After enduring 21 Covid months cringing through virtual events, the experience boils down into a secret sauce for going pro when going on camera. Shifting a virtual event from the level of suck to success is a skill every author needs since virtual connections increase opportunities for professional exposure and more book sales. Seven easy (and cheap) tips can shift you from novice to pro.

Camera Positioning: Eye-to-Eye

Position the camera just like real-life communications at eye level. Looking people directly in the eye is the most personal connection in life. The camera is the viewer’s eyeballs. A laptop camera on the desk shows your nostrils; a camera set on top of a monitor is a recipe for neck strain. Set the laptop on books or platform with the camera perpendicular to the keyboard and even with the eye. Put the camera in front of the monitor at eye level.

Look in the Camera Lens

It’s tempting to look at the screen when participating in a virtual event. When answering a question in real life, look at the questioner. In a virtual event, the question comes from the speaker on the other side of the lens, not the monitor. It’s okay to look at the screen while someone else is speaking, but when responding, look in the camera, the viewer’s “proxy eye.”

Sound Quality Counts

External camera built-in microphones are the minimum in terms of cam quality. Laptop microphones trend toward nineties flip-top cell phone sound. A quality external microphone is not that expensive. Mounted on a gooseneck, it can remain out of camera view and confidently project your voice.

Go Pro for the Background

Ensure the backdrop to the event presents a desirable image. The late Sue Grafton had a website photo of the workspace where she penned her Kinsey Millhone novels. It was one of the most-visited pages on her website. Show where the work gets done. Instead of setting the camera on your desk looking back at the room, put the camera so the backdrop is the workspace. Just be careful that no personal information is visible. If such a move isn’t possible, find a place that makes a comfortable and realistic backdrop. Do not use the “background effects” feature. Hand gestures and even your face can disappear from view.

Drink from Cups or Glasses

Even though plastic or insulated water bottles may be your norm, switch to a glass or coffee cup. It’s not very expensive for Costco, CVS, and others to make a custom version with an imprinted book cover. Being casual is fine if it’s projected with finesse.

Dress for Success

Dress as if doing a live event at Changing Hands in Phoenix, Tattered Cover in Denver or any neighborhood bookstore. It’s a personal decision, but looking successful and professional is essential even when being casual.

No Ums or Ahs

Presentation counts. Use notes, rehearse, be ready to go live. An “um” or “ah” is a verbal pause to help form a response. Other techniques accomplish that role. Repeat the question in your own words—while looking in the camera. Repetition gives a moment for thought and allows rephrasing to match the message you want as an answer. Political press secretaries are masters of this technique. Watch C.J. Craig in old “West Wing” episodes. Restating the question also aligns all viewers toward the planned answer.

Leave the audience feeling they’re watching a professional, and they’ll more readily purchase what they perceive to be a well-crafted book.

BIO: Eric Jay Toll is a journalist, photographer and travel writer based in Phoenix, Arizona. With his chocolate lab, Chaco, at his side, he writes and photographs outdoor adventures, road trips, camping and hikes, and travel in the American West and Canada. His work has appeared in USA Today, Golf, National Parks Traveler, Chron, Traveling Mom/Traveling Dad, the Business Journals, and other travel and business publications. He posts daily on Facebook of trips “On The Toll Road.” His website is EricJayToll.com. Eric@EricJayToll.com.