Creating a promotional video out of a presentation to the Friends of the Library

Recently I was asked to be the featured speaker at my local library to kick-off the annual membership drive for the Friends of the Jackson (MS) Library held at the downtown Eudora Welty Library. At the last minute, I handed my digital camera to a friend and asked her to take a few pictures. My presentation included a discussion of my writing career balanced with being a doctor and then was followed by a reading from my third novel Fresh Frozen. I also threw in an excerpt of my work-in-progress, Wiggle Room.

My friend had the insight to use the video feature of the camera and recorded the majority of the talk, even though handicapped by the absence of a tripod or HD camera features.

I took my "free" video and had it professionally edited by Leslie LaCour of Hazel House Marketing for an hourly fee and then posted it on YouTube. I think it turned out to be a nice piece, suitable for inclusion on my website blog and in other promotional avenues. Leslie worked wonders with the video, editing it to just under ten minutes while including some other promotional artwork that I supplied.

I am sharing the video with you as an example of seizing the moment and not wasting a chance to market oneself later as an author, especially if you're wearing a new sports jacket, you've lost twenty pounds, your hair is combed, and the audience seems to like you.

The value of the piece ... well, you be the judge.

http://www.youtube.com/user/dardennorth#p/a/u/0/zq4ZIVFIvBg

Thanks,

Darden North

mystery, suspense, medical thrillers

www.dardennorth.com