Book Trailers!

I write middle grade fiction, so I feel like book trailers are an important way to reach readers. I'm not so sure it makes sense for every genre of course. I have two questions for this topic:
1) Do you watch book trailers? Have you ever purchased a book based on the trailer? Why or why not?
2) Any recommendations on a partner I can contact for producing a decent trailer? I created my own and it is a blatant rip-off of Blair Witch.

All right, that isn't technically two questions.

I make them and post them on YouTube. And yes, I have purchased books based on trailers - it gave me just enough information to hook me. I use iMovie on my iPod Touch and use the bare minimum of images and sound - and make sure the sound is royalty free and in the public doman.

?!? Book trailers? What's that? You mean a short film about the book? Really?

re #3 - welcome to the other side of the mirror

I think I watched a book trailer once, though I can't remember how I stumbled on it or what book it was for. They're certainly nothing I'd seek out. I prefer to read reviews.

They're not so much a review, but a marketing toy to entice. T

Here are mine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs7h0lbdRFA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6nRNvzPJWw&NR=1&feature=endscreen

> 6

I realize that. They're like movie trailers, which generally influence me negatively. Seriously, the last time I went to a movie, there were three or four trailers, and after watching them I didn't want to see any of them.

Watching your trailers, I'm not enticed, mainly because after seeing them, I still don't know what the books are about!

I can't think of an instance where I purchased a book based on the trailer. But I do know that a lot of kids value them highly. Inevitably, trailers have become an artform of their own, an artform that I don't do well in.
Exhibit A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkkN8NJ3ZQ4
As bad as this is, kids refer to it all the time. That is why I want it to be better.

I've done book trailers, but I've never felt they really helped that much in my case:

Summer Storm -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NALEPYkEQSY&list=UULIim_JQosIkxAJJIVgCp1w&amp...

Ada Nish Pura -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU5cBg4B2Dk&list=UULIim_JQosIkxAJJIVgCp1w&amp...

Writing Science Fiction: What if? -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcAxqnBSJA0&list=UULIim_JQosIkxAJJIVgCp1w (beware of bad bass off the start, but it eases back soon!)

Silky Trilogy -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwOCjiH4pDA&list=UULIim_JQosIkxAJJIVgCp1w

Kat Among the Pigeons -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKQyF-uFNgo&list=UULIim_JQosIkxAJJIVgCp1w

That's actually more of them than I though I had done.

I've found that I usually lose interest in other book trailers if they go much over a minute, so I keep mine short.

47 seconds. I've noticed at Goodreads that book trailers run on the right side of the screen and once in a while they catch my attention.

Zette, I like Summer Storm.

I'm trying to watch all of them. I think the phenomenon is a bit weird...
I like the 'this is the other side' line in your second one Ellen. It's true that I still don't know what the book is about, but I suppose the trailer is supposed to intrigue you so you go looking for it? I think the second one could be a bit shorter, by the way, because it stays on the title quite long...

Yours is creepy, crtozier! Is the book horror or fantasy? If it's fantasy, I could wish the images were more otherworldly, but for horror I think you have the right tone...

And also just watched zette's. They are funky. I imagine quite some work goes into these things... I've never seen book trailers before, and I don't think I would want to really, but I'll admit I looked up Silky, so perhaps it's having some effect after all...

I was vague on purpose but I could tweak it to add the text I cut out of it. If I tell the whole story in a trailer, why read the book? Yes, I want people to see that and say, okay, what's this 'what if' stuff? And go to Amazon or whatever to read the product description and buy it. I know there are people who don't have time for this kind of browsing, or don't like it, but I suppose there are a few who do. I don't read reviews to decide if I like a book - I do watch trailers, look at covers, and here's a novel idea - actually read a few pages to see if I like it.

re #12 - well, my book is fantasy. I don't really have the capability or talent to make it more otherworldly. That is my big problem right now. Maybe just a change in music would help. I'm not losing sleep over it of course, but it is a channel for reaching readers. The phenomenon is a bit weird, I do agree with you. But, the line between book, movie, ebook, interactive book, multi-media literary "experience" is blurring. As a reader, I don't even like ebooks. As an author/marketer, I've had to expand my interests. All of the big book releases are now accompanied by a big trailer release, usually produced by a team of professionals.Ugh Maybe Pixar will take pity on me.

Hahaha, Pixar! Nice idea... It must be quite hard to make these things... And to decide how much you show and how much you don't... I don't envy you the task!

If you have the time and a visual imagination to pull together something representational, they aren't difficult to do. Oh, and if you have the programs. I do freelance work for one of the big 3D graphic companies, so I pick up a lot of models and programs. Since I had been working with them long before I did the book trailers.

