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Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers?January 14, 2009 Book trailers were much on my mind when I started gathering questions for Ask a Publicist, so it was easy to pick the first one: What do you think of book trailers?William Schafer, Publisher, Subterranean Press: Mostly, I think they're silly. I have yet to see one that wanted to make me pick up a book. On the other hand, I've seen some that are so obviously, hideously amateurish (the trailer for Ann and Jeff VanderMeer's Fast Ships, Black Sails comes to mind) that if I weren't already certain of their editorial bona fides, and the worthiness of this particular book, I'm certain it would have turned me off of making any sort of impulse purchase. Erin Galloway, Manager of Marketing, Dorchester Publishing: I think a book video or trailer can be a great marketing tool if used properly by someone who understands a video's strengths and its limitations. Will a book video a reader views on an author's web site immediately inspire him or her to run out and buy the novel that video promotes? Probably not. However, that video will likely give the viewer a reason to stay longer at an author's web site, poking around and seeing what else the author has to offer. If well made, the videos will also stay in readers' minds and when they see further marketing and promotion for that book, they may remember the interesting videos they saw. When used in conjunction with other marketing, a book video can be useful, but as a professional book video is expensive to produce, I always advise authors to consider all marketing options before investing in a video. Corinda Carfora, Sales and Marketing Director, Baen Books: The productions costs can be very prohibitive unless it's a big book. However, we encourage our authors to have themselves taped during conventions where clips can be used on-line. Gavin Grant, Publisher, Small Beer Press: I remember watching a few a couple of years ago and there has been the occasional one I'll watch since then but only if someone emails it to me or insists I watch it. Who watches ads by choice? Unless, of course, it's the Katamari Damacy-style ad for something or other a couple of years ago, or the Honda ad. We've posted some short video interviews on YouTube and will do more in the future, but we don't want it to be a fixed part of what we do, because then they become boring. Jill Maxick, Director of Publicity, Prometheus Books and Pyr: Neither Pyr nor Prometheus has used them yet. We've considered, but not seriously researched it. Pyr Editorial Director Lou Anders has a friend, Jeff Carlson, who produced his own trailer for Plague Year with help from a film professional friend. The trailer was picked up by boingboing, GalleyCat, io9, Joseph Mallozi (of Stargate: Atlantis) and top literary agent Nathan Bransford. It has been viewed over 25,000 times and within three days of its release, Millennium Press contacted Carlson and acquired Romanian rights. Total costs were under $400, and the cinematic trailer certainly delivered. Of course, this example had the novelty factor (a mini movie based on a book) and excellent production quality working to its advantage. Vera Nazarian, Publisher, Norilana Books: I am somewhat ambivalent about book trailers. These days everyone is doing them, and it can be argued that it's extra exposure, viral promo, and all aggregates to the good. But just as having a bad agent is worse than having no agent at all, a less than professional book trailer only makes the book look amateur. After all, a trailer is all about the impressions, a taste in advance, a quick "emotion byte." Three elements work in tandem -- background image (or animation), fonts and text selections, and music. If any one of these is annoying or sub-par, the trailer can fail to engage its target audience. Key is moderation, class and good taste, and selecting the right elements. My absolutely favorite book trailer that I find effective and gorgeous is the one for Paper Cities edited by Ekaterina Sedia, and a close second is the one for A Field Guide to Surreal Botany edited by Janet Chui and Jason Erik Lundberg. Now, I admit that, being usually pressed for time, I tend to skip trailers and other YouTube snippets in general, unless someone I trust recommends them in advance, or there is something striking about them that captures my interest. And I mean, striking in its premise, before having even seen the trailer. A promise of beauty? A favorite genre artist, or musician? Custom animation? The book itself? I think a challenge for anyone who makes a trailer is not just making an effective trailer but making sure that initial click happens. Do trailers work? I honestly don't know. The fad is relatively new, and we might have more data on their effectiveness in about a year or two. If the intent is to make the book get noticed and linger in the memory of potential buyers, then probably a book trailer does its job... in some cases. Would I recommend my authors to do trailers? Only if it is professional and striking enough, and if they have time and resources to spare. A trailer is like that dollop of whipped cream on top. Vincent W. Rospond, North American Sales Manager, BL Publishing: We like book trailers or similar promotional items. One of our authors, Gail Martin, does her own for her Necromancer series; they are well done and get great feedback. Other people don't do them and still sell well. Book trailers need to be done for purpose and for the audience. If people are going to your website, they probably have a hook in them to begin with, so book trailers are just icing on the cake at that point. It then depends where you can place these to get readers attention. A dynamic cover with a great blurb can be just as affective to get people's attention. In order for book trailers to be successful they have to be engaging, either in visuals or the copy, and short enough to gain the viewers attention, but not too long as to seem like a mini-series. If you'd like to suggest a question, email it to rose.fox@reedbusiness.com with "Ask a Publicist" in the subject line. The next question on deck is "How do you go about getting blurbs?". Posted by Rose Fox on January 14, 2009 | Comments (16)
January 14, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Heather Pilkington commented: I don't really think the book trailers I have seen are effective. Hollywood, in general, has proven to be bad at making enjoyable literature into enjoyable "theater" and trailers just emphasize this failing. Poorly produced attempts to make 15 seconds of cinematography do little for me other than make the book look silly or desperate. Further, setting something I could read in 15 seconds to music and making it last for a minute and a half is only frustrating. As a reader, I find it's worthwhile to have the blurbs from the back of a book reach a broader audience than just sitting on the back of the book on a shelf somewhere, but I don't think that a trailer is the best way to do this. I'd far rather read excerpts of other interesting material in magazines or in other books I have already purchased. Maybe it would even be worthwhile to have a service like "on demand", if you want to reach a television base, which allows you to browse the summaries based on topic, author, theme, or other categories. But instant gratification is lacking in this medium unless you resort to something like Amazon. It's too bad that Amazon is so proprietary with Kindle, because it is more useful to me as a reader than a book trailer sandwiched between commercials on my PVR.
