I almost didn’t get this written. For the last seven days, I’ve been stuck in bed fighting the flu and watching bad movies. But I can’t very well start a project then fail by the second week, can I?

So, here I am, doped up on cough medicine and honey-flavoured soothers ready to share thoughts on week 2 of The Writer Blog Prompt Project.

Let’s go!

Quick reminder, if you join this project and write an article about this week’s topic. Let me know and I’ll link your article at the bottom of mine.

B Is For Book Trailer

Okay, so who’s cursing me yet? I know, another terrible idea for a topic. Why didn’t I choose Beta Readers? or Book Plates?

Well, since I’ve written about beta readers before and I honestly have little thought on book plates, I thought “you know what, Ari?” (I like to address myself properly) “why not talk about book trailers?” (in truth, she just gave me a look and rolled her eyes… but I think she’s okay with it!)

Ooh, that was weird… maybe I overdid the cough medicine?

Okay, enough nonsense, let’s get to it!

If you aren’t aware of book trailers… where the heck have you been?!?

Seriously though, book trailers are exactly what they sound like – a trailer but for books. (not a pull-trailer. Though if we all packed our books up to transport them, we might NEED a trailer to carry them all, am I right??) — that’s the cough medicine again.

Not sure who started the trend, but some clever devil realised that some people actually like visual aspects to grab them. So, since marketing is a huge chunk of the author life, book trailers burst onto the scene.

Now, I’ve seen plenty of book trailers – some that made me WISH it was also a movie because it was so captivating and others that made me avert my eyes wishing that person had taken just a little more time to consider what they were creating. Eessh!

Personally, I think a book trailer can do wonders for your marketing. I’ve picked books solely because the trailer grabbed me.

The blurb is text on a page and while when we read books, we might (‘might’ not everyone does this) be able to visualise the story as a movie, the blurb isn’t usually enough to kick a visual image off (at least not for me).

A book trailer can do just that.

Great book trailers (again, my opinion!) are the ones that consider everything – not just ‘here’s the blurb in moving fonts and a picture of the cover at the end’.

They use music and colour to capture tone and mood that reflects the story. They use elements such as video – maybe glimpses of people, or a sword swinging or a fire burning – (you get the gist) as well as that moving text to draw you in.

You’ll be surprised how much emotion can be conjured from the right visual mood and music combo.

I will say, if you are considering making a trailer – think about why and who is going to view it. I hate trailers (or any videos – looking at you Insta reels) were there is a block of text (often small and in a terrible colour) and before you’re halfway through reading, it moves to ANOTHER wall of text.

Now, I read pretty fast these days but I remember when I used to struggle. I also know sometimes if my brain is having a pin-ball moment, it takes me a few seconds to actually FOCUS on the words so I might not even get through half of them.

My advise is to aim for small lines, powerful lines that explain your story and get people interested without them having to pause your video.

Leave the text up for twice as long as it takes you to read it. Make it a good size and a readable font (not saying boring font, but let’s tone down the excessive swirls and twists, okay?)

Please don’t forget to make the end useful. Don’t just stick up your book cover for 2 seconds. Let it burst into existence! and leave it there – then add where you can buy it, what format it’s available in, when the release day is, if there’s a pre-order, etc.

I am always surprised when I see people preparing to release a book and mentioning the release day ONCE!

I’ve been an ARC reviewer for a while now and sometimes I’ve had to go digging to remember when the book is launching. Because the email the ARC was in, doesn’t mention it, the last 20 insta posts DON’T mention it – please don’t hide info like that.

Put it on every post until the book is out… then tell people “Out now”.

So, does this mean I’ll use Book Trailers?

I am very sad. I love trailers – book trailers, movie trailers – if I can’t find something to watch, I will just watch tons of trailers – even of movies I’ve seen. Don’t know why, it’s a weird comfort.

With that said, I have planned to create book trailers for my stories – whether I attempt to make them myself is another matter.

I would like to try it (cost saving!) and it sounds super fun, but I’ll do it with eyes wide open and acknowledgement that if it isn’t really striking I’ll seek out someone more talented who can make it.

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Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this article. If you aren’t joining the Project, let me know your own thoughts about book trailers in the comments below!

Next week’s topic is Content Warnings

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Below are articles from other participants of The Writer Blog Prompt Project

None so far

Thanks for reading

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Source: Images from Canva

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