News for Authors

Between Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, short-form video content is on a major hot streak. These platforms can offer the opportunity for instant virality, so creating content for them can be an attractive way to promote your book and connect with readers. If you have scrolled through these platforms, you may have encountered a video that had an interesting topic, but something about it wasn’t right. Maybe the audio sounded weird or you could barely make out words on the screen. Most viewers will scroll right past. It’s easy to overlook the technical aspects of making short-form videos, which can absolutely affect how your content performs in the algorithm. Here are some tips to help you compose your videos for ultimate success.

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YouTube is the original home for video content online. It’s constantly expanding and evolving, and accommodates both long-form and short-form videos. It is a great place to make transformative and versatile content, without time limits. On this platform, the only limitations are your drive, resources, and imagination. But if you’re new to the platform, its scale can be a bit daunting. Here are some factors to consider as you get started.

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The live video feature on social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube can be a powerful and unique way to connect with your audience in this unusual time in our industry. In this article, we share three steps to create a great live social video and a few platform-specific tech tips. Read more

Making videos using a smartphone is a relatively simple and economical way to create valuable content. In fact, depending on the goal of the video, smartphone videos can often be more appropriate than slick professional videos. Smartphone videos can feel more personal and authentic, as you are talking directly to your readers. While viewers are generally forgiving when it comes to quality expectations, there are several things you can do to ensure yours hits a comfortable quality threshold. Read more

As an author, you can use video to connect with your readers in a number of ways: announcing the release of your latest book, answering fan questions, or even creating your own book trailer. These types of videos help readers learn more about your books and discover the personality behind the pages—but in an online world inundated by video, how can you make sure the right audience finds yours? Read on to learn about five easy steps to optimize metadata and help your videos reach your readers. Read more

With the zillions of sites available for people to connect, it’s forgivable for your head to swim when you think about where to focus your social media efforts. Read more