OLD POST ALERT! This is an older post and although you might find some useful tips, any technical or publishing information is likely to be out of date. Please click on Start Here on the menu bar above to find links to my most useful articles, videos and podcast. Thanks and happy writing! – Joanna Penn
I love book trailers. I think they are an awesome way to gain attention for your book. They are evergreen and keep selling while you are sleeping BUT they are also hard work to put together!
Here's my book trailer for Pentecost and below are the steps I went through to make it. Please let me know in the comments what you think, remembering that it is a thriller trailer! I realize that book trailers are a bit like books i.e. not everyone likes the same thing.
Plan the script, look and feel.
I took the back blurb of the novel and edited it down to a few key sentences for the script. I did try reading it aloud but my voice just isn't suitable for the serious tone I wanted to strike so I decided to use plain text on a visual background. I also used video clips, not just stills as this looks more professional and holds reader attention. I wanted the impression of a blockbuster movie with big sound and vision. It is meant to be over the top, as movie trailers for action/thrillers always are.
Choose Images and Video
Choose Music
Editing
This is the hard part!
Once you have video, audio, images and a script, you need to put it all together. In my previous post on how to make a book trailer, I was on the PC and used free software Windows MovieMaker. Now I'm a Mac user and currently use ScreenFlow to create/edit movies but you can also use iMovie. For more video editing options, check out this interview with Gideon Shalwick, expert on video marketing.
I imported all my media into ScreenFlow and then played with it. I started with the audio and tried to match the images/video to the sound adding appropriate text on the way. Choosing a font was a pain but I went with Papyrus for the ancient look. The editing took around 4 hours to get exactly right.
Distribution
You should also tag appropriately. I also uploaded the video separately onto Facebook which has it's own search engine and is worth doing separately, rather than just embedding. I am sharing the link through my networks: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Goodreads. The usual suspects! I'll continue using the video through the launch process (more details on that to come shortly!)
How you can create a book trailer for free
You can create a trailer for free using Creative Commons images, video and audio as well as free editing software MovieMaker or iMovie.
However, I decided to pay for my media this time. Why?
Well, I started to look through the Creative Commons sites and while there is gold in there, it takes a while to sift through. Right now, I'd rather spend a bit of money than the extra time going through many more sites searching for the right images. So I stuck with iStockphoto when I could have used Flickr and creative commons music. If you do go the Creative Commons route, please check the licensing and attribute the creator.
For loads more information on book trailers, definitely check out my interview with Darcy Pattison, author of the Book Trailer Manual.
What do you think about book trailers? Did you like the Pentecost trailer? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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1 2 3 … 6 Next »We created a very simply book trailer for our first anthology "Chinese Whisperings: The Red Book" and learned a lot about what works and what doesn't work. At the moment we're working to combine the audio trailer we did for podcast advertisement with the trailer. It is definitely an artform and I'm glad we have taken on a new partner who is a whiz with multimedia! Up until seeing yours and reading the process of making it, I hadn't given a lot of thought to using short snippets of film - but it really works!
I love the music, and the picture of the monk with the book is fantastic. It definitely conveys the thriller movie feel and I'm now on the edge of my seat waiting to read the book :)
Thanks for sharing the process. I'm looking forward to being far more hands on with every trailer we make in the future.
Thanks so much Jodi. The monk was pretty expensive as a pic but I really wanted him. I have quite a few monks in the book! I'm glad you enjoyed it and have also tried doing them for your book. I reckon book trailers will take off this year so it's great to get in early.
Hi Joanna,
Love the book trailer idea! You're right, in this Internet world, it's good to be able to connect with potential readers on as many levels as possible -- including video.
I like what you've done with yours as well. The only thing I'd change (since you asked for feedback) is I'd make it shorter and tighter. Not only will this hold attention longer, it will make it seem even more like a thriller.
For example, at the 33-second mark, you have the words "to use for evil" on the screen for almost five seconds. The average person could read that in one, maybe two seconds. Why not chop that down to make the whole trailer faster and more immediate? Generally speaking, the faster you cut between scenes, the more "thrilling" the experience will be.
Again, since you asked. Ultimately though, a great trailer for your book!
