10 steps to create your pideo

You're not comfortable appearing on video, hate those staring-into-webcam clips or don't have the budget for the quality film you'd love to make. 

You know PowerPoint. But you want to post something more compelling on your site, YouTube and other places.

Think about creating a PowerPoint-video combination. I call it pideo.

To promote my book, I produced the hybrid Learn to Write Like You Talk Only Better in 1 Minute.

 Let me explain how you can create a pideo too. 

1. Think about what your community would most like to learn from you.
2. Break down the process into a few simple steps.
3. Plan your slides, something like this:
   1       A catchy yet informative title
   2-4   The problem
   5-10 The solution
   11     Learn more, which is your sales pitch.
4. Reduce the text on your slides to as few words as possible. Think about the kinds of pictures that could  better convey your ideas. Show me; don't tell me.
5. Search for images in your personal archive, stock photo sites and through an advanced search, in Creative Commons, on Flickr.com. 
6. Create one helluva PowerPoint presentation. Don't worry about transitions, which won't convert to the video, but apply some animation to add action.
7. Save the presentation as a Windows Media Video, or the Mac equivalent.
8. Search for free or inexpensive music. As with the photos, expect to spend lots of fun time choosing the best for your pideo.
9. Add the music and other effects with Windows Movie Maker.
10. Post and publicize on YouTube, your site and as many places as you can.

How should our written language evolve?

What can go and what should stay? Join the debate.