Aussie Readers discussion

I would love to know what readers think about book trailers. Do they work for you? If you see one that is obviously home made does it detract from your impression of the book (working on an extension of the judge a book by its cover thing)?

There is so much noise on the author/book marketing networks about how a book trailer is vital, without one your kids will disown you and so on... I figured the best people to ask are readers, not more writers!

Personally, I don't take much notice of book trailers, I prefer to read the blurb and make up my mind from there, I have only watched a couple and they gave me less info then the blurb

I didn't even know they existed. I read the blurb on the book, reviews of the book or if by favourite authors.

I don't pay any attention to them, unless they're for a series I'm already invested in.

The blurb of a book or reviews are far more useful to me, tbh.

Pretty much what these three said. Fairly pointless.

Julia wrote: "Hello everyone,



Julia"

Julia this appears to be promoting your work? If I'm correct you'll need to delete and move it to the Author section with your own thread...I'm sorry but with us being predominantly a reading group, self promotion is only allowed in the Author Spotlight section - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

I deleted your post with the link Julia; if you go to the top right hand corner of the link I gave you, it says "new topic"..click on that and go from there:)

It strikes me that book trailers are a fairly new phenomenon - new in that the formats that work have not quite been nailed down yet. At some point, someone will come up with a trailer that blows everyone away and the entire rules of the game will have changed once again. I don't think you can be too too didactic with this sort of advertising - I suspect it needs to be an arty, immersive taste of the book in a 90 second visual grab. Haven't really seen one that blows me away and utterly compels me to read ... yet.

I never look at book trailers.

Me either Dale:)

I have been wondering whether to put a link to a book trailer (if there is one available) when I put up a review on my blog.

I think it requires a decent budget or a great concept to do a good book trailer. Here are some good examples

Blood's a Rover by James Ellroy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN6EE...
The Flame Alphabet by Ben Marcus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMhEA...
You Had Me at Woof: How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness by Julie Klam - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpuX3...
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie52B...
Gun Machine by Warren Ellis - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU8L-...
Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp6jr...


And of course Gary Shteyngart who is the master of book trailers;

Little Failure - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sowt9...
Super Sad True Love Story - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfzuO...

Michael wrote: "Lol KL that Super Sad True Love Story one is hilarious. :D"

I like the Little Failure one too, Shteyngart knows how to make fun of himself

I've made some