Promote Your Writing with a YouTube Channel

I could have titled this blog post “Oldest Influencer on YouTube,” but that would be hyperbole. I might not be the oldest, and it’s a bit of a stretch to call me an influencer.

I am an artist, and I write books for children and teens. In June 2022, impatient while waiting for rejections, wanting to learn the publishing ropes, and looking for a hybrid publisher who was having a sale on book contracts, I found, on the recommendation of another WAG member, Archway Publishing. Archway offered a quick avenue to publication, good quality softcover books, a distribution channel that is piggybacked on Simon & Schuster, and a low cost-per-book pricing at that time. (Their prices have since increased. Also note that some writers are not happy with Archway, but some are.) I signed up to publish three books.

I hired two illustrators and illustrated the third book myself, then set to work doing all the chores associated with getting books published.

One of those chores was to ensure I had avenues to promote my books when they became available.

So, in December 2022, I decided to review books on YouTube under the title “Great Books for Kids Reviewed by Michelle Marcotte.”

I registered the channel, made my first video (no Academy Awards for me), and signed up to become an Amazon Associate. (Amazon Associate status allows me to put links to Amazon on my videos, social media, and websites for people to shop so I can earn a few pennies. More information on that below.) All this was accomplished in a couple of days.

I am not a tech genius; I watched one video about how YouTube channels work and another about how to register as an Amazon Associate. The YouTube registration was fast, in part because I geared my videos toward an adult audience (book buyers) versus children. If you make videos for children to view, there are more hoops. I also read comments about fair use as it pertains to copyright, so that is why I don’t read sections of the books on YouTube, and I only show some of the illustrations.

How I Make My Videos

I have a smart cell phone with a good camera. I figured out how to make videos with it. I ordered a circular light on a height-adjustable tripod that holds the cell phone in the middle of the light (which I purchased on Amazon for less than $40). I made many videos that way, but it was difficult. I prefer to work from a script, so I had to print the script out and tape it to the bottom of the cell phone. That meant my eyes were not looking at the camera, and they bounced around a lot.

I made a big technical improvement by downloading the free video production software OBS (Open Broadcast Software) to my laptop. Now, I open OBS on my laptop and preview how I look, adjusting height, the location of my head, and the background. I then slide the OBS window over, open up my script, and slide the script window over as well so I can read and video at the same time. Much better.

I have not become an expert. I do not have a fancy introduction, and I still do not do video editing, therefore I must do all my videos in one take. Learning video editing and making the videos that way would require more time, and since no one pays me to do the book reviews, I’ve decided it isn’t worth the extra work.

Becoming an Amazon Associate

Being an Amazon Associate allows me to obtain a link to put on my videos, book website, or social media; the link takes the purchaser directly to that item on Amazon.com. These are called associate links, and I place mine in the comment section below each video; I encourage people to use it. If someone follows my link and then buys either the book or ANYTHING on Amazon while having followed my link (within the following few hours), I am supposed to get a small financial reward. I have made a whopping $11.00 this year, according to Amazon.

Becoming an Amazon Associate is free, but it took more time to jump through all their hoops. At one point I was stuck because they asked me to follow some code instructions (and I don’t know code). Figuring out that one tiny section took my daughter-in-law just a few minutes.

But be aware: Amazon will kick you out of the program if you do not generate at least three “qualified” sales in the first 90 days. I signed up for both Amazon.com and Amazon.ca. I was kicked out of Amazon.ca, however, for not having enough “qualified” sales, even though there were many sales. They would not explain why, other than to say they have an algorithm that apparently decided I knew the people who were making the purchases.

Monetizing Your Channel

YouTube does not monetize a channel until there are >1,000 subscribers AND >4,000 hours of video viewings per year. That is why videos with gorgeous people taking 30 minutes to tell you how to put your makeup on make money, whereas my videos—2 to 3 minutes long and featuring a (reasonably attractive?) grandmother—might never make money!

How I Find and Choose the Books I Review

As a writer, one must also be a reader. My YouTube channel has me reading and reviewing 1–3 books for kids and teens each week. I love it! Since December 2022, I have posted 93 reviews, have 252 subscribers, and my reviews have been listened to over 14,000 times.

I’m independent; I do not charge to review a book. No one pays me. Since I review both the text and the art, I have to see the actual book. Authors send me their books. After I review it, I either send the book back to the author, or, with their permission, donate it to a low-income medical clinic. I encourage viewers to purchase the books I review at their local bookstore or order from bookshop.org (which supports their local bookstore) or Amazon.

I also encourage viewers to patronize their public libraries (where I find many of the books I review). I love libraries. I post videos about the children’s department of any library I find myself in (always avoiding including any child in the video).

I review new books, including self-published books, plus the oldies-but-goodies, and books that people don’t yet know about, but should. I review books on all and any subjects (that are not racist, or otherwise harmful) for all kids. As a member of the Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators, I learn about many new, valuable, funny, informative books by emerging authors and illustrators. I review both fiction and non-fiction books, and books written in English and French. I find something good in every book.

I review books for ages 0­­–20. I happily review books about subjects that could get me in trouble in book banning states. I am clearly and completely against book banning or age restrictions. But, because I am a wise grandmother, I do advise on the appropriate age group and indicate what aspects of the book a parent or grandparent might want to discuss with their child. I think kids and teens should read anything they want to read. I am also in favor of discussing books with kids, discussing values, examining actions, and understanding difficult subjects.

If you take a moment to view my videos and like what you see (my presentation skills are improving), please consider subscribing. (It’s free! It helps fellow authors! It introduces you to great books!). If you do that and follow my links in the comment section, my annual Amazon earnings might zoom to $12.00!