~Graham
Hi Graham,
yes, I really needed to find shorter music. My piece was 1 minute long but perhaps I needed a piece at 40 seconds. I tried to time the images with the music, and the flame is growing in that long interval. I know what you mean though. I'm glad you liked it though - they are pretty subjective (like books I guess!)
Hi Joanna
Wow! I think you have done a brilliant job. The images and the music convey a sense of foreboding, building to a crescendo totally in keeping with the genre. I don't see how anyone could watch the trailer and not want to buy the book. It will certainly be on my shopping list!
I also want to thank you for sharing so much with us. I look forward to getting your informative updates that have inspired me to carry on writing. I am nearing the end of my own novel and will be scouring your emails as I go through each stage towards finalizing it.
Good luck with the launch
Lynn Johnson
Thanks so much Lynn. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I wanted it to find the right people i.e. those who watch and love it will buy the book and those turned off by it wouldn't like the book anyway!
We can't please everyone :)
Let me know if you have any specific questions re the novel. I'm only ahead of you by a few steps. I have aggregated all my novel posts here
http://www.thecreativepenn.com/firstnovel/
in case that helps. Thanks, Joanna
I love your blog! Every time I am trying to learn something new, whether it be about writing, blogging, or marketing, POOF! There is a new post here that explains exactly the information I need. :)
Thanks Krissy. I really just share my journey - and luckily, all writers are going through the same things!
I completely agree, and I think that's what I love about it most. The strong sense of community we have in reaching our goals. :)
Once again, you do a marvelous and informative job.
Wishing you much success with your Novel.
Dixie Goode
Thanks for your support Dixie - you are one of my most frequent commenters and I appreciate it.
Hi Joanna
A book trailer is in and of itself a great idea, and this expression of your book is terrific! Great choice of music, and I think letting that and the images speak for itself is more powerful than a voiceover.
One small suggestion - change the width of the clip to 440 instead of 640 to better fit your blog format. I have the same problem with a blog where I repost interesting stories (http://cruxcatalyst.blogspot.com) clips often too wide. Might just be me, but about 1cm of the clip on the right is cut off when viewing it on the blog; it's fine on You Tube.
I have blogs for stuff I am working on, but not related to the novel I want to come out of this work - so now you have inspired me to create a book trailer, build a tribe, just for the book that I am working on.
Now - to develop my characters...!
Cheers
Sharon
Excellent point and I've changed format. Thanks. I don't know how I didn't notice that! I'm glad the post was useful anyway!
Excellent book trailer. Fascinating information. I love your creative thinking. Found you through someone else's tweet: social marketing at work! It's wonderful to see what creative souls are accomplishing and building.
Thanks Nellie, I'm so thankful for twitter! It really is my most favorite social network :)
Wow! Loved your book trailer for Pentecost Jo! so professional - made me want to race out and get a copy (download?). Anyway it does the job so well!
Funny how once I read HOW you created it, I could follow the structure and see how you'd done it. But if I hadn't known any background, it would have looked super! Well done! Now get back to that director's chair ...
I'm glad you enjoyed it Catherine. I think multi-media is the way to go these days!
Joanna,
The trailer is fantastic! I thought I did a good job on mine, but yours blew me away! I can't wait to buy a copy of your book; if I purchase it from your website would you sign it for me?
Please check out my trailer for my novel POINT DECEPTION at my publisher's webpage above and visit my personal website: http://www.pointdeception.com.
I'd be very interested in your comments. You're my new hero.
Jim Gilliam
Author, Point Deception
I'm glad you like it Jim. It was hard work but I'm pretty happy with it too! I will sell some signed hard copies but not until after Lightning Source starts printing in Australia. Currently I have to buy my own books from the UK, have them shipped here, sign them and then send them out again! It's a pain :)
I could sign something else and scan it and email it and you could stick it in the front of one you buy from Amazon !
I couldn't actually view your video. It needed a plugin installed to watch it. Did you put it on YouTube?
Thanks.
This post was very useful to me since I've never created a book trailer. It's something I've been thinking of for a long time. I'm hoping your suggestions will get me started sooner rather than later.