Many people search the Internet for royalty free pictures, but I have never liked 'real people' pictures for stories, so I decided to go the harder route. That's just me, though. Many other people aren't bothered by it at all!

re #16 What programs do you use?

I use DAZ Studio, Carrara, Poser and Bryce. Plus Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro -- whichever ones suit the piece at the moment.

wow! Having a professional trailer made is EXPENSIVE!

This is my book trailer for my fantasy novel, "The Whirlwind in the Thorn Tree". I've been told it's pretty good. I used Microsoft Movie Maker, the book's cover, and a royalty-free song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TiNH60QANSI

This is an interesting topic, as I've been thinking of making a book trailer for my book. Seems to me, though, like it hasn't really helped anyone?

I have a book signing coming up in a few months when my next book releases, and I was thinking of making a book trailer and playing it on my laptop during the book signing at the store. Good idea or bad idea?

>21 nunez882:, my 2 cents as a reader. I think the book trailer is a great idea from a marketing perspective. I've often shared book trailers with friends on FB and Twitter too. But, when I go to an author reading or book signing, I'm there to meet/listen to the author. I don't know that I'd enjoy watching their book trailer at that time...... I have known authors to advise us to go to their webpage/blog to view the trailer if we haven't already.....

If your market is middle grade or YA, it is almost a requirement for marketing. I've had in-person requests for it even from kids who have already purchased a book.

yes book trailers are good to see....but i dont buy a book just because i liked the trailer

Here is mine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZBks2ae2QY

My laptop was stolen with the software I used. I know I need to work on the timing some more. It was a fun project but can't say it has generated online sales. Not sure how to know to tell the truth.

Finally finished my own first book trailer! Between writing the script, filming it, and editing it, this took me several weeks to do!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTZ5OWJjbjw

It's for my Halls of Ivy series. Hope you enjoy!

Great job!

Thanks!!! Was a group effort.

I received my book trailer from a reader who happened to be a graphic professional:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROnM9qPRXJU

re #29 - Well that is a great connection you have. A graphic professional! I need more friends. LOL

Very well done. To think that createspace charges $1,199 to $,199 for a video!

The new book trailer for my fantasy-western The Whirlwind in the Thorn Tree! Thoughts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsIYjsFCJeo

I'm trying to do a prologue reading as my book trailer, but I haven't been pleased with my recording so far. I drew some sketches to act as visuals, since I'm not fond of obviously stock images used for books... wish I had something more sophisticated to work on than Windows Movie Maker.

Thinking about getting a friend of mine to do the reading...

1) Yes, I watch book trailers, but no, I've never bought a book because of one. I think they're a necessary evil in the writing world.
2) No, I make my own. I don't have the kind of budget to hire someone.

The prologue reading is done now. I lucked out and found a voice actor to volunteer his services. I've tried to open it up for fans to participate by reading a chapter too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8o0umyJEEc

I watch book trailers and yes, I have bought books based on their trailers. Trailers are a great tool to promote your book, but as such is should be used wisely. Badly made trailers(poor quality etc) will have the opposite effect on the purchase decision.

All right, I started this thread and now I'll post the results. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSV3mh2ODOc
I decided to make my own trailer because of the cost/benefit. I know I can't compete with the high-end trailers, so it would never get the attention as a piece of art in and of itself.

What I don't know how to do is to use the trailer as standalone marketing tool. I can add it to existing marketing efforts, but how does it generate interest in my book on its own??

Arise, thread, arise! Return from the shades! Has no one been using video trailers for their books since 2013?

I've made a trailer for each of the three books I've published recently. Just the effort to create these trailers has helped me to refine my "pitch" for the books, and homebrewing these isn't very difficult.

Here's a YouTube playlist of my trailers to date: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnzpsiQXSIueL3VsDwJfbqJGMTmt7MbdJ
They are also on my amazon.com author page at: https://www.amazon.com/Dionysius-Rogers/e/B078HGBTKH/

All,

I recently asked asked Jump Spin, a YA tilted/gamer based youtubers to produce a video for my new book The King's Tower. I gave them free reign to come up with an idea for my book. Since they have a large following, I believe it will give me an avenue to other readers. I also created a second trailer for my latest release

Spin Jump Special - Stealth Kills in Video Games

My Video trailer - The King's Tower.

Thank you for reading and watching my videos,

Tony Brunak

All,

please watch the book trailers for your favorite book here:

As Time Narrows -
https://youtu.be/MWRE9tD_RZk

The Man In The Bowler Hat -
https://youtu.be/ZlsZnuW2Vzg

The King's Tower -
https://youtu.be/KSvopP3r-hs

I released my newest book Poliphilo's Breakfast on Amazon last weekend, and I put out a crude book trailer on YouTube (total time investment for the video was ca. 3 hours): https://youtu.be/6WDcL1T0_PY