See What's New! Traditional PowerPoint Vs Prezi by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

#presentations #workshops #conferences

If you are still creating the traditional slide shows in PowerPoint, then allow me to introduce you to a new option, Prezi, a cloud-based presentation software and storytelling tool for presenting ideas on a virtual canvas. 

Many of you give writing workshops, speak at conferences, and have businesses and other full-time jobs where you often need to provide presentations. Why not try something new?

Both PowerPoint and Prezi are tools to creating and presenting a message. We are in a transition of technology crossovers and both will have it's place among different audiences. For instance, PowerPoint is considered traditional presentation software and the format with which most people are familiar. Therefore, you might consider using it with a more traditional audience. However, Prezi is considered new and innovative by many cutting-edge, techie business owners, especially the younger generations and to them a traditional PowerPoint presentation is boring and outdated.

Differences Between PowerPoint and Prezi

1) Storage and Creation
PowerPoint files are saved and created on your own computer. Prezi files are web-based and created and stored on a cloud. You can access it from any computer with Internet access, but you can also download and save it offline.

2) Content Delivery
PowerPoint advances from slide to slide on a linear level, while Prezi is more like watching a movie. It used movement to zero in on key messages by zooming in and out, like panning a camera from one side of a large board to another side of a large board. Music and video seem to be more seamless in Prezi than PowerPoint.

3) Customization Options
PowerPoint delivers more background options, colors and fonts, while Prezi is still limited to a number of templates. I anticipate these templates and customization options to increase in quantity and styles as Prezi grows and becomes more established.

Now for Some Examples

Since you are all familiar with PowerPoint slides, I am only providing examples of Prezi presentations in this post. You will need to allow each prezi to load. There is a little circle in the bottom left corner that will stop spinning when it is ready. Click the arrow buttons at the bottom to advance or move forward. If there is a video embedded into the Prezi, just click on it like you would on a website and it will play. If you don't want to watch the whole video, you can click the arrow button and move on.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments section after you view a few of these. Have you tried Prezi?

Point of View

Hot Off The Librarian's Desk

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A video tutorial showing how easy creating a presentation in Prezi can be.

Authors Shifting from Book Store Signings to Virtual Campaigns by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

We have an interesting conversation going on my  Facebook Author Page. I've asked readers if they ever attend author book signings and why or why not. Most of the comments favor "no" because most book signings are too far away. A few said they would drive a long distance only if they really like and want to meet the author. Then there are the various ideas of what is reasonable distance 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.

On my writing loops, I've "listened" in on a few discussions among authors who are booking fewer and fewer book signings. Most reasons are obvious ranging from the cost of travel and book stores closing to more readers are buying ebooks and no one bothers to show up. Is there any wonder that authors are looking for more ways to reach readers where they hang out in a cost efficient manner that won't break our near nonexistent budgets?

For most, the answer has been building a blogging or podcast platform and feeding it through network connections via social media. When new books come out, authors launch promotion campaigns and go on blog tours ranging from interviews, guests posts to book review spots. Others hire publicists such as Litfuse for Facebook Parties and Upon the Rock Publicist for Twitter Campaigns, and a host of others for blog tours. Some simply post online announcements and hope for the best.

Online bookclubs are becoming a popular way for authors to promote themselves and their books, such as Yahoo Groups, ACFW, Goodreads, and The Bookclub Network.

Of the following online activities, which ones have you tried and would you do them again? What promotion efforts have you done that are not listed or mentioned? Share with your colleagues!

• Online Bookclubs
• Facebook Parties
• Twitter Campaigns
• Blog Tours (book reviews, interviews, guest posts)
• Social Media Announcements 
• Virtual Book Signings

Timeline for Book Launch Campaigns by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

So much goes into launching a book whether it is your first or one of many. Most likely, you'll know the release date a year in advance. Some smaller publishers may give you six to nine months notice. This will give you plenty of time to save and plan for your book launch as you continue writing the next book and revising macro and copy edits on soon-to-be-released book. 

If you receive an advance, my advice is to keep your day job or let your spouse keep supporting you, and plan to use a good portion of it, perhaps all of it, on your promotion efforts. You can write the next great American or European classic, but if no one knows about it--your book will remain one of the world's best kept secrets. Therefore, the best thing you can do for your writing career is to invest in it--wisely.

Below is a general timeline to help you plan for your upcoming book launch. This is only meant as a guideline, not something set in stone. Feel free to modify it as circumstances vary from author to author, publisher to publisher, and depending on genre and other ideas you may have. 

6-9 Months

~ Create Marketing Plan for your book launch

~ Hopefully, you already have a website/blog, but if not, buy your domain. Set up your site or hire someone to develop it for you. 

~ Set up your social media sites and link them all to your website/blog. If you already have these sites set up, be sure to update them, check their links, upload your book cover as soon as it's available.

~ Create an online Media Kit. This is a place that will have a page for your bio, photo, book covers and purchasing info, sample chapter, video book trailer, a way to contact you, a calendar with your upcoming schedule and events, and blog tour info. Even if you don't have the info for these pages yet, create the pages and set them up so you can add info as it's available.

