CELEBRATING WRITE WITH FEY: GUEST POST BY CHRYS FEY AND GIVEAWAY

Happy Monday Everyone! I'm excited to have Chrys Fey here to share about her new book for writers, WRITE WITH FEY: 10 SPARKS TO INSPIRE YOU FROM IDEA TO PUBLICATION. It sounds like a great resource for writers. I learned a ton from Chrys' guest post.

Here's a blurb about Chrys' new book from Goodreads:

Catch the sparks you need to write, edit, publish, and market your book!

Write with Fey: 10 Sparks to Guide You from Idea to Publication offers an abundance of data in one handy book. From writing your novel to prepping for publication and beyond, you’ll find sparks on every page, including 100 bonus marketing tips. You’ll also discover how to write specific scenes and characters, adding depth to your work.

•Spark One: Being a Writer
•Spark Two: Story Essentials
•Spark Three: A Book’s Stepping Stones
•Spark Four: How To
•Spark Five: Character ER
•Spark Six: Editing
•Spark Seven: Publishing
•Spark Eight: Marketing
•Spark Nine: Writing About
•Spark Ten: Final Inspiration
With so much information, you’ll take notes, highlight, and flag pages to come back to again and again on your writing journey.

Now here's Chrys!

10 Things You Can Do on Your Author YouTube Channel

If you feel comfortable recording yourself and sharing videos, YouTube is something you can look in to. Actually, I set up my YouTube channel to help me prepare for a live interview on YouTube I agreed to, as well as a radio interview. And both of those I signed up for to prepare myself for a speaking engagement I had lined up in the following year.

I never thought I’d have a YouTube channel or that I’d enjoy posting videos of myself, but I do. In the beginning, I experienced pretty bad jitters while recording my videos. My voice would shake, my heart would pound, I’d sweat. I’d have to stop the recording and re-do it a few times before my body and mind calmed down. By the end of the final video, I’d laugh at myself. After all, I’m only talking to myself when I’m recording. That shouldn’t cause me so much anxiety, and yet, it did. Probably because I knew I’d be posting them later.

When I started, I’d record 2-3 videos a day. The first one would always be the hardest. I’d start nervous, but I knew I would, so I gave myself permission to stop and start over until I wasn’t as nervous anymore.

Now, I enjoy it. That’s coming from someone who is an introvert, so if I can do it, you can do it. You just have to keep at it until you get to that place where you’re comfortable.

Creating videos helped me to build my confidence, and it can do the same for you.

Whether you have a YouTube Channel already or are thinking about getting one, here are 10 things you can do on your YouTube Channel:

1. Readings

My first videos on YouTube were readings I did for Seismic Crimes and Tsunami Crimes. I sat down,

pushed record, talked about my series, and read an exciting scene. Yes, it took a few tries before I didn’t mess up, and I did start to get frustrated, but I am happy I completed them.

Recorded readings are a great thing to try if you’re scared about doing an in-person reading, too.

When you finish a video reading and upload it to YouTube, upload it to your Amazon Author Page, too. You should have one through Amazon’s author portal, and if you don’t, sign up for it ASAP.

After that, grab the YouTube URL for your video and use it to add that video to your Goodreads author page. These are the two main places you want your videos to be so readers can access them.

2. Share Tips

Create videos for writers/authors and share tips. Go in-depth on a certain topic and provide viewers with all of the knowledge you have. This is what I do on my YouTube Channel. I share sparks about publishing, marketing, and more. Just make sure you provide new or detailed information viewers can take away from your videos. Don’t discuss the same old things.

3. Book Reviews

Being an author, I bet you might be an avid reader, too. Did you just read a book you LOVED? Discuss it in a video. Gush about the characters, the prose, the plot. Or perhaps you read a book you didn’t care for, you can talk about it, too. Open a conversation so readers can contribute to your thoughts and voice their own options.

4. Answer Questions

Ask viewers/followers/readers what they want to know about you or your books. Record your answers and upload those videos. Make sure to share them to all of your social media outlets where your fans can find the link.

5. Interviews

Do you know authors? Set up your live channel through YouTube, find authors who you’d like to interview and ask them if they are interested in participating in a 30-minute interview. Then do a live interview with the author. You don’t have to go beyond your computer or laptop, and the author you interview doesn’t have to leave the comfort of his/her home. To do this, you’ll need to set up Live Streaming through YouTube.

6. Vlog

Use your YouTube channel as a blog, aka a vlog. Talk about your day, share your opinions, do what you would do for a blog post but create a video instead.

7. Tutorials

What are your skills? Is there something you know how to do that many people struggle with? Create a tutorial. If what you’re explaining how to do is online, show the steps you take to get from point A to point B by recording your computer screen. Make sure to add in audio, though, so viewers can hear you as well as see what you do.

Maybe you have a hobby that allows you to create instructional videos, do that. And if one of your characters does that hobby, or a book or series is about that hobby (consider Jennifer Chiaverini’s Elm Creek Quilts series), then these videos are great additions for your readers, who may enjoy that hobby as well.

8. Record Your Events

If you do a talk at a library or other event, have someone record your speech/discussion so you can later upload the video to your YouTube channel. This is great for people who can’t attend your event and don’t want to miss what you have to say.

9. Be a Fan

Are you a Walking Dead fan? A football fan? A Game of Thrones fan? Discuss a show’s episodes. Share your reactions when your favorite team wins or loses or when a character you love dies. Be a fan and connect to other fans.

10. Poetry Reading

Do you write poetry? Recite them. Put on a show for YouTube viewers as artists would for a poetry slam. Show your emotions and share your view through the power of words and rhythm. 

Try at least one of these ideas and then try another. You may find one you love and want to continue doing. And if you have a handful of videos for a specific feature or topic, you can make a Playlist on your channel and add those videos to it.

Get creative and think outside the box.

If you think something would make a fun, interesting, or informative video, then do it!

QUESTION: What else can an author do on their YouTube channel?

For more information like this check out:

Write with Fey: 10 Sparks to Guide You from Idea to Publication by Chrys Fey

Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Amazon

BIO: Chrys Fey is the author of Write with Fey: 10 Sparks to Guide You from Idea to Publication. Catch the sparks you need to write, edit, publish, and market your book! From writing your novel to prepping for publication and beyond, you’ll find sparks on every page, including 100 bonus marketing tips. Fey is an editor for Dancing Lemur Press and runs the Insecure Writer’s Support Group’s Goodreads book club. She is also the author of the Disaster Crimes series. Visit her blog, Write with Fey, for more tips. @ChrysFey www.ChrysFey.com

Thanks for all the advice, Chrys! You can enter into Chrys' Rafflecopter Giveaway here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here's what's coming up:

Monday, June 25th I have a guest post by MG author Diane Magras and her agent Adriann Ranta Zurhellen with a query critique giveaway by Adriann and a book giveaway of THE MAD WOLF'S DAUGHTER by Diane

Wednesday, June 27th I have an agent spotlight interview and query critique giveaway with Colleen Oefelein

Friday, June 29th I'm participating in the I Couldn't Put It Down Giveaway Hop

Tuesday, July 3rd I have an interview with debut author Cindy Baldwin and a giveaway of her MG WHERE THE WATERMELONS GROW and my IWSG post

Monday, July 9th I have an interview with debut author Bree Barton and a giveaway of her YA HEART OF THORNS

Hope to see you on Monday!