January 15, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Horia Nicola Ursu / Millennium Press commented: Jeff Carlson's trailer for PLAGUE YEAR / PLAGUE WAR (which I first saw on John Scalzi's Whatever blog a day after it was released) has indeed pushed the right buttons with me and, without any second thoughts, I wrote him as soon as I've seen it and secured the copyrights for the whole series. PLAGUE YEAR is scheduled to appear in Romanian translation in March this year, with PLAGUE WAR to follow in September, and the upcoming PLAGUE MIND early next year.
January 15, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? John Kremer commented: Most book trailers are not effective. They simply don't attract viral attention. Videos only work if they are passed on to others. Book trailers as they are now produced rarely create that viral sensation. But many other videos do achieve pass-along value. That's what book authors and publishers should be creating -- not book trailers but truly viral videos.
January 15, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Alana Abbott commented: I'm curious whether the pieces that places like VidLit do are considered trailers for the purposes of this question. VidLit animates an excerpt, using graphics, sound, and often the printed word in a combination that is entertaining for it's own benefit. These *also* serve as an advertisement for the full book--but they are less like movie trailers and more like movie shorts, or pieces that are worth watching for their own merit.
January 15, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Alana Abbott commented: I'm curious whether the pieces that places like VidLit do are considered trailers for the purposes of this question. VidLit animates an excerpt, using graphics, sound, and often the printed word in a combination that is entertaining for it's own benefit. These *also* serve as an advertisement for the full book--but they are less like movie trailers and more like movie shorts, or pieces that are worth watching for their own merit.
January 16, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Brian Kavanagh commented: A book trailer may not be necessary for authors who are with large publishers, but for me and my small press publisher they work. At least they get my name the the book titles in my Belinda Lawrence mystery series out there. I also update them from time to time so that they are fresh. And as they are aimed at crime genre readers they are placed where they reach that audience.
January 18, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Lisa Daily commented: Bad book trailers don't work. Good book trailers work. (Sort of.)
January 18, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Lisa Daily commented: Bad book trailers don't work. Good book trailers work. (Sort of.)
January 18, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Sarah Bolme commented: I think that book trailers are too new to judge their long term effectiveness yet. Right now it is a chore for the average person to find book trailers. They either need to look on an author's website, a book's website, a publisher's website, or search YouTube for the video. I think when websites that are solely dedicated to showcasing book trailers (like bookscreening.com and www.christianbookvideos.com) grow in public awareness, book trailers will have the potential to make a greater impact because book readers will be able to go to one website to access and view book trailers on the genres they read.
January 19, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Mark commented: Judging by the comments above, book trailers seem to be in a bit of a dip. I think that is because they are being treated as promotional material for another entertainment, rather than as an entertainment platform of their own.
January 19, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Sheila English commented: First, Gail Martin's videos were done by Circle of Seven Productions, not by the author.
January 19, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Brenda commented: Entertainment is subjective. What one likes, the other hates. For me, a book trailer really helps me find what I'll like. It helps give me a mood and feel for the book. Much more than a cover or back cover blub does. Also, when I see authors/publishers went the extra mile to have a video I know they really believe the book is worth it.
January 19, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Brenda commented: Entertainment is subjective. What one likes, the other hates. For me, a book trailer really helps me find what I'll like. It helps give me a mood and feel for the book. Much more than a cover or back cover blub does. Also, when I see authors/publishers went the extra mile to have a video I know they really believe the book is worth it.
January 19, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Victoria Fraasa commented: We've turned a corner in marketing books with videos and no matter how much we want to go back where we think it is safe, that's not going to happen.
January 19, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? Victoria Fraasa commented: Just viewed "A Field Guide for Surreal Botany" and LOVED it. I am motivated to look further into this book. May not make me want to buy, but that's where all the other marketing supports it. Very well done.
January 23, 2009
In response to: Ask a Publicist: What Do You Think of Book Trailers? David Hass commented: It is interesting to see the negative comments from those in the industry like William Schafer, who thinks book trailers are silly. It is possible that he hasn't seen the book trailer for Neil Gaiman's new book, The Graveyard Book, which Schafer's company is selling.
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