Happy Weekend, WG2E-Land!
I’m going to kick-off a new topic of discussion here at The WG2E…
Let’s Talk Book Trailers
We’re going to be coming at this one from all angles, including but not limited to…:
*** Who all has ‘em and how do you use ‘em?
*** How much do they cost to produce?
*** How long should they be?
*** Where do you get the music and images?
*** What software do you use to make ‘em?
*** If you’re hiring ‘em done, who would you recommend?
*** Do you think they affect sales or are they just something cool and fun to share with your readers?
*** Which trailers are your faves?
Here’s one of my faves:
Karen Cantwell’s TAKE THE MONKEYS AND RUN
Okay…to get started…take a peek at the Book Trailer Galleries offered by a couple of the companies I’m considering using:
Now Then…It’s Your Turn, WG2E-Land: To help us know where you’re all at in the Book Trailer World, please answer the topic questions I posted above. Also, please comment with links to some of your fave trailers too.
P.S. We’ll be interviewing several Book Trailer Producers right here at The WG2E so be watching for those posts coming soon…beginning with Misty Taggart of Trailer to The Stars!
P.S.S. Programming Note: Debut Indie Epub Author Amanda Brice, who wears an IP Attorney (Intellectual Property) hat by day, will be guest posting for us on all-things-intellectual property rights and Indie Epubbing a week from today 5/28/11.
The Best of The WG2E & Book Trailer Wishes — D. D. Scott
I don’t have a book trailer. I’m not even considering doing one at this time. Who knows. Maybe in the future.
As a reader, I find most book trailers unbelievably boring. Not to mention WAAAAY too long. There are, however, two book trailers in existence which, to my mind, should be the ruler by which all other book trailers are measured.
First, Ann Aguirre’s Enclave which is full of so much awesome I can hardly stand it! http://bit.ly/fOCmeJ
And for the do-it-yourself types, this hilarious book trailer and one of my all-time faves: http://bit.ly/gKrwaG
Also, I think it’s great when the author just sits there and talks to me for 30 seconds about her book. Something funny or interesting that reveals her personality and sense of humor.
Thanks bunches for sharing these links, Shea! Great stuff here!
And I sooo agree on the length…if it’s longer than one minute, even if I like it, I’m kinda checked-out. I prefer about 45 seconds.
I did luuuvvv the one with the author and her notecards…but again, even that, though cute, was wayyy too long for me.
I did my own book trailer and Misa Ramirez’s book trailers using the movie production on my PC~Windows Media Player. I have a press kit I send out to review sites, and that is one place I have it. As well as my website, FB, and grog site. They are SUPER easy and fun to do, that’s why I made one for our fellow grog partner Misa. I’m currently working on one for The Ladybug Jinx. I LOVE IT!!! There are a ton of free sites out there for the photos and music, so it can be free if you take the time:)
Here’s the link to my debut novel, Carpe Bead ‘em:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BmXO51NDSI
I’d luuuvvv for you to do a post on your book trailer-making scoop, Tonya…Hint! Hint!…LOL!!!
I do luuuvvv your trailers!
I’m surprised by how many commenters said they make their own!!! Supercool!!!
And, if you’d share the sites you use for images and music…that would be terrific too!
I’ve got eight book trailers out, all made with Windows Movie Maker or Windows Live Movie Maker. They were dead simple to do, and like Tonya said, a BLAST to do. Outside of the cost of some of the images (a few bucks, really), and many of the images are free, they cost nothing but time. I’ve had 248 views of one of them on YouTube alone – my erotic romance Cherry’s Jubilee, written under my pen name of V. J. Devereaux. Song of the Fairy Queen, my self published e-book, has had 68 views in two months. They’re posted on my website, my Facebook book pages and I twitter them now and then.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Baycat57?feature=mhee
Superfab scoop, Valerie! And terrific trailers too!
It does seem like YouTube is the primary vehicle for distribution (other than our own websites, blogs and grogs)…especially to tap into a new base, full of potential new readers and fans.
Well done and thanks bunches for sharing!
I’m making mine right now using iMovie. I’m having a lot of fun and feel a bit like Terry Gilliam in the old Monty python days with bits of cut paper all over the place. I’m hoping the end result is more, “winningly naive,” than “amateurish,” lol. I fell in love with a cool piece of royalty-free music and blew the entire budget on that. So the rest is up to my hands and imagination.
