that. Hey, can you photo shop and air brush a video ??
It is fun! *handing you a cup of coffee* When I finally get to meet Gloria in person, I will make a video for my channel. I’m sure it would be a hoot. Maybe we can even discuss the meaning of hair “de-wonkify” in it.
Brinda Berry http://www.brindaberry.com
EEE! Maybe I’ll be ready for my Dancing in Public is Therapeutic post, and I’ll have an audience of one: Brinda. Who ‘gets’ what it’s all about.
Those folks over at Cavender’s Boot City don’t. NOT my fault. They’re the ones playing boot scootin’ music.
Thanks for visiting, Florence!
Great post, Gloria and Brinda! I often browse through YouTube, mostly to find some old music videos that stir such nostalgic memories. Sometimes I also look for a silly video to simply laugh. But I haven’t utilized my YouTube channel all that much – that is definitely one of the goals still simmering on the back burner.
I’m off to check out Brinda’s videos. Thanks for sharing the link!
Hi Angela, As I said, I’m just starting out and setting the foundation. All it takes is one video recorded by you to get started. Thanks for reading.
Brinda Berry http://www.brindaberry.com
I look forward to the day Huey P. Ackard bites the dust. Maybe I’ll then be able to browse YouTube without having a laptop freezes and requires a reboot.
Switch the order of what you typically look for and I’m with you, Angela.
Thanks for the visit and comments.
When I was a kid, I had a cairn terrior. 🙂 I’m on YouTube. A friend of me periodically does videos for my stories. I post up video I take of the Moon sometimes. Maybe someday one of them will go viral.
I’ll go check out your videos! You never know what will go viral. I love my cairns!!
Brinda Berry http://www.brindaberry.com
Thanks for visiting MPAX.
You are WAY ahead of me on the YouTube gig. I may need to borrow your friend when it’s time to do a trailer for my book. Words first. Pictures second.
I only used Youtube once, when my son did a book review for me. It got a good response. I linked it up to my personal You Tube account, but I’d probably create a professional one if I were to do it a lot.
Your son’s book review is going to be a hard act to follow, Jennifer.
You should have started a video blurb when you first saw that picture that’s creating Jennifer Eaton Angst meets Jennifer Eaton Stubborn Determination to Lasso this Story. Hope that’s going well for you.
I’m actually going for it full hog. Wahoooooo!
I hope I don’t fall on my face.
I absolutely love your son’s review video. You should do more of those.
Yeah. I need to get on that. He finished a book that he liked, but he’s nervous because it was a complicated story. He’s anal like that. (Hmmmm. Not like me at all) 🙂
I always learn stuff when I read your posts. I have a you tube identity, although I haven’t used it for a while. I have to admit that I don’t watch a lot of video clips.
Thanks, Shelley, I always learn on your blog as well!
Thanks for visiting, Shelley! I don’t watch a lot of them either because of reasons stated above.
My laptop often freezes with no advance notice.
It makes hunting for VLOG clips a royal pain in the patootie.
New plan. Take Huey P. back to The Geeksters so often, I annoy them into giving me a new laptop.
The book trailer Brinda and Sherry did both impress and scare me.
Here I am, permitting a case of the ACKS over FB timeline and I can’t begin to imagine the talent it takes to visualize and produce one of those.
First off…De-wonkify hair…HILARIOUS!!!!
Second…some people just aren’t meant for public consumption via Youtube, yours truly being one of them! 🙂
I agree that De-wonkify is a hilarious word that may possibly be added to the Merriam Webster dictionary very soon based on Gloria’s usage. You will notice that I am absent in my YouTube videos thus far.
Thanks for the visit DL. When can we expect another one of your creative hops?
Hmm?
In re: your comment on de-wonkify hair…
HILARIOUS is what describes my hair before de-wonkification.
I’m so glad to meet someone else with a YouTube channel. I’ve just been winging it, actually, and making some goofy vlogs, but I have to admit I love it. Why oh why didn’t I take drama in high school? Because I was too chicken to be on stage, but with YouTube videos, I can make them at home where I’m comfy! I have other videos I need to edit and add music to, but no time right now. The next one is a dancing skeleton, Funny Bones, with a pet Brain on a leash. I’m going to make it very short and am going to promote literacy. It will have a few words, something like, “Funny Bones says…” (skeleton with Brain) “…exercise your Brain…” (more footage here) “…Read…” (maybe a still picture here?) “…and Succeed!” Or something like that? Any ideas you can offer? I just thought of this yesterday, though I filmed the Funny Bones stuff a few weeks ago. I have other scenes, too, which will be in other videos.
We’re in the middle of moving. It’s taken me weeks to visit your blog, Brinda, since you left your comment on mine about the Fun Fibs and the pic of little Theresa! I don’t have many followers either. I’m just playing around with the videos right now, having fun. I’m going to click on the link to your channel right now!
Hi Lynn,
Your Funny Bones idea sounds like so much fun. That’s wonderful to use the videos to promote literacy. I was a coordinator for a local literacy council for many years and the need is enormous for education. I look forward to checking out your channel.
Picture me as a kid pounding a fork and spoon on the table. I WANT my Funny Bones Brain on a leash Now! Now! Now!
What a fun and twisted sense of humor. I LOVE it.
Thinking about a book trailer. But a whole youTube channel? That’s ambitious for me. Not surprised to see techno-savvy you on top of this. Love the info. I had no idea you could have a whole channel for yourself!
Hi Jessica-
It begins with one video (like a book trailer) and grows. Like a tiny garden. Except I can’t grow a thing, so I probably shouldn’t use that analogy.
Email me if you want advice on how to make a book trailer in one hour.
Listen to Brinda, Jessica. Email Brinda for help if you need it.
For the sake of all that is promising about your career, do NOT ask for my help.
Unless you need a dancer in the background, of course.
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