My YouTube Debut

In this age of social media, it was inevitable that I would find an opportunity to spout my writing opinion nonsense on camera. My friend Marcus Ako has a YouTube channel called The Idiot On the Writers Block where he asks “experts” for advice on different aspects of writing. The videos are short, include various viewpoints, and are focused on a specific topic. I think the concept is great and I encourage you to check it out, subscribe, and comment.

Marcus originally asked to talk about my NaNoWriMo preparation and perspective. I agreed with the caveat that I get assigned a moniker other than Expert since I’m not *yet* there. I’ll get there, don’t worry about that. I’ll keep writing, learning, and devouring craft books and will jump from advanced beginner to I-Know-Everything-To-Do-With-Writing-and-Publishing-Jedi-Master status in a blink. A fast blink, like when a bug flies into your eye.

What I didn’t know when I agreed to disgrace his YouTube channel was that I would have my opinions on Romance stories captured. Here’s my disclaimer: I don’t read or write romance. Like, at all. What do I know about ROMANCE? I actually Rickrolled my husband during our wedding in my wedding vows. Here’s photographic evidence. #TrueStory.

I was almost able to watch the video without cringing. The NaNoWriMo video we filmed is out there in the ether somewhere, so there’s at least one more coming.

Marcus has asked me to participate in a video on story beats, to be filmed later this month, so I’ll have another chance to ride the anxiety roller coaster this month has been unless you guys talk me out of it. Maybe I can ask, nay demand, to be promoted from ‘Enthusiastic Amateur’ to ‘Fellow Idiot’!

Let me know what you thought! Did I embarrass myself? How badly do I owe romance writers an apology?