[stylist] {Disarmed} Marketing your book- ideas fromJustinOldham

Wed May 22 14:02:36 UTC 2013

Donna,

Thanks. I was just not sure if this blog was specific to people who use the term low vision, or if it was more a description of the blogger himself. Thanks for the clarification.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Donna Hill
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 10:50 PM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] {Disarmed} Marketing your book- ideas fromJustinOldham

Bridgit,
Justin is legally blind and the author of "Being Legally Blind" which has some great advice for parents of kids who are in the in between stage. He is very candid about the bullying he was subjected to and other aspects of his childhood. I think he uses screen magnification, and I'm guessing the low-vision blog idea is to indicate that he focuses on adaptations which are suited to people who are visually impaired and legally but not totally blind.  
Donna
-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bridgit Pollpeter
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 8:43 PM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] {Disarmed} Marketing your book- ideas from JustinOldham

What is a *low vision* blog?

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Robert Leslie Newman
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 3:40 PM
To: writers nfb
Subject: [stylist] {Disarmed} Marketing your book- ideas from Justin Oldham

This is one of Justin’s recent BLOGS 

 <http://beinglegallyblind.blogspot.com/> Being Legally Blind

A low vision blog, updated every other week, written by Justin Oldham, author of "Being Legally Blind: Observations for Parents of Visually Impaired Children." Edited by Griffith C. Steiner M.D.

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Saturday, May 11, 2013

Methods of Advertising For Blind Writers 

Writing a book is one thing.  Getting it published is another battle.  You’re still not done, even after a book exists in print or electronic format.  All writers and publishers, whether blind or sighted, have to contend with advertising.

There are two good low cost options available to blind writers that get some results.  

The first is what you are reading now.  A blog post.  Some people use screen readers to surf the internet.  Others do it with their eyes.  In all cases, you’ll find some very useful “stuff” on blogs.

Writing about what you know is one of the more cost effective ways of self-advertising.  Sharing what you know in the context of your published work allows you to talk about your latst book without sounding like a total braggart.  It also gives you a legitimate platform to show off your wares like any merchant would.

The second option that doesn’t get much discussion on forums or in self-help books is a bit more complicated.

YouTube is a web site that showcases videos from around the world.  Most of these videos are short, though some can be two hours long.  Anyone with an account in good standing can post content that they made for all to see with just a few mouse clicks.

“Content” on this web site doesn’t always have to be actual video.  It can be recorded audio with static pictures that is converted in to a format that the web site will accept.

I like to use Microsoft’s Movie Maker software package, which you can download for free, to merge pictures and pre-recorded audio together in to a dot-m-w-v format that that plays like a video on YouTube.  It’s like adding pictures to a podcast.  

Blind users have been making podcasts for many years.  They’ve also been making video collages and slideshow presentations that can be played on a computer for just as long.  This method involves mashing the two technologies together to get a product that turns out to be quite useful.

This particular style of “video” gives visually impaired users access to technology they can use, and it allows sighted users to hear what we have to say in a way that they can relate to.

Anything you can say in to a microphone that would be recorded for a podcast would be idea for such a recording, which can be captured in any file format that works for you.  All you need for the video “picture” is a good j-peg image of your book cover.

There is something of a steep learning curve when it come to YouTube, which may require some assistance from sighted helpers when you are first getting started.  Be ready to sit and wait for long upload times, which will be normal.

There is an extra benefit to using both of these methods I’ve just described.  Each one shows up on a search engine’s result page as a separate entry.  Even if you post your video link on a blog post you made, that blog post and the video will each show up as separate entries in a search engine’s display.

In both cases, your blog post and your YouTube video can be “tagged” with search terms that greatly improve the chances that it will show up on a search engine results page when somebody around the world types in that word you tagged your post or video with.  For that reason, you should not be stingy with your tags.  Use as many as you can think.  Or, as many as the blog or YouTube system will let you get away with.

Don’t be afraid to double up whenever you can.  Inserting a YouTube video you made last week inside a new blog post you are developing now is not a bad idea.  In many cases, this will demonstrate your depth of knowledge to sighted users who might otherwise be tempted to skip your post without reading it.

There is also the lazy factor to consider.  Visually impaired users have screen readers.  Sighted people don’t, but they are quite willing to let YouTube talk to them.  Its just one more way of reaching an audience that might be tempted to ignore you.

Example:

What you have here, in the space above, is an embedded link to a video on my YouTube channel.  It is just twenty minutes long.  All you need to do is click on it, and it will play like a music recording.  You’ll see my book’s cover in the image window from start to finish.  You will hear me talk about the book as if I were on the radio.

That explanation says more than most people would want to read in a blog post, but it is just short enough for them enjoy hearing.  It’s just another way of reaching an audience.

I’ll be back in two weeks with another post.

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Labels: Justin Oldham <http://beinglegallyblind.blogspot.com/search/label/Justin%20Oldham> , Publishing When Blind <http://beinglegallyblind.blogspot.com/search/label/Publishing%20When%20Blind> , Writing When Blind <http://beinglegallyblind.blogspot.com/search/label/Writing%20When%20Blind> , Writing With Disabilities <http://beinglegallyblind.blogspot.com/search/label/Writing%20With%20Disabilities>  

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Justin Oldham  <https://plus.google.com/117689307396635427682> 

Author & Talk Show Host, Anchorage, Alaska.

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We Are Not Broken

The human condition is imperfect. Those of us who are visually impaired don't think of ourselves as "broken," although we are often told by others that we are somehow incapable, unable, and/or defective. That's they're opinion, and they're entitled to it...no matter how wrong they are. 

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*	Enhancing Credibility for Blind Writers <http://beinglegallyblind.blogspot.com/2013/05/enhancing-credibility-for-blind-writers.html> 
*	Methods of Advertising For Blind Writers <http://beinglegallyblind.blogspot.com/2013/05/methods-of-advertising-for-blind-writers.html> 

*	 <javascript:void(0)> ►  April <http://beinglegallyblind.blogspot.com/2013_04_01_archive.html>  (3) 
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Robert Leslie Newman

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Adjustment To Blindness And Visual impairment

http//www.thoughtprovoker.info

NFB Writers’ Division, president

http://www.nfb-writers-division.net 

Chair of the NFB Communications Committee   

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