Raise your hand if you’ve heard of someone selling an online course.
Chances are you do, and chances are it’s a video course. That’s because video is the present and the future. They are visually appealing compared to written text.
There’s an audio-visual element, and when we see another human on a screen, we’re psychologically connected to them and what they’re saying.
Video made Instagram do a total 180. Now they’re a wannabe TikTok.
If you writing blogs, a book, or are just getting started, here’s why you should get into video while the getting is good.
Cameras are getting cheaper
Canon can’t charge $3,000 for an entry-level camera anymore.
There’s a lot of competition. Sony changed the game with their mirrorless cameras, and now everyone has to get on board just to keep up.
Even our iPhones can get the job done. They say the best camera is the one you have with you.
You’ve got options and many of them for less than a grand.
And I’ll be honest with you; you can skip the fancy 4K stuff and film a lesson plan on your laptop if you have to.
All you truly need is a Chromebook and a dream to make it as a writer.
Okay, maybe one more thing
Don’t record a course with your Chromebook’s microphone.
That thing will capture your voice like a scratchy potato. There’s nothing worse than a video with bad audio. I can watch a video that isn’t in HD, but I will scroll away if I can’t stand listening to it.
We’re visual learners, but crappy audio will scare viewers away faster than you can say “Tik-Tok.”
Luckily, you can buy a $20 Panasonic lav mic, which will do the trick. I’ve recorded several videos with one, and under the right conditions, it’s 90% as crisp as a $300 Shure mic.
The most challenging part is this…
Anyone can point a camera and press record.
Not everyone can cook up an edit that’s both aesthetically and fundamentally pleasing.
Editing isn’t all about cuts and transitions; there’s a storytelling element that every good editor keeps in mind. Like when you write an email, you can’t ramble on saying sweet nothings.
There’s a point to it. There’s a narrative to follow. As an editor myself, I have a few suggestions that can help you get started:
Use a free editing app like CapCut: It’s a free iPhone app, and it’s one of dozens like it. I use Adobe Premiere. While I recommend it, it’s not something worth investing in unless you’re seriously cranking out videos.
Go shoot a video for fun: The best experience comes from the work you do for free. When there’s no pressure, your brain is open to learning from mistakes.
Watch YouTube (a lot): I owe, probably, 75% of what I know about editing footage to all the free advice I’ve gotten online. A few outstanding chennels include Adobe in a Minute and Olufemii. A college degree in news production couldn’t answer all my specific questions.
And that’s that.
The future of writing is synergy with visual media. I mean, if you want to make serious money doing it, it is.
The key to freedom is being a part-time content creator. Leveraging visual media will only increase your chances.
Blogging on a platform is just another way of building an audience. You could do it on Twitter, TikTok, or even all three.
It just depends on how much time and energy you have to spare. Because at the end of the day, not everyone is fit to quit their day job (yet).
Balance and patience will take you far.