Thanks for this post, it’s well-timed for me!
Please be sure to share your end result with us, Jane!
It sounds like you’re really having a terrific time with the book trailer-making process itself!
You Go, Girl!
Where did you find your music?
I don’t have book trailers, and I have no real plans to make one. I agree with Shéa: mostly they’re incredibly boring and most readers couldn’t care less. That said, this trailer, for my buddy Myra McEntire’s debut, is fantastic:
http://www.youtube.com/user/MyraMcEntire
Fabulously simple, yet packs a real punch. And although nothing much is happening, you can’t look away from it.
I did like the water element in this one…it really was mesmerizing, Bente, and thanks tons for sharing it with us!
To hold my attention long, book trailers have to be every bit as good as a movie trailer…or…have some comedic element and “sound” or vibe – like the one of Karen Cantwell’s I posted.
Mystery author Jeri Westerson has one of the best book trailers I’ve ever seen. It’s the video at the top of this page. Listening to the trailer is like reading back cover copy for Jeri’s entire series. The guy doing the voice-over is a native Brit, not somebody’s roommate faking an accent.
The trailer was produced several years ago by Two Rock Media for her series. Note how it’s designed to be flexible and allow the addition of more titles in the series as each is released.
IMHO authors cannot skimp on some things, or they look cheap. For most authors, it’s worth the investment to obtain a book trailer that looks professionally done. It’s obvious Jeri’s wasn’t a DIY job. Yes, she did plunk down a good chunk of change for it. This is exactly the type of book trailer I want for my series. I’m seriously considering going with this company.
Suzanne Adair
I luuuvvved the actor’s voice-over work in your example, Suzanne, and was most intrigued by how this piece was used to pitch an entire series.
That’s one of the elements I’m considering with mine…do I want to do short, 45-second pieces for each book or just 1 minute on the entire series…
Thanks for sharing, Suzanne.
I knew I could do a book trailer but I didn’t want the learning time. When I found one at a very reasonable price I decided it was worth it to just get it done. Mine is by Suzannah Safi at http://www.design.suzannahsafi.com/
Tempting Adam video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1dKXUrZKzo
Great point to raise, Jill…I know I can probably make a decent one too…but, I really can’t afford the time away from my writing…
And thanks for another superfab resource in your brilliant Suzannah Safi! Luuuvvv what she created for Tempting Adam!
I’m not sure if Book Trailers increase sales or not but I do love to watch them. They bring your characters to life and give the reader a glimpse of the tone of your book which I think is VERY IMPORTANT. My book is a dark paranormal. I’ve had some readers complain that it was too dark..lol..so I really wanted to get my book trailer out there so readers can decide for themselves if my book is going to be something they want to read or maybe something they’d decide is better for their other friends who enjoy the darker genres. That’s the one thing I really love about trailers. They set the tone with music and photos but I think MUSIC is the most powerful tool used in trailers.
I have had two trailers made professionally and have made three myself. The learning curve was small. Pretty simple to do but it does take some time to find the perfect photos, write the script and choose the music.
I’m hearing some complaints that some trailers are just too long which I hate. My newest trailer, Circle City is 3 minutes and 30 seconds, a little too long for some but this is an epic novel, very long so I felt it needed a little more time AND I really tried to make it NOT BORING with exciting, suspenseful music. I used three different short pieces of music to convey emotion: MYSTERY, SUSPENSE, HORROR.
A good book trailer can have me clicking BUY pretty fast but again, I’m not sure they do much for sales. Some readers tend to like them so I’ll continue to make them. I did think that when Book Trailers first became popular that they would really generate sales. All in all, it is a fun marketing tool.
Here’s my book trailer for Circle City. If you don’t want to waste 3 mins. and 30 secs. of your time, don’t watch it..ha ha…but if you do, I’d love some feedback.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agrFvViTwTQ
Here’s one of my favorites, created professionally by Phoenix Book Trailers. This is my historical romance, The Wooden Nickel, set in WWII and The Great Depression. I love how the designer did it all in black and white and made the film look old. Again, the music is very powerful, very nostalgic and fit my book perfectly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gefUx9RbR7E
Great post! Love this blog!