My first vlog attempts

Be gentle, please!

What do you think?

If this has not scarred your eyeballs and you want me to do this every once in a while, do you have anything specific you want me to rant about?

39 Replies to “My first vlog attempts”

  1. This was fun! I’d love to see more vlogs.

    “When life sucks, you don’t want to read books about how bad life sucks. Unless they’re set in another galaxy or have to do with aliens.” I think I’m going to save that one- it definately summed up my reading philosophy as a teenager. I’ve branched out a little since then, but I still love sci-fi.

  2. You totally don’t come off at all awkward or nervous in this vlog. If you didn’t mention that you were, I never would have guessed. I really enjoyed it and I definitely think you should do more!

  3. That was fun! You should do it again πŸ™‚ As for topics, any of the things that you are passionate about: writing, banned books, libraries, gardening…

    Loved the quote, “When life sucks, you don’t want to read books about how bad life sucks. Unless they’re set in another galaxy or have to do with aliens.” Definitely going on my wall!

  4. Your in-person talks are always so entertaining and honest, and I think you captured that here. Shy? I would have never guessed that. Hope to see more vlogs from you.

  5. I don’t think you came across as nervous at all. You seemed very natural and relaxed (or at least freaked out in a cool and interesting way). I hope you keep doing these.
    -Jo

  6. This was great, actually! Whenever I try to record anything, I just lose my train of thought and blurt out a lot of “umm”s. But this was very interesting. Keep it up!

  7. Vlogging

    Laurie,

    Here are my thoughts. I agree- “Vlog” as a term sounds like a Klingon drink. That being said, I thought you did a great job answering questions. Very animated….did look a little uncomfortable (“Talk to the camera like you’re talking to your best friend.”- I’m sure someone somewhere said that!) but I think it is a great thing for you to do if you are a very shy person. Applause for doing something outside of your comfort zone!!! Keep it coming!

    Side note- I am new to your blogs/vlogs/facebook fan. In the M.A.T. program at USF with Dr. Joan Kaywell. Hope to catch up with you at a future conference as I am a huge fan!!!!!

    Best,

    Cari S.

  8. I liked hearing about the books you enjoyed as a child and a teenager. I hope you do more vlogs…though you can call it something else. Vidog, perhaps? πŸ™‚

  9. Oh, this made me smile.

    You were really great! Very natural–I actually think that (in addition to being an awesome author) would be a really good teacher. I like your style of rhetoric. πŸ™‚

  10. I loved the vlog! One thing that I wanted to ask: When you have one of your eighteen-hour writing days, how do you prevent mental fatigue from inhibiting your ability to maintain a high standard of quality writing?

  11. Vlogging

    I think it was great. Didn’t scar my eyeballs at all. I would love for you to do it every once in a while.

    When I heard you speak at the ALAN breakfast in Philadelphia, you talked about light. I wouldn’t call it a rant, but would love to hear you talk more about the divine spark that we all carry.

  12. πŸ™‚

    Maybe a videocast ? We call audios podcasts…

    I enjoyed very much. Any opinions on parents who REALLY restrict reading habits? I’m a YS lib up against this a lot and have parents who are TERRIFIED that their child is going to read TEEN LITERATURE. Or completely ruling out anything with a ghost or witch or zombie or vampire or…… Pet peeve of the moment.

  13. Love it!

    Thank you so much for doing this video (even if it was tough to do). I heard you speak at AASL in Charlotte and was in awe at what a powerful speaker you are. Thank you for everything you are doing to be an advocate for our libraries and our children. Your writing is fantastic. I love when authors take the time to sit down and blog and vlog about their writing lives because it brings them to their readers in a very real way. Thank you!
    ~Andy

  14. Love it!

    You are such a riot! And yeah for the American Revolution – I bombed every history class until I read “Johnny Tremain”, and a switch went on. I ended up going on to teach middle school history for several years, and used as much historical fiction as I could find. I wish I’d had your books to use then, but I’ll settle for reading them now!

  15. Vlog

    I loved it. I hope you don’t mind if I share it with my 8th grade students. Several of them have been tearing through you books as fast as I can buy and read them myself. You might even inspire me to try a vlog myself–especially for those days I have to be out of the classroom.

  16. Re: Vlog

    PLEASE share it with your students!! And ask them what questions they want me to answer in the next one!

  17. from Jendi at SimpleVloggingTips.com

    I think you did great for your first vlog! I wouldn’t have guessed that you were nervous at all.
    Don’t worry about the PSAs – you’ll do great. Your passion for the library will show through your nervousness.

  18. Charlotte Airport on 3/3

    Laurie,
    I liked coming to the site today to find that you did a vlog! Very refreshing and a nice change of pace.
    I know this is odd but I think that I might have spotted you in the Charlotte airport on Wednesday the 3rd around 530. I was the girl in the black jacket sitting in the rocking chair around the E security checkpoint. I didnt mean to stare but I wasnt sure if its you or not.
    If that wasnt you it sure did look like your twin.
    Have a good day and keep up the vlog/blogs.
    Kim in Charlotte

  19. Re: Charlotte Airport on 3/3

    Wednesday the 3rd of March? Must have been my twin. I was up here in the frozen North Country.

  20. Your Vlog

    It made me think you’re nice. I already thought you were nice, for the record, but now I have a more fleshed-out impression of said opinion. I’d watch again.

    By the way, I just read Chains. Loved it. Looking forward to more.

  21. Good 1st attempt. Thank you for speaking up for libraries. I’m a school librarian and our district considers us expendable, I think. Their attitude? Why do we need libraries when we have SMART boards and the internet? Sorry, but not everything can be summed up in 1 minute sound bites. Aaaarrgh!

  22. loved it!

    Okay, I’m chiming in a few days later (hey, it’s cause you got me used to not checking any blogs in Feb so I could **write**) but I LOVED this vlogging! You may be shy, but your openness with the camera (even your self-professed needing to breathe calmly) is wonderful.

    I did go read your guest blog. Wow – LOVE that floor to ceiling bunch of circles window!

    So yes, GREAT JOB on the vlogging and keep it up!

    Elaine

  23. It was a pleasure to see you in person.
    I just read Speak. I started Wintergirls. It made me very uncomfortable… I will give it another try.

  24. you are such a techie

    laurie,
    what i love about you is that you are always trying new ways to reach out via technology. You are so passionate and have so much to say to students and teachers. i could listen to you for hours. keep up the good work.
    cathy
    south view middle school

  25. vlog

    I was lucky enough to hear you speak at the SCBWI LA Conference in ’09. I can’t tell you how important it was to me.I am a nypa and quite shy myself, although, like you, no one would ever know it. But I had to force myself to go downstairs and walk into a meeting room every hour and I was just shaking. No one who knows me would believe it.
    Firstly, you are so very brave to: write, speak, and vlog.
    Having actors in the family is a quiet blessing. One thing I have learned osmotically is that: the closer the camera, the more subtle the action.
    And: speak as if you are speaking to one person whom you love.
    A tsunami of love coming toward you from all around the world would flatten anyone. And you do have to live with that. But speak to just one and all will hear.
    Here I am, unpublished, and more shy than you…and I’m giving You advice!
    I loved your bravery to vlog. And I will appreciate every single time that you choose to do so. Because you care enough to try.
    Librarian’s Daughter

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