4-5 Months

~ Schedule book tours. You can either do this yourself or hire a company to do this for you. If you have the funds, I recommend more than one book tour. Determine ahead of time how many books you plan to give away for review and/or as giveways on blogs. Be sure to schedule a combination of reviews, interviews, and guest posts so readers aren't bombarded with the same info if they follow multiple blogs on your tour.

~ Determine if you will host a contest campaign with multiple giveaways beyond mere books. You need to know where you will host it, who will help, goals, and target audience.

~ If you need to provide books and giveaway items, try to purchase a few each week. Don't wait and try to buy everything all at once. Sometimes bulk isn't the best answer--especially if you're on a tight budget. A little at a time is more affordable when you don't have bulk cash. When I buy things this way, it helps my buy out of my paycheck rather than my book money, allowing me to save it for lean months or or big item purchases. 

~ Put out a call for Influencers who will read the book and post reviews on their blogs, Amazon, B&N, and other online locations.

2-3 Months

~ Set up book signings. Check local schedules for events and festivals that might be taking place where you can bring your books. Piggy-back on their promotion of the event and utilize a location where people will already be gathering. For example, since I write Scottish historicals, a great venue for me has been the highland games held throughout the country. 

~ Start posting a few status updates regarding your book launch and what you're working on to start building excitement and anticipation on your social media sites. 

~ Start designing and ordering bookmarks, business cards, postcards, magnets, and the promotion items you plan to purchase.

~ Determine budget and schedule for any paid ads. 

~ Set up Google alerts for you author name and the title of your new book.
~ Once your book is listed on Amazon, set up an author section on Amazon Central. If you need additional information on what this is and how it will benefit you, I wrote a previous post on it here. 

1 Month

~ Fill out questions for blog interviews and return as many as possible. Submit guests posts where possible. 

~ Write press release, including first book launch party dates and times and begin submitting it to local and online media.

~ Post scheduled events on local media calendars, including public community calendars at libraries, chamber of commerce, etc.

~ Send out personal invites to people for book launch party and online blog tours.

2-3 Weeks

~ If you have a regular newsletter, send out a new one or a special announcement regarding your book release and launch party event.

~ Start posting teasers for reviews with links on blog and social media.
~ Continue answering blog interview questions and guest posts. 

~ Send out a reminder to Influencers.

1 Week

~ Post blog tour info with links on blog and social media.

~ Begin book launch contest and/or blog tour.

Book Release Day

~ Reminder announcement on website/blog and every social media channel with a link where to purchase.

~ First blog tour stop with link and keep up each day until blog tour is over.

If you have additional questions post them in the comment section below. If you need assistance with your upcoming book launch, visit us at Upon the Rock Publicist!

Where to Find Royalty Free Images & Footage by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

Even though I'm an author who loves the written word, I'll be one of the first to admit that images are often just as powerful--sometimes instantly--through first impressions. That's why I believe images should accompany blog posts, articles, and are instrumental in video book trailers. It's also why YouTube made such a huge splash and isn't showing any signs of slowing down, and Pinterest is emerging as one of the top Social Media sites these days.

However, since many of us aren't professional photographers, and we can't be everywhere catching every possible image, we often have to rely on photos that others have taken. Therefore, we need to make sure we aren't violating any copyright laws by posting our images. If you take a photo, of objects and places then you have ownership of those photos, but if you take photos of people, you will need to get them to sign a permission release form giving you permission to use and publish their photo. If you choose to use stock photos and video, you'll want to make sure it is royalty-free or in the public domain.

Royalty-Free photos are NOT necessarily FREE!

Royalty-Free refers to the right to use copyrighted material or intellectual property without the need to pay royalties for each use or per volume sold, each time it is posted or used, or for a specified time period of use or sales.

Public Domain includes works or intellectual property in which the rights have expired, been forfeited, or are inapplicable.

When I need to use stock photos and videos, here are a few places I go:

Wikipedia - They have lots of photos that have been released into the public domain. I often use them for images of other places I cannot personally visit or things I cannot personally obtain.

Stock.xchng - This is my favorite site for still photos! They often have some great images that you won't find anywhere else. Most of them are free, but once in a while, the author will want permission and you have to email them and ask, or they would like you to give them credit in a byline or link back of some sort.

Flickr - This site has some copyrighted material, but you can do an Advanced Search in the Commons section for public domain images and add to them if you want.

Dreamstime - Free photos that are royalty-free.

iStock Photo - If you have to pay for royalty-free images and video, I like this site the best. You can purchase credits as needed and download the files when you need them. I like this site because of the wide variety of selections they provide in both still photos, illustrations, and video clips.

Free Stock Footage - Royalty-free video footage. You may need to install a plugin to view the video feeds.

ShutterStock - Royalty-free video footage as well as motion animations and still photos. 

Animation Factory - Provides some great motion animations that are royalty-free, as well as PowerPoint backgrounts. 


Pond5 - Royalty-free video, photos and illustrations. Some of the videos are a little pricey, but the still images are $1-$2 ea.

Do you use any sites for images and videos that you would like to share that I haven't listed?