5 Authortubers to Check Out ( And 2 to Avoid)
One of the ways I like gearing up to write is by watching writers on Youtube talk about writing. Sometimes they talk about their own process, their current projects, their struggles and pet peeves; sometimes they dispense advice; sometimes tea is spilled. Some call it a waste of time. I call it warming up.
For an added bit ofweirdness fun, I created a sim based on one of the Authortubers on this list. The first commenter to accurately guess who this is supposed to be will get a shoutout in my next post!
Hilarious. I love her rants and pet peeves, and I usually agree with her. Watch for the highly entertaining and accessible content, subscribe for the faces.
All the faces.
I've been watching her channel for years and it's given me a lot of help.
She also has two books out, as of this writing.
Kate Cavanaugh
Fantastic content, produced pretty regularly. My current favorite Authortuber. She has a fantastic series where she tries the writing routines of various authors, which gives so much insight into the differences and similarities in the routines of successful writers. She also is just adorable and seems really authentic.
Natalia Leigh
Natalia doesn't have as many videos up as the first two, but her content is worth watching. She's very upbeat and informative, and she has three books out. She also offers critiquing and proofreading services through her website, which is cool.
Ellen Brock
More of an edittuber than an authortuber, I still think she deserves a spot on this list because of the valuable and practical advice she gives. If you want a channel that cuts down on the excess and self-promotion, and gets right into the nitty-gritty of realistic advice, I haven't found a better option.
Abbie Emmons
If you enjoy clear, concise, entertaining videos on carefully focused topics, and books arranged by color, you will like this channel. I only recently found her channel and she almost didn't make this list because she's yet another conventionally attractive white woman, and they seem to be dominating the Authortube space, but her videos are just too good to leave off the list.
If any of you find a quality writing-centric channel that is by someone who ISN'T a thin white woman, please let me know. I don't know if it's a coincidence or if there's some kind of conspiracy, but it's creepy. And yes, I know about the Vlog Brothers, but I ultimately decided that their channel was not writing-centric enough.
And finally... my channels to avoid:
Alexa Donne
Now, this may be somewhat of a controversial opinion, since she is (I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong) the only traditionally published author on my list. And boy oh boy did Youtube's algorithm push her at me hard. Her channel seems high quality-- pretty graphics, catchy titles, good camera. But ultimately, I found her advice lacking depth. It kind of feels like she only started the channel to get more exposure for her own book, and she's got an overly-performative speaking style that grates on my nerves. She's also very entrenched in the culture of traditional publishing, so for me personally (currently writing in the "dead" genres of apocalyptic and dystopian fiction) her advice tends to be more discouraging than inspiring-- which is not what this list is about. Moreover, her books are not well-liked, so it's a bit of a case of "consider the source." You might have a different opinion about her, so if you want to hear from a traditionally published author, check her out.
Kristen Martin
If you lurk around on Booktube at all, you've probably heard about Kristen Martin this year. She's caused controversy lately with some of her business practices, including shilling advice as a front for pushing her self-help books and courses, and selling ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies), which are supposed to be free. I'm not one to steer clear of people just for having a bit of debate around them, but her actions are questionable at best. Even setting that aside, she's too spread out for my taste, with her channel covering a wide variety of topics instead of focusing on writing.
That's my list! Do you have any suggestions for writing channels or podcasts to check out? Please share this post if you liked it, and have a great Thursday!
For an added bit of
She's sad because she hasn't drunk the espresso yet.
Writing With Jenna MoreciHilarious. I love her rants and pet peeves, and I usually agree with her. Watch for the highly entertaining and accessible content, subscribe for the faces.
All the faces.
I've been watching her channel for years and it's given me a lot of help.
She also has two books out, as of this writing.
Kate Cavanaugh
Fantastic content, produced pretty regularly. My current favorite Authortuber. She has a fantastic series where she tries the writing routines of various authors, which gives so much insight into the differences and similarities in the routines of successful writers. She also is just adorable and seems really authentic.
Natalia Leigh
Natalia doesn't have as many videos up as the first two, but her content is worth watching. She's very upbeat and informative, and she has three books out. She also offers critiquing and proofreading services through her website, which is cool.
Ellen Brock
More of an edittuber than an authortuber, I still think she deserves a spot on this list because of the valuable and practical advice she gives. If you want a channel that cuts down on the excess and self-promotion, and gets right into the nitty-gritty of realistic advice, I haven't found a better option.
Abbie Emmons
If you enjoy clear, concise, entertaining videos on carefully focused topics, and books arranged by color, you will like this channel. I only recently found her channel and she almost didn't make this list because she's yet another conventionally attractive white woman, and they seem to be dominating the Authortube space, but her videos are just too good to leave off the list.
If any of you find a quality writing-centric channel that is by someone who ISN'T a thin white woman, please let me know. I don't know if it's a coincidence or if there's some kind of conspiracy, but it's creepy. And yes, I know about the Vlog Brothers, but I ultimately decided that their channel was not writing-centric enough.
And finally... my channels to avoid:
Alexa Donne
Now, this may be somewhat of a controversial opinion, since she is (I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong) the only traditionally published author on my list. And boy oh boy did Youtube's algorithm push her at me hard. Her channel seems high quality-- pretty graphics, catchy titles, good camera. But ultimately, I found her advice lacking depth. It kind of feels like she only started the channel to get more exposure for her own book, and she's got an overly-performative speaking style that grates on my nerves. She's also very entrenched in the culture of traditional publishing, so for me personally (currently writing in the "dead" genres of apocalyptic and dystopian fiction) her advice tends to be more discouraging than inspiring-- which is not what this list is about. Moreover, her books are not well-liked, so it's a bit of a case of "consider the source." You might have a different opinion about her, so if you want to hear from a traditionally published author, check her out.
Kristen Martin
If you lurk around on Booktube at all, you've probably heard about Kristen Martin this year. She's caused controversy lately with some of her business practices, including shilling advice as a front for pushing her self-help books and courses, and selling ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies), which are supposed to be free. I'm not one to steer clear of people just for having a bit of debate around them, but her actions are questionable at best. Even setting that aside, she's too spread out for my taste, with her channel covering a wide variety of topics instead of focusing on writing.
That's my list! Do you have any suggestions for writing channels or podcasts to check out? Please share this post if you liked it, and have a great Thursday!
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