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Mac Screen Recorder

March 9, 2017 by Judy Baker

Mac Screen Recorder is Easy to Use

It is software that you can use as soon as it is installed. You don’t need to have a filmmaking degree or be a technical genius. If you are looking for easy screen capture and movie making software, this is it.

I made this video using the built-in iSight camera on my iMac. I did a couple of takes using the built-in system speakers and I was not happy with the sound quality. Once I switched to my Blue Yeti microphone (USB), the sound was much improved. This video is a quick experiment. I could make it better and spend more time to refine. For my purpose of testing the software, this is a good enough result.

My main goal: could I produce a viable movie in a few minutes, upload it and share it.

Mac Screen Recorder passed the test with flying colors.

It is not as feature rich as Camtasia or Adobe Premiere. Where Mac Screen Recorder shines is its simplicity.

Need to create a training video for clients? This will work for you. You have options to upload to YouTube, Vimeo, share by email or text and a few more.

I give it 4.5 stars.

You can find it at https://www.apowersoft.com/

They also make apps for Windows users.

Filed Under: blog Tagged With: movies, screen recorder, share, video, Vimeo, YouTube

Arouse Curiosity on Social Sites with Teasers Announcing Your Book

December 26, 2015 by Judy Baker

Arouse Curiosity on Social Sites with Teasers Announcing Your Book

Arouse Curiosity on Social Sites with Teasers Announcing Your Book

Your book is amazing. If you want to sell more books you need to tell the world about it. Arouse curiosity and get people talking about your book on social sites to grow your audience. Tease them and build anticipation for your book.

Tell Your Story in Small Bites

Plan a series of posts and updates that plant ideas and leave them wanting to know more. Interesting social status updates drive traffic to your blog. Provide astonishing insights and unveil your perspective in social posts. Consider creating a series of tweets based on chapters in your book. Reveal tidbits that arouse interest. Inspire their imagination. Surprise your readers. Grow your audience with quality. Focus on why your book is valuable.

Spotlight characters or an intriguing aspect of your story if you are writing fiction. Share endorsements that give your writing credibility. Reward readers with unique, colorful content or practical information.

Exploit the Power of Imagination

Smart authors use cliff-hangers. People want to know what comes next. Show glimpses of your book that unlock emotion. Unusual or exotic elements break through the ordinary conversations on social sites. Astound readers to get their attention. Then deliver on your promise. If there a secret in your book, tease with possibilities. Build suspense.

Try Before You Buy

Publishing short excerpts from your book is a popular way to attract readers. Giving away samples is a good investment. Like the food samples in a grocery store, sampling is a low-risk way for people to try out your writing. If they like the sample, you have engaged prospective book buyers.

Be Bold

Before you publish your book, you want to get as many people as you can talking about your upcoming book. What aspects of your book are daring, groundbreaking, pioneering or strange? Capitalize on what is innovative in your online book teasers.

Authentic stories work. Honest emotion, underdogs, second-chances, these are hooks that touch our hearts. You can talk about your book or what it took for you to write it. Talk about obstacles. Talk about triumphs. Be bold.

Every Picture Tells a Story

Use images in your social posts to get more eyeballs on what you are saying. Your book cover tells a story. You can make a video book trailer. Post photos from your book research. Post photos of yourself as you write your book. Take a quote from your book and turn it into an image. Create your own visuals using online services like canva.com or shareasimage.com where you can combine text and images like the one you see at the start of this post.

Watch the Video

In this short (under 1 minute) video, I recap why you want to arouse curiosity on social sites with teasers announcing your book.

These are a few ideas to get you thinking about ways you can arouse curiosity about your book. Now go out there and get people talking and you will sell more books.

Filed Under: book marketing tips Tagged With: book marketing, curiosity, free marketing tips for authors, twitter, video

Free Book Marketing Tip #5 – Use Video

September 28, 2015 by Judy Baker

Free Book Marketing Tip #5 - Use Video

Free Book Marketing Tip #5 – Use Video

YouTube is a gigantic search engine. YouTube has over 1 BILLION subscribers. Millions of people are viewing videos every day. (YouTube Statistics)

You Can Make a Video

You probably already have everything you need to make a video. If you have a smart phone, you can make a video. If you have a computer with a built-in camera, you can make a video. There are upgrades too: you can get a web cam (Logitech makes several models, some are under $100), a dedicated video camera, or use an SLR camera that also takes video.

You Don’t Have To Appear On Camera

If you are camera-shy, consider adding narration to photos or slides. Demonstrate how to do something. People love how-to videos. There are a variety of ways to make videos. You can record your actions with a camera or use software to follow your actions on the computer.

Movie Making Software

When it comes to making movies, there are a lot of choices. Some software can help you turn your images, slides, or pdf’s into a movie. Some of the tools are free, some for fee. Many software developers let you try before you buy. Here is a sampling of some of the apps/software you can use to make a video that you share with others:

  • Animoto
  • Storyo
  • Photoshop (yes Photoshop has the ability to edit photos and create animations and video)
  • Wondershare makes a variety of tools that converts your assets into video
  • Magisto – Magical Video Editor (available in from iTunes – iPhone and iPad)
  • Camtasia (you can try it free)
  • Screenflow
  • Blab (you can record your live streaming event) using an app from bebo
  • Google Hangouts (you can record your hangout)
  • Splice
  • iMovie
  • Adobe Premiere
  • Final Cut Pro
  • Windows Movie Maker
  • Keynote
  • Powerpoint

I’m sure there are other tools out there, and if I left out one that you love, please let me know.

Movies and Videos are Another Way to Tell a Story

Here a few ideas to get you started:

  • Interviews
  • How did you come to write your book?
  • What did you learn in the process of publishing your book?
  • Why you wrote the book
  • Who your book is for (your intended audience)
  • How your readers can best use the material contained in your book
  • A guide to the characters
  • A guide to the setting(s) in the book
  • Create a book trailer that pumps up excitement about your book

Where to Share Your Videos

  • Your website
  • Youtube
  • Vimeo
  • Goodreads (your author profile for instance)
  • Amazon
  • Pinterest
  • Twiter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Your newsletter
  • Slideshare
  • Vine

Are You Ready for Your Close-up?

I hope this has informed, entertained and inspired you to create your own videos. Some final tips:

  • Keep your videos short (90 seconds to 5 minutes)
  • Do a series of short videos rather than one long video
  • Make an outline of what you want to cover before you start
  • Search for top videos and see what they are doing
  • Be sure your audio is crisp
  • If you are working indoors, use enough light to show your subjects clearly
  • Include a call to action (what is the next thing you want your audience to do)
  • Have fun

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel

If you found this information helpful, subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

Filed Under: book marketing tips Tagged With: book marketing, Goodreads, iMovie, movie, Pinterest, video

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