If You Love to Write But Hate "Performing" on Video, Read This
Author Insider Q&A hosted by Panio Gianopoulos.
I hear it all the time from authors:
"Kim, I love to write. But I do NOT love to perform on video."
I get it. I really, truly do.
But here's what I recently taught inside the Author Insider Q&A hosted by Panio Gianopoulos who founded the Next Big Idea Club. I want every author to hear this, because it changes everything:
You're not performing. You're teaching.
Authors Are Already Sitting on a Goldmine
Here's what most authors don't realize: you are uniquely positioned to win at video content.
Why? Because the hardest part is already done.
You have the ideas. The research. The depth. The stories. The years of thinking deeply about a topic that most people have never considered. While everyone else is scrambling to figure out what to say on camera, you've already written the book.
The content is done. Now it's just about showing up and sharing it.
The Reframe That Makes All the Difference
If the word "performing" makes you want to close your laptop and go back to your manuscript — that's your first clue. Change the word.
You're not performing. You're not putting on a show. You are:
Teaching someone something they need to know
Transferring your energy and ideas to a reader who is waiting for exactly what you have
Having a conversation with one specific human
Which brings me to the mindset shift that unlocks everything.
Think About Who You Write For
When you sit down to write, you probably have a specific person in mind. A reader. Maybe it's a version of your younger self. Maybe it's someone you know. Maybe it's the exact person who needs your message most.
Speak to THAT person on video.
Not a crowd. Not "the internet." Not an abstract audience of thousands.
One person. Eye to eye. The same person you've already been writing to.
When you make that shift — from "performing for an audience" to "talking to one specific human" — the camera stops feeling like a spotlight and starts feeling like a conversation.
It Gets Better. Every Single Time.
I know that's easy to say. But it's true, and the research (and my experience working with hundreds of clients) backs it up.
The first video is the hardest. The fifth is easier. By the tenth, you've found your rhythm.
The authors I've worked with who commit to showing up on video — even imperfectly — always tell me the same thing: "I wish I'd started sooner."
Want to See This in Action?
I recently taught this framework inside the Panio Gianopoulous’ Next Big Idea Club and I shared some takeaways over on Instagram:
Read the blog post over at Panio’s substack.
Ready to Actually Do This?
If you're an author who wants to show up on video with confidence (not cringe), here are two ways to get started:
🎥 Free Training: On-Camera Confidence Not sure where to even begin? Start here. My free training walks you through exactly how to look and sound your best on camera — no fancy equipment required. 👉 Grab the free training
🔥 7-Day Video Challenge Ready to actually do the thing? My 7-Day Challenge will get you showing up on camera — for real — in just one week. Authors who've done it say it completely changed how they feel about video. 👉 Join the 7-Day Challenge
Or we can hop on a call.
You've already done the hard work of having something worth saying. Now let's make sure the world can hear it. 🎥
Kim Rittberg is a video and content strategist, media trainer, and host of the top 1% podcast The Exit Interview with Kim Rittberg. She helps authors, founders, and experts grow their visibility and business through video — without feeling fake, salesy, or like a wannabe influencer.