Snippets
Are you an author looking for a new way to promote your book? Do you want to give your readers a glimpse of your story and style? If so, you might be interested in our new snippets service. We can record a video reading of a chapter of your book and upload it to our YouTube channel, where thousands of potential readers can discover your work. Or, if you prefer, you can record and upload your own video reading. Either way, our snippets service is a great way to showcase your book and attract more followers. Once you have purchased your preferred option we will message you to discuss the book and chapter to be recorded or with the link to upload your recording.
This is an example snippet from the Purge read by Rob Jones from MTA
View more book Snippets here
Submitting a snippet video to us - Recording tips and tricks
To record a video for the MTA YouTube Channel, you need to pay attention to several factors that affect the quality and appeal of your content. Here are some tips to consider:
- Positioning on camera: You should frame yourself in the centre of the screen, with enough space around you to avoid cutting off your head or limbs. Keep the camera lens at or above eye level—use a cardboard box or a book as a stand if necessary. Lift your head up. Your chin will thank you! You should also avoid distracting movements or gestures that might take away from your message. Use a microfiber cloth and wipe off the lens from time to time to keep it clean.
- Background: You should choose a background that is relevant to your topic, clean and tidy, and not too busy or cluttered. You can also use a green screen to replace the background with an image or video of your choice.
- Lighting: You should use natural or artificial light sources that illuminate your face and body evenly, without creating harsh shadows or glare. You should also avoid backlighting, which makes you look dark and silhouetted against a bright background.
- Audio: You should use a microphone that captures your voice clearly and reduces background noise. You should also speak loudly and clearly, and avoid mumbling or stuttering.
- Your reading style: try to emphasise your scenes and characters. Let the reader get immersed in the story you are telling. For an example of this check out the reading of The Purge by MTA's Rob Jones above.
Try using a teleprompter: A free teleprompter can be found at Telepromter online here
Practice first: Before you start to record your Snippet, do a test to see how the lighting is, check the angle, and ensure that you look presentable. Try and stay calm and natural.