The 8 Best YouTube Channels For Writers - Authorstech
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The 8 Best YouTube Channels For Writers

We're writers: we love the written word. And we love reading, as we should. 

But sometimes, we need to get our inspiration, information and daily dose of tips and tricks from other media. I am personally a big fan of podcasts, which I constantly listen to when I'm driving or exercising (not that the latter happens often 

Video, until recently, has been neglected by our crowd. Sure, we like to binge-watch shows on Netflix, but we wouldn't normally turn to YouTube for 'filling our creative well', as Joanna Penn often says, or even just to stay updated with the latest trends in the industry.  ​

And that's a big mistake: video has to be a large part of our creative lives, both as creators and consumers. And I'm not just talking about book-trailers. Video can be used in countless ways to promote our work, but also as a means of letting our audience know what we're up to (they love the 'behind the scenes' look at a writer's mysterious life). 

As a writer, video can be used in countless ways to promote your work and engage with your audience!

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I've begun following more and more authors on YouTube lately, and have discovered these 8 channels you must follow. I promise, you won't be disappointed... who knows, some of them might give you the right inspiration for starting your own adventure in the realms of video!

1. The Creative Penn

This channel started as a 'companion' media to Joanna Penn's Creative Penn Podcast. For the most part, it still is made up of video-versions of her interviews which are normally released as audio (without Joanna's introduction). However, the channel has recently undergone some changes, and new videos are being added of Joanna's travels and speaking venues. I don't need to stress the amount of value Joanna provides with her interviews: it's all here, plus some really nice 'new' bonuses you won't want to miss. 

Among the best... J.F. Penn walks through Jerusalem's Old City​

2. Chris Fox

The man is a machine. When it comes to writing, Chris is able to write, edit and market a bestselling novel in 21 days. When it comes to motivation, the man can really give you the 'kick' you need to put your butt in the chair and start writing. But that's not all this channel is about. Chris provides countless tips, tricks and strategies for fiction authors (though he is also a non-fic writer), especially when it comes to his forte, writing to market. The channel is very active, so subscribe and wait for a good dose of awesomeness!

Among the best... Chris decides to write, publish and market a book in 21 days​

3. Derek Murphy​

​Derek began to be well known in publishing when he designed some of the best looking covers out there. From there, he moved onto founding CreativIndie, his blog, where he shares incredibly unconventional marketing strategies. His channel is chock full of handy pointers, from creating print merchandising for your book to how to rent a castle in the South of France and use it as a retreat for Nanowrimo.  

Among the best... ​Derek shares how to make 3D promotional material in Google Slides.

4. Dave Chesson (Kindlepreneur)​

If you've never been on Kindlepreneur.com, then you definitely should. Especially if you like to geek out on data, keywords and algorithms (Dave even created a software for this kind of thing, review coming soon!). The YouTube channel that goes with this site has recently received an increasing level of attention and is currently producing excellent quality videos in topics such as book promotion sites and ways to increase your book rankings. The future looks bright for this channel, so don't miss it!

Among the best... Dave gives tips on how to start your own publishing company

5. Mark Dawson (Self-Publishing Formula)​

FB Ads guru Mark Dawson ​and aspiring novelist James Blatch have recently started (well, more like a year ago) a podcast on all things self-publishing. At the moment, their YouTube videos are recordings of their podcast interviews, but the quality and overall presentation is supah! If you want to hear from some of the industry's key players, and get advice from one of Amazon's top selling authors, this channel is for you. Recommended!

Among the best... James Blatch interviews the co-founders of formatting software Vellum​

6. Tom Corson-Knowles

​Want to know his credentials? Tom Corson-Knowles retired at just over 20, after having created a large library of non-fiction bestsellers and even a publishing company! His channel is really big: you can find hundreds of how-to videos there, but mostly great interviews... if someone 'is someone' in publishing, Tom has interviewed them! Watch out for motivational and inspirational videos, too!

Among the best... Tom shares the success habits of highly paid authors and writers ​

7. Vivien Reis​

The channel is only a year old and Vivien is a relatively new author. But for all your fiction-related questions, this is the place to be. Excellent advice from her, given in her lively and 'bubbly' style. Quality of the videos is usually really good, though the format is always consistent (Vivien facing the camera). I found this channel a few months ago, but since then, I've been hooked! ​

Among the best... Vivien explains how you can use storyboarding to outline your novel.​

8. The Bookish Pixie​

​She has a pixie cut, that's for sure... and she writes a TON! Another 'all-fiction' channel, this is last, but not least. 'Bookish Pixie's videos are similar in style to Vivien Reis's, but the advice she gives is never obvious and packed full of great insights. Clips are short and very much to the point, and Pixie's personality is one you can't get enough of!

Among the best... Bookish Pixie shares ways in which you can get motivated when you don't feel like writing. 


There you have it: here's my list. The channels are in no particular order, I just enjoy all of them!

OVER TO YOU: Have I missed something? Got some channels you'd like to recommend? Let me know in the comments below!​

Brian Berni

Author, Blogger, Creator of Authorstech and Co-Founder of BookAds.co. Yes, I manage over 1000 Ad Campaigns every day!