If you’re a book author, you already know the power of storytelling. But can you tell your story (one that sells your book to readers and maybe a publisher) in just one minute? Yes, you can.

Read my articles on writing a 1-minute pitch first! Contact me for help with your pitch, your blurb, or to give your slide deck a creative edge.

A pitch video is perfect for your website and social media. And you don’t need fancy video software to make it. All you need is PowerPoint.

PowerPoint is easy to update – so you can improve and evolve your pitch yourself, once you have your initial template!

Here’s how to create a powerful, personal 1-minute video pitch using software you already know and own!

Step 1: Record your 1-Minute Pitch audio

Nope, close PowerPoint, we don’t start there.

Before you do anything else, record your voice. This is the backbone of your video. It sets the mood, the timing, and the message.

Speak your pitch like you’re telling a friend about your book.

Option 1: Record directly in PowerPoint

• Available in PowerPoint 2021 and Microsoft 365
• Go to **Insert > Audio > Record Audio**, hit the red dot, and speak.

(Note: in PowerPoint 2016 you can record audio, but it adds it to one slide. Select the speaker icon, go to Playback > Start Automatically and check Play Across Slides and Hide During Show.

Option 2: Import a recording from your phone

Use your phone’s voice recorder app, then transfer the file to your computer and import it with Insert > Audio > Audio from File.

Step 2: Build slides around your keywords

Now that your voice is ready, listen to your pitch and jot down 6–10 key words or phrases. These are the pillars of your 1-minute. Each one should get its own slide.

You’re not explaining your book; you’re selling the feeling of reading it.

Ask yourself:

• What is this word really about?
• Use large, simple text (no full sentences),
• Use typography and colour to evoke emotion

Step 3: Sync Your Slides with Your Audio ⏱️

Here’s the magic part: your slides need to match your voice.

Play your recording and note when each keyword appears. Then adjust each slide’s timing:

• On the Transitions tab, uncheck On Mouse Click
• Enter the exact time (in seconds) you want that slide to show
• Don’t use fancy transitions – fade or appear are best.

Tip: Start with a simple guess—like 5 seconds per slide then refine as you test.

Step 4: Find images that speak volumes

Replace some longer slides with powerful visuals to match those keywords. Wherever possible, use your own photos.  This is about YOU, even if royalty-free photo sites like Pexels, or Pixabay have more perfect photos.

• It could be as simple as a plain background colour, or a shape or faded icon.
• At least one slide must show YOU. Readers connect with people not things.
• A stormy sky for tension
• A peaceful forest for reflection
• A place you knew, that evokes a location within your book.
• A person who evokes a character within your book
• A photo of your writing notebook for intimacy
• An old selfie or photo of a printed snapshot is perfect for connection
• Do you still own objects that evoke experiences?
• Can you include a building or object from the era of your book?

Drag your images into the slides and position them behind or alongside, before or after your your text slides. Adjust your timing to the new visual.

Step 5: Export as a Video 🎬

Once your slides, timing, and audio feel right, you’re done!

Go to **File > Export > Create a Video**

• Full HD (1080p)
• Use Recorded Timings and Narrations

PowerPoint will save it as an MP4, which you can upload to YouTube, your website, or social media.

Test with a friend. If they “get it” in a minute, you nailed it.

A Final Word of Encouragement

This isn’t just a video. It’s you, telling the world why your story matters. Readers want to feel something—and your 1-minute pitch helps them feel it fast.

And if you want help writing your 1-minute pitch first, check out more articles on  1-Minute Pitches for book authors and independent professionals.

I’m also looking at a workshop in Vancouver, for creating a 1-minute pitch. Email me if you want to be kept updated.

Decided you need professional help?

If you’re struggling with video and it’s NEEDED to market your book, get hold of my partner Danielle Turner.

She’s creative and kind, and will put you at your ease. Now and then she does a talk on taking your own selfies – see if she’s got a workshop coming up!