Lately I’ve been into studying book video trailers with the thought of producing one or having one produced for my next novel. One thing I’ve come to realize is that lack of brevity leads to boredom. Most of them are too long. You should hit the viewer fast and hard and get out. Leave them wanting more. In the age of 30 second commercials, a two to three minute trailer is just too long.
Below is a video trailer for an upcoming book that I think is well done. It’s simple, to the point and best of all only a couple of secs over a minute long. It’s done professionally by a media company called Stonecreek Media Inc. They have other book trailers on their website and you’ll see that they’re generally brief. So if you’re producing these yourself, as a lot of self-published authors are–don’t get so thrilled with your talent as a producer that you overdo it.
I’m not promoting the novel. I haven’t read it, although it does look interesting. I’m merely pointing out what I think is a good book trailer for writers who are producing them or planning to. If you think you might want to check out the novel, it’s called When I’m With You. The author, LaConnie Taylor-Jones, will be touring virtually starting February 1.
LaConnie Taylor-Jones Virtual Book Tour - scroll down to read about the Taylor-Jones virtual book tour.
LaConnie Taylor Jones Web Site
Want to see more book trailers? Featured book trailers.
8 comments ↓
Here’s a comment left on my MySpace blog about this post by Tim, an aspiring author–
“A tip Im putting in my pocket thats for sure… If you have anymore please fill us in as you will Connie. Im hoping to publish a book someday but Im easily distracted, and easily frusterated. I gotta focus. Thanks again Connie.”
The length of the video is often dependant upon what you’re going to do with it.
If it is just going up as an ad then shorter is better. But, if you’re looking to sell it as content to specialty sites or booksellers then length is secondary to other issues of book video creation.
The book video needs to be good, but just as important is what you do with it. Putting it on your website, YouTube and MySpace just isn’t enough. You need to get it to target-specific online destinations. For example, the above video would do well placed on BlackPlanet.com, The Yack or MetaCafe.
Our videos are taken by booksellers, book clubs and specialty sites that are more genre-specific.
Distribution, effectiveness and utilization are just as important, in my opinion, as the video itself.
Valid points, Sheila. However, a video should never bore or tire the viewer no matter the venue, and too many do, especially the amateur ones, which I was referring to. I have no doubt that there are cases for lengthier, well-done book videos.
Interesting site you have.
I agree Connie that they should never bore the person. And I’ve seen many that I just couldn’t watch to the end. One of them was 6 minutes long! I got through about 1 minute of it.
I see many people trying to fit their entire series into one video, giving each book a fair amount of time.
A good rule-of-thumb is that the video shouldn’t last much longer than what it would take to read the back cover blurb. I’m a pretty slow reader myself, but still, even with a long blurb you’re looking at maybe a minute and a half. So anything between 30 seconds and 1 1/2 minutes works nicely.
Good points made. As for me, who’s an avid reader, I love a GOOD BOOK TRAILER and even feature them in the weekly APOOO Newsletter. Granted I’ve probably received 100 that folks thought warranted inclusion, but I’ve only featured about 10…because too many of them are amateurish and lack action, excitement or good quality.
Regarding companies that produce book trailers, another company that does excellent work is COS production…with the exception of two trailers(and one of those was LaConnie Jones trailer)…all the ones I’ve highlighted via APOOO were produced by COS. I know folks who have used them who highly recommend then. If folks are looking to produce a trailer…I suggest they give them a call for an estimate…cause lawd knows I can’t stand anymore bad book trailers…lol.
Oh yeah and as far as length…movie trailers are longer than 30 seconds…and I believe that book trailers that are well done…that tell a story…that looks like a book trailer…(ie Sweet GA Brown comes to mind…one down by Brenda Jackson)…then they shouldn’t be limited to 30 seconds…actually most of the 30 second book trailers only feature the bookcover and static scenes and don’t really grab my attention.
Want my attention…make it theatrical and tell a dayum good story along the way…in other words the trailer should entice me to want to pick up the book!
PS Connie I wish book trailers were around when you wrote PG County…the wedding scene…car crash would have made an excellent trailer…that’s still one of the most memorable scenes from any book I’ve read…lol.
xoxo
Yasmin, sometimes I wish book trailers had been around earlier. But then I think, just something else you have to spend your money on to compete so I’m glad they weren’t…lol
[…] earlier this month. The book trailer for her earlier novel, When I’m With You, can be viewed here. The book trailer for her latest novel can be viewed on her […]
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