Today's post will be short as I am neck deep in working on a workshop that I am giving at the Australian National RWA conference, the biggest part of which covers book trailers.
In the last few years, trailers have become increasingly popular. I know I have seen some really good ones, and I have also seen some not so good. The worst are the boring ones. I think if trailer is that boring, then what is the book like.
But one of the best ones I have seen is the trailer is Sense, Sensibility and Sea Monsters.
It was one of the reasons I wanted to make my own for Night’s Cold Kiss.
I had fun doing it. The creative process is not unlike writing a story. I liked hunting for the right pictures and the right music. But I’m a little worried. Do they make a difference? Do they entice people to buy the book or at least give it a second look?
So tell me... Do you like book trailers? If yes – what do you like and if no – why?
And if you have seen a memorable trailer – what was it and what did you like or hate about it.
There are many awesome book trailers by a Supernatural Underground authors right here
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21 comments:
I like book trailers. It gives some you more visuals from the book. I create my own image of characters, but I like seeing trailers because it lets us see another version of the character. It's fun. It also lets you know what the book will be about, much like movie trailers!
I go back and forth with book trailers. Some are done perfectly and than there are cheesy ones, lol.
Hi Tracey,
I've always loved your book trailer =) If I didn't already have your book I'm pretty certain I'd buy it from your book trailer.
Mel (off now to check out some more Underground trailers!)
Hey Tracey,
You know how much I love your book trailer. It's not long, kick-butt, and has great music.
To me a good trailer is a combination of all that - short, sharp, entices with the story, and have ambience in music or effects that suit the story.
Or in the case of the Sense, Sensibility and Sea Monsters, I love the sense of humour and the 'horror' music theme at the end.
First time I've seen your trailer! Awesome job. And the sea monster trailer is one of my favorites too. Funny thing about trailers and me, I don't normally watch them cause it takes time to do it (strange I know), but if an author specifically asks (like in your post here) then I will watch it. Problem being I already plan on buying the book anyways...see my crazy logic? A trailer will make me want the book more though. The music and picture selection is important. If the author catches the tone of the genera I love, in this case kick-butt female, sexy forbidden male, mystery and the what not, then I will be hooked. I saw a fan made trailer for Shiver and she had me salivating for the book!
First of yours is great! I think they do make a difference. Because if you aren't sure about a book and you see a trailer for it, you see the book how the author wants you to and that may change minds. I'm a special effects makeup artist and just thinking about working on these makes my heart flutter, that's how much I like them :)
They really don't influence me either way. Honestly, I very rarely ever watch them. I still go by reviews and word of mouth for whether I want to pick something up.
Having said that, I think book trailers are still an awesome way for people to market their books.
Fun trailers, Tracey! I never pay any attention to them, but maybe I should.
Personally, I love trailers (unless they're just plain bad), and I can't believe you did your own, Tracey, because it's so good!! No wonder you're doing a workshop! I think if they're well done, they give you a great "snapshot" of the book, and for that reason, I usually watch them before I buy (if they're available). Good luck with the workshop!
I've only seen a few book trailers and honestly, they don't do anything for me. I don't know why, maybe it's because it's mostly still images and when I think trailers I think like movie trailers with action and all that good stuff, so book trailers always throw me off. maybe if I watched enough they'd grow on me.
I only discovered book trailers a few months ago, and I've seen more and more cropping up--Most of the first ones I saw were a combination of pretty bad and boring--Yours and this other one, however, are completely amazing--Since they kind of sucked when I first started seeing them, I stopped watching them...but now that I see them getting so much better, I'll probably start watching them...I keep going back and forth, because I did just fine picking my own books before, but for people who don't read as much, or if I'm ever on the fence, something like this might be a motivating or deciding factor---and even the bad ones wouldn't have hurt my opinion of the book, so I say go for it!
Also, they can turn people on to new things...Before I have never been tempted to pick up the Sea Monster book, or any Jane Austen book (due to a traumatic technicolor movie-watching experience as a child)--but I have to say this trailer has intrigued me.
As for your book, it's something I would have been interested in anyway, but after watching the trailer--because it's so AMAZING, I'm even more curious, and got a sudden feeling that I NEEDED to have this book NOW...so, there are obvious benefits when a trailer is done well, and I don't think they hurt anything, so I say go for it!
I dont like book trailers. Most of them are a bit tacky and the people in the trailer never look anything like I want the characters to look. But I will confess I have a very picky taste.
For me, if I am planning on buying a given book anyway, a trailer, whether well-done or not, won't sway me either way. On the other hand, they're a great way to introduce writers that were unfamiliar to me before. For example, Night's Cold Kiss sounds very good. I don't know whether or not I'll be buying it yet or not, but I definitely plan on learning more about it!
Tracey,
I love your topic! I confess that I do watch book trailers. Yours was one of my favorites! Another one I really liked was the one for Silver Phoenix (by Cindy Pon).
For me, book trailers are one more way for an author to get my attention. I probably won't buy the book unless I've read an excerpt (excerpts are top on my list of promo materials), but a good trailer can motivate me to hunt down an except, and then the book itself.
I don't really watch book trailers. I have seen a couple here and there, some are good, some are bad. But either way they don't do much for me and they don't effect my choice in whether or not to buy a book.
I don't know if it's because I like to have my own little pictures in my head about the characters and such or what.
I actually just picked up Night's Cold Kiss without seeing the trailer first so like I said; I don't really need one. Though I thought yours was good and well put together. But to each there own, ya' know? Doesn't hurt.
Hope everyone had a great weekend! =)
I've only recently started checking out authors book trailers. I think they're an excellent marketing tool if done well, but I've seen some (not either of the examples you've shown)that if I hadn't already known the book was going to be amazing would have kept me away from the book and author.
I kind of feel shallow writing that, but if an author's going to advertise/market like that, then that's the way I'm going to see thier book. So, do it right or don't do it at all. :)
If I thought I could do it as well as you, Tracye, I'd do a book trailer 'for sure'!
Just read (on Nathan Bransford's blog I think) that only 1% of buyers decide on a book because of a trailer.
I'm not really a fan of them, but I'm not generally a big visual person either.
I love looking at book trailers. Especially if the book is not out yet.
If I'm waiting on a book to come out but don't know what it's about yet, I always look to see if the author has a trailer out as they give a hint.
I also love going back to old trailers of books I have already read and see it from a new perspective.
I love trailers because I'm an extremely visual person. They help get me into the mood, so to speak, to read a book.
Thank you, by the way, for the Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters trailer. I've been laughing for minutes!!
I don't normally go for book trailers. There's just something about the idea of a trailer for a book that doesn't sit well with me.
Having said that, though, I love a trailer I saw over at io9. It's for a picture book called "Oh No! Or, How My Science Project Destroyed The World" by Mac Barnett and Dan Santat (http://io9.com/5592317/i-never-should-have-built-a-robot-for-the-science-fair/gallery/)
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