Scheduling, Planning & Ideas | How to Start a Booktube Channel #2

I get a lot of questions on how I stay motivated to film, how I schedule my filming and uploading, and how I come up with video ideas. We discuss all of those topics in this episode in my series on starting your own channel :) Click [CC] for subtitles!
How to Start a Booktube Channel Playlist - • How to Start a Booktub...
Hi! My name's Lauren and I make videos about books I'm reading, thoughts I'm thinking, and things I'm doing. Let's be friends on social media -
Twitter: / laurenwhitehead
Instagram: / laureneeni
Snapchat: Laureneeni
Goodreads: / readsanddaydreams

[@SilviaKay]

This has to be my favourite "how to booktube" series. :) I especially loved the bit about not stressing out too much when you deviate from your uploading schedule. I watch almost every video you upload and yet had no idea a new video is meant to be up be every Sunday until you said it. You're definitely right - no one cares, and that's good!

[@rwaggs2623]

Thank you SO much! I wonder how many folks are waiting until they have everything figured out before starting. Your video should motivate anyone interested in their own channel to just start filming and learn as they go. Excellent help here, Lauren!

[@TattyPenguin]

Even when you end up coming down to 'Just do it' you're so reassuring and that in itself is super helpful! I keep trying to rely on notebooks and paper calendars to plan things, and it's not been working out. Having watched this, I just discovered that I can use a spreadsheet as a calendar and now I feel 1) like a dinosaur and 2) elated because I already have more of a plan than I did 20 minutes ago. Love this series so far, thank you so much! :)

[@nightmarecastle5288]

This series is sooo helpful. I'm super new to booktube and youtubing in general, and I think it's to keep in mind that you don't need to start off with anything fancy or expect to be super great or anything. Everyone starts somewhere!

[@WildeReads]

This is such a helpful little series of videos for anyone who is thinking of dipping their toe into book tube or as I have done recently started a channel. Thank you Lauren.

[@LuminousLibro]

I've been a BookTuber for 4 years, and even I found this helpful!

[@famouscloudflower9595]

I really liked how you showed what you went through, it makes it more trusting because I feel like some youtubers just rehash what someone else has said.

[@xnyyxx4593]

Wow as a brand new booktuber this was really helpful! I feel the hardest is starting and getting used to everything but in time everything will be better :) thanks for the tips, that spreadsheet is awesome!

[@PullDownTheMoon]

It was really interesting joining booktube and seeing what people do! I actually started mine without any research because I was worried I'd copy people rather than do the ideas that I had. It's so interesting to see that monthly wrap-up, tbrs and book hauls are a thing. It's good seeing what's out there though, some I know I won't do but some I know I can dip in and out of. I know TBR's won't be a thing for me because I am not that rigid with my book reading. But I like the ideas of wrap-ups and the occasional haul.

[@MargaretPinard]

SUPER helpful! Both in terms of tools and post categories, and in normalizing attitudes. Thank you, Lauren! (Glad you got to change your channel name after all) :D

[@SavidgeReads]

Great video again Lauren, this series is great. I think we all look back on things we have done in the past and gone 'oh dear'. Hahaha. I didn't realise Jen and I do the same 'film, edit upload' thang. I need to be more organised.

[@enichols129]

Thanks for this Lauren. I just started a channel, erin go read. I love your relaxed attitude, and I’m looking forward to the next video.

[@MrArchiePancakes]

This was both encouraging and really insightful!

[@BreakingProtocol]

Looking forward to the next video! I think I will be needing it and all the others after!

[@thenerdshopper]

I wanted to stop by and say thank you for making these videos. I've been on booktube longer than I care to admit, but I lack motivation. My biggest issue has always been lighting. After seeing this video I decided to bounce the light off the wall and the result was so much better. It's pretty embarrassing that I studied video production and it never occurred to me to do indirect lighting. Anyways, thank you so much. You motivated me to keep at it.

[@georginareads3969]

I'm loving this series! Thank you! 😊

[@tayashokkerwrites]

Thank you so much! This video was so helpful! I really needed to hear this! :)

[@nermeenzia6631]

This is such a wonderful series!

[@keirstennoelle]

I'm new to your channel and this playlist is really going to be helpful for me and I look forward to seeing your other videos in this playlist! Thank you

[@lyndsayreads]

I'm really enjoying these videos. I've been making videos for almost four years, and I think some of these tips can be useful for a seasoned booktuber as well. I can definitely see myself trying some new ways to plan out videos in the future. Can't wait to see what you talk about next! :)

[@lahleslie5251]

Thank you for the encouragement. I am loving your channel.

[@TheBookishBadger]

Thank you for this video! Sometimes I need a little reminder that it's okay that I'm not on a normal uploading schedule yet (of course, I decided to start my channel at my busiest time of year...) so this was really helpful for me.

[@booksbydano8968]

Thank you for making these videos.

[@ShibaniNayak]

I very recently started a booktube channel and one of first booktube newbie tag videos I saw was yours (without knowing you've been around a while!). So when I did do my booktube newbie video I remember mentioning you and Mollie (molliereads). Loved this video as usual, thanks for the tips :)

[@ioanaapostol1872]

So helpful Lauren! Thanks 🤗

[@BooksandLooks]

super helpful. Love your video asthtic comparison. Thank you!

[@itwasacanonevent]

Thank you for the tips, I am a new booktube channel, I had other content before but I just now started becoming a booktube

[@dceduarda]

This is so helpful! I loved the schedule spreadsheet idea and the color coding

[@labeba]

i am so thankful to you , nice to sharing this with us , and yes we have to start to know ^_^

[@HollyTheBookLover]

This is such a helpful series! :D

[@crystalwitchshop]

this my favorite explanation of how to booktube ! and as a booktube newbie i need many of this :)

[@neverwaitorhesitate7255]

lots of really great advice thank you so much!!!!

[@heathers8826]

Has it really been two years? I've been following you from day one. I've loved watching how your channel has changed over that time. I can really see how much more confident you've become. I've thought about doing my own channel, but honestly I don't read enough anymore . . . unless a mixture of books, homeschooling, woodworking and archery is a thing. 😉

[@crazypatterns93]

I'm loving this series! I'm a newbie and my biggest issue is not being motivated to edit. I've only uploaded 3 vids but I have like 10 waiting to be edited and now im like ARGHHHH. Haha. I think I may steal the spreadsheet idea, it seems like something that could help in organising my time a bit better.

[@KatTheBooknerd]

I've had my channel for nearing 2years and I always run out of ideas. Lol. So sometimes I just do updates on what's been going on with me.

[@notanniewarren]

Hi Lauren :) Really enjoying this series, can't wait for the next instalment :) What do you do when you're contacted by an author offering to send you copies of their book (no strings attached)? I've been contacted recently and from the descriptions of the author's books, I don't think that they'd fit very well with the kind of books I review on my channel and I also don't think I'd like them at all (his opinions seem very different to mine...) but I'm not sure how to politely decline. Just wondering if you've had experience of this, and also what to do if one day I'm contacted by someone whose books I would like to review? Thanks in advance :)

[@LaurenWade]

+Am I Write? Hi! To be honest, it's completely up to you how you respond in any situation. I normally have a policy of not working directly with authors and ask them to contact me through their publicist. It is also much better to start building relationships with publishers than authors, I think it makes transaction more professional. It's also an easy response to give if you don't feel comfortable declining authors directly! Remember though, you don't owe anyone your time; if you don't want to review something that's fine! Thanks for the q, I'll include it when I do my episode on working with publishers Xx

[@notanniewarren]

This was really helpful, thank you :) I think not working with authors as a policy is a really good idea. Really enjoying your videos as always! xx

[@ChocolateMuffin308]

You can still change the channel name)