How can writers get their work to go viral on social media if they're not comfortable being on camera?
One of my social media followers asked me that question. He’s an author but doesn’t want to put himself on camera, and he wants to know what to do.
First, it’s important to acknowledge that we’re all trying to make it in a very creative field. You don’t get to put “creative” on your resume and just hope people take you at your word. If you want to break in, you’re going to have to demonstrate your creativity. You’re going to prove it by being creative!
In Hollywood, there’s a very large pool of talented people who are great at imagining scenes, but are terrible in front of the camera. We call these people “screenwriters.”
There’s an even larger group of people who are very charismatic on camera, but are shit writers. We call these people “actors.” (Although “Drama Queen” would’ve also been an acceptable answer.)
In the entertainment industry, screenwriters team up with actors to make movies and tv shows. If you’re a novelist or author, you can do something similar. Team up with an actor.
But where do you find an actor? Simple. If you live in Los Angeles, walk into any Starbucks and announce, “Excuse me, is there an actor in the house?” Cover your head because you’ll be inundated with headshots.
Here’s an even better idea, and you can do this even if you don’t live in Los Angeles.