Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
One of the things I’ve been toying with lately is creating a YouTube book reading of something I’m working on in Wattpad. And in reality, it has done a lot more for me as an author and creator than just giving video content for the channel.
In fact, it’s done a lot for how I view content and writing in general.
What is a YouTube Book Reading?
For the most part, a YouTube book reading is similar to how audiobooks work. Essentially, “viewers” will turn them on to play in the background while they do other things.
For instance, some will play these book readings during long drives or during lunch breaks while at work.
It’s similar to why people create music playlists when they have no intention of actually watching the video and just want the music.
What separates this kind of book reading from something you’d find on Audible is the fact you can also mix in a visual element should you choose. And depending on the story, it can add quite a bit to the viewer experience.
And if you read your own book on YouTube, you could drum up a bit of recognition as well as potential sales. Not to mention the ad revenue if your channel is monetized.
7 Benefits of Creating a YouTube Book Reading
The best thing about taking to YouTube is that it doesn’t take much to get started right now. It’s a free platform you can use with nothing more than your smartphone.
Even some kinds of editing software are free to use. Whether you’re reading poetry or chapters of an upcoming book, you can literally get started immediately for building your channel.
So, what kind of benefits can you get from publishing a YouTube book reading?
1. Helps Clean Up Your Writing
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits I’ve come across thus far is how the readings have helped me clean up my writing. Sure, I’ll use Grammarly and other spell checkers. However, these tools don’t account for the flow of a tale.
When you read what you write out loud, you can come across all kinds of things that either don’t make sense or could be worded in a different way.
Not to mention how you can find grammatical and structural issues that proofreaders sometimes miss.
Unless you have the money for an editor, proofreading your own work is a difficult chore. But, reading things out loud makes the process easier as your brain has to analyze the text before speaking it.
For an author, a book reading video on YouTube could be incredibly helpful for polishing up the text.
2. Helps Build an Engaged Audience
There are a lot of people who love listening to free audiobooks online. And when you read your own works on YouTube, you start to accumulate those individuals who may become avid fans.
These fans are then more likely to listen to or watch more videos from you in the future. This, in turn, helps you create a community of those who appreciate your work.
You may even find your playlists or videos being shared on social media or otherwise promoted by those listeners. A lot of your YouTube book reading views can come from places outside of the platform.
A lot of people on YouTube love interacting with authors.
3. Marketing for Your Future Works
I’m all about using YouTube as a marketing device. Video is one of the most prominent forms of content on the Internet, and what better platform to use than the number two visited website?
Not to mention how YouTube videos can be used to embed content into blogs, shared on social media, and linked pretty much anywhere online.
If you plan on publishing some books in the future, YouTube helps with marketing for writers.
In fact, if you already have a book, you don’t need to wait for YouTube’s Partnership Program to make money. You can sponsor yourself by letting viewers know where to buy your book.
For example, a lot of my regular viewers are always excited about a new book release. I make them part of the journey and it helps build a community around my works.
4. Marketing Yourself as an Author
As an author, your name is your brand. And like marketing books through YouTube, you can boost the recognition of your name.
With the right keyphrases, titles, and video descriptions, you could even become visible in Google search for your work. Of course, this relies on doing a bit of SEO for your videos.
My point is that every video you create only works to improve your online reputation as an author or as a freelance writer. It all depends on what you do with your channel and the type of content you create on YouTube.
So, when you publish a book reading on YouTube, especially if it’s your own, it’s a free and effective way to market yourself.
5. Offers a Sense of Accountability to Keep Writing
It’s often difficult for new authors to complete works. In fact, I know a ton of potentially good writers who don’t really seem to put in the effort to become published.
I am one of them.
But, doing a YouTube book reading helps with the sense of accountability. This is because I don’t want to let fans of my work down as I strive to publish a new video every Saturday.
This is true whether you’re a freelancer or an author. When writing from home, you really don’t have accountability to anyone except yourself. And for many of us, this is ultra-difficult.
6. Possibility to Monetize the Channel (Later)
If you can generate enough interest and meet the demands of YouTube with 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time, you can start monetizing your channel with AdSense.
Depending on how large of an audience you create, this could provide a monthly trickle of income. But, it takes a lot of views to make serious money with AdSense.
Still, any money you make off of your writing is more than you have right now. And you could start to attract sponsors and more lucrative opportunities the larger your channel becomes.
But, none of this will happen unless you start creating some YouTube content around your book ideas.
7. It Can Be Incredibly Fun!
And lastly, creating a YouTube book reading can be incredibly fun. It all depends on what kind of spin you want to give your specific channel.
For me, I add sound effects and such to try and recapture the radio shows from the early 1900s. I’m still working on perfecting my craft, but I find them amazingly fun to create.
The more fun you have with any specific task, the more likely you’ll continue. And the more you grow, the greater your chances become for being a successful creator.
Have a good time with the process and see how you can impress your audience on YouTube.
Taking the Leap from Freelance Writer to Author
Freelance writing doesn’t mean you have to stick with just managing clients. While it may be your primary source of income, there’s nothing wrong with working on a side project that is just for you.
In reality, I know a lot of freelancers who have published all kinds of eBooks. Usually, they write about their specific industries and other professional materials.
However, there’s nothing wrong with being more creative and publishing a fictional novel.
Personally, I love being a freelance writer. But, I’ve always wanted to be a published author. And setting up a YouTube book reading is a way to flex my creativity while still working as a professional.
To keep things separated, I started a completely different channel for my creative works. I plan on doing more book readings in the future, but the channel will also let me explore a few more creative pieces outside of the WriterSanctuary content.
At any rate, there’s nothing wrong with a freelance writer wanting more out of his or her craft. Whether you want to be more creative or have a wealth of knowledge to put into an eBook, get writing.
With so many options for publishing nowadays, you really have no excuse not to get your work out there to the public.
It’s More Helpful Than You Might Realize
There’s more to YouTube than gaming channels and people acting like idiots for views. The platform can do wonders for marketing and growth for both freelance writers and authors.
As long as you go into it with the right frame of mind, a YouTube book reading can open all kinds of doors.
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