Creating Book Trailers
Please welcome, Jessica Subject to my blog.
Jessica shares her experience, creating book trailers, talks about her latest book (part of the 1Night Stand Series) and is also giving away an Amazon gift certificate. (Details below).
Please note: The content, regarding the book blurb you are about to view may contain content only suitable for adults.
Creating Book Trailers by Jessica Subject
With my first release, Celestial Seduction, I didn’t make a book trailer, but later had one made for me. With my two recent releases, I decided to try my hand and create them myself. I’m not the type to read instruction manuals on how to use software, but take a more hands-on approach. That’s what I did with Windows Movie Maker (included with Windows 7 and others), the program I used to create my book trailers. But before I even used the program, there were some things I had to do first. Here is my process:
1) Write a script – This shouldn’t be too long, maybe ten frames at the most (count does not include book cover, where available, or credits). And you don’t want a lot of words on each frame either. Your script should not be your blurb, but even more enticing. Perhaps raise questions, and reveal more, without giving anything important away.
2) Choose pictures to match your script – Now, this costs money (a little to a lot, depending on where you download from). There are many sources to get royalty-free images. The one I’ve had great luck with is 123RF: http://www.123rf.com/
Here is a list of others:
http://www.everystockphoto.com/
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/
3) A lot of people will choose their music next, but at this stage, I go right to Windows Movie Maker. I add my photos, and input the text for each. This is also the stage, I’ll add my book cover, where to find my book, and trailer credits. After all that, I’ll fiddle with animations, visual effects, text effects, etc.
4) Now, I go to http://incompetech.com/ to find the music that suits the trailer. After choosing a small sampling, I have some critique partners (who have read the story) to help me pick the music that best suits the story and video. I’ll even save the video for email (small file) and send it to them for their help. Once a song has been chosen, I download it, make a donation to Kevin MacLeod, then at the music to the trailer.
5) Before uploading, I fiddle with the video a bit more; make sure the timing on the music matches the timing of the frames, check to see if the text is readable, etc. Then I save a copy to my computer (wmv – small and large size)
6) And for the last step, I upload my video to Youtube, and tell the world.
Here are the book trailers I’ve created:
Attacked as a young adult, Jewel is left scarred and alone. She applies to the 1Night Stand service, believing no one can see past her appearance to love her. But she doesn’t expect to be sent to a space station where her date could be any number of unusual alien species.
Flavia left everything behind to be one of five humans working for the Space Service space station. Extremely homesick, she is excited to learn she will be a guide to a woman from Earth visiting the station for a couple days. She is immediately drawn to the petite woman, seeing past her scars to her true inner beauty, stirring unforeseen desires.
Unfortunately, Jewel is there for a date which Flavia hasn’t been told about. Can she contain her lust and simply show her a good time? Or will she let her desire lead them into an unknown future?
Available from Decadent Publishing and other ebook retailers.
Giveaway:
I am giving away a $5 Amazon.com or Amazon.ca gift certificate. Simply leave a comment for your chance to WIN! Winner will be chosenJanuary 29, 2012.
Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She livesSouthwestern Ontario,Canadawith her husband and two kids and loves to hear from anyone who has enjoyed her stories.
Posted on January 26, 2012, in Author Interviews, Contest, Creative Writing, Writing Life and tagged AmazonRoyalty Free Images, Book Trailers, Decadent Publishing, Jessica Subject, Music, Shutterstock. Bookmark the permalink. 32 Comments.
Thank you for having me today, Selena!
My pleasure, Jessica. Have a great day chatting with the wonderful blog guests.
Great information to have! Thanks Jessica, for sharing! And, thanks, Selena for featuring Jessica on your blog!
Hi, Julie, thanks for stopping by and for your support.
Thanks Julia!
They really aren’t that hard to make, only time consuming in finding the right pics and music.
I have never made a book trailer, but your steps make it seem so easy that I’m wondering what I’m waiting for…
Thanks, Jessica and Selena!
All you can do is try, right? No one will see it until you upload it to youtube, and even then, you can set it to private until you’re completely satisfied.
Have fun, Heidi!
Hi, Heidi, you’re welcome and thanks for stopping by the blog.
I made a couple of book trailers on my PC, but haven’t tried on my Mac yet! They are a lot of fun! Great advice!
They are a lot of fun. Thanks, Pauline!
Hello Jessica! I think it is so cool that you made your own book trailer. I also like how you outlined easy to follow steps for other authors to make their own. I always enjoy watching them. I love that book trailers have become hot. They always catch my attention.
geishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com
Thanks so much, Stacie! They’re much easier to make than I expected, but you have to be willing to invest the time. And yes, they can be more enticing than book blurbs.
Never did a book trailer , maybe some day.
You should try one, Deb!
I’ve made a few book trailers but the books they were touting are no longer on the market. Once I get another new release, I’ll be back into the swing of things. It’s always interesting to read another person’s take on it.
Wishing you tons of sales.
Carpe Noctem,
Des
Author Desirée Lee
Putting the Romance back in Necromancy
http://www.desireelee.com
des @ desireelee.com
Thanks, Des!
Here’s to you having a new release soon!
WELCOME JESSICA!!!
Thanks, Linda!
I am in awe of the talent and creativity of authors. Not only do you create great stories, but then to create the trailers to go along with them is great. I am just not creative enough. I might have to try making a trailer for a fave book one time, but I know it won’t bee too good, lol.
June
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
Hey June! All you can do is try, right? You might be surprised.
Hi, June, thanks for stopping by. We all have gifts in different areas. For example, I wish I could draw, but even stick men are a challenge for me. LOL
I haven’t tried making my own trailer, I used Branding Shorts to create my trailer.
Go ahead and have some fun with Jessica’s tips and create one. I bet it will come out just fine.
Selena, I’m the same way with drawing. My 8 yo creates more realistic looking people than I can. LOL
Great tips there. I may have to have a go myself. And I definitely want to read ‘Unknown Futures’.
Oh, do try!
And thanks so much!
Thanks for giving us a list of places for free digital pics. This helps immensely.
Glad to help.
You might have better luck with some than others.
I didn’t realize so much work went into making vids. Very interesting info. Thanks!
Yes, they can be time consuming, but they are a lot of fun, and can be very satisfying when viewing the final product.
Thank you!
Congrats to Pauline Baird Jones who wins the Amazon gift certificate!
Thank you to all who stopped by!
And thank you to Selena Robins for hosting me! It is always a pleasure, as you know how much I love What A Girl Wants.
We all enjoyed your post, Jessica, you are welcome back any time. You’ve been a big fan of What A Girl Wants, I really appreciate it.
Looking forward to your future work.
Congratulations, Pauline, enjoy shopping at Amazon.
Thank you so much, Jessica! So kind of you!
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