Look alive, people, I made two videos!
I did it! After days of procrastination, I finally made not one but two videos for my debut novel. Can you believe it?
Hey reader,
Remember my last post? 10 questions and The Girl Is Mine reference?
Well, I'm pleased to announce that I eventually conquered my video-making fears and cranked out two videos answering those publisher questions.
After being tortured psychologically by the prospect and staring at my written answers till infinity, I pulled on my big girl pants and delivered both rehearsed and unrehearsed lines to the camera.
Why two videos, though? You may wonder.
Different days.
Different moods.
Different outfits.
Slightly different answers.
I owed it to my publisher to do a decent job, and my first attempt was lacklustre - directly related to the level of sleep in my life: non-existent.
Take 1: The reluctant author
When I created the first video, this was my mood: Just do this and get it out of the way. Stop dragging it through the week and the weekend and certainly stop writing about how you have yet to play your part in this debut novel season of yours.
So, bright and early on Tuesday morning, I plopped a tired, sleep-deprived version of me, dressed in a black top and red-rimmed glasses, in front of a boring cream background and tried to look like a sage as I reeled out my answers to the 10 questions.
When I replayed the seven-minute video, I was unimpressed. Understandably.
Who was the grandma? Me, apparently. The newly published author.
Why did she look frumpy and unmotivated? And to think I'd worn black so that I would appear more streamlined - the opposite impression evolved.
Would I want to buy and read my book if I came across this clip online?
I doubted it. I sent it to my publisher anyway. She had been gracious enough while waiting for it. Who knew what deadlines I had pushed back because of the delay?
I toyed with the idea of making another one when I got home in the evening, but I knew I'd look even worse than I did in the morning. Instead, I decided to prepare for another day.
Take 2: Finding my groove.
Which I did on Wednesday.
My colours were cool and inspiring. There was a glint in my eye. I had slept adequately and was ready to run into the day's tasks, starting with the new video.
The background made a statement this time, and what a difference it made. Behind me stood a collection of wine bottles and glasses, a backdrop that spoke to my approach toward life's pleasures and the tools I preferred to indulge in them.
Many writers swear by a cup of coffee (or several) before, during or after the writing process. I'm not part of the drinking group. However, if I were to go with my beverage of choice, a glass of sweet red wine would top the list.
Then again, I would have preferred a bookcase behind me, like the good nerd I am, but I didn't mind this backdrop at all. It was a far cry from the previous day's sterile cream wall.
More intriguing. More speculative. More me.
This setting felt right because it wasn't trying to be something I'm not. The wine collection represented my appreciation for life's finer things, and my willingness to savour moments; qualities that actually inform my writing. It suggested an author who lives fully, who draws from real experience rather than hiding behind neutral backgrounds.
Unlike the first video which I made in one shot, the second needed four takes to create. I kept missing my cues and stumbling over familiar words.
Why, though? These were familiar answers, and I had done this before. Just yesterday! Perhaps I was a bit more conscious of what I was doing, desiring to put my best foot forward, play my role with gusto. Or maybe I needed to face the fire I'd imagined video creation to be and get comfortable with the heat.
Anyway, I finally reached the last question and replayed it.
Dear reader, I looked alive, authorial (yes, that's a real word!), and poised to discuss and dissect the book which had just been released. The contrast was remarkable. From reluctant obligation to genuine engagement. From hiding behind black clothes and beige walls to stepping into my authentic self on camera.
The real victory.
The real success wasn't just making the videos. It was discovering that being real on camera meant being comfortable with who I am, wine collection and all.
Sometimes the backdrop we think we should have (the bookcase) isn't as powerful as the one that actually represents us (the wine bottles).
Be sure to look out for the video on Parresia's Instagram handle. I'm afraid I can't post it here, but I'm genuinely excited for you to see the final result.
And here's a reminder of the places you can get a copy of The Cracked Screen:
📚 Roving Heights: Surulere & Landmark.
PAGE Bookstore.
Schoolstoreng Limited: Ikoyi & Utako.