Thursday, September 15

Posted by Laurel Garver on Thursday, September 15, 2011 7 comments
I've been trying to learn all I can about book trailers and came across this nifty site, which collects a bunch of MG and YA trailers, called Book Trailers for All. Created for librarians and teachers, it has plenty of samples to watch and learn from--things you might want to emulate or avoid. I think the coolest one, which has custom animation, is below, for Tell Me a Secret by Holly Culpa:



When I consider how I'd invest in marketing a book, I think shelling out for a really superb trailer looks like it ought to give a lot of bang for one's buck. Videos can be released widely, even go viral, without any additional cost beyond the initial outlay for art and music. Printed matter has a role to play in marketing, too, I suppose, though with book signings becoming less common, paper swag might not be the best place to put most of your promo dollars.

What are some things you like to see in book trailers? Dislike?
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7 comments:

  1. That is a terrific trailer. I just read the book yesterday and absolutely loved it! A very powerful story.

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  2. Laura: What I found interesting is how "bubblegum" the publisher's cover looked, and how much more gripping and edgy the author's vision seemed to be as presented in the trailer. I would've had no temptation to pick up the book based on the book cover, but lots based on the trailer.

    Jessica: Indeed! One of my CPs is married to a musician whose work I'd love to use if it doesn't break the bank.

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  3. I am terrified of what it would take to make a trailer. Maybe that means I should look into it.

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  4. Angela: It does look like quite the learning curve. I'll try to post what I learn as I learn it.

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  5. I've definitely been hooked by a good book trailer before. Sometimes the book doesn't always live up to the trailer, but still... I bought the book. I think a good trailer is worth the effort and investment.

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  6. Candice: I think the first one that really grabbed me was the Quirk Books trailer for one of its Austen parodies: Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. It had just one scene from the book acted out--very, very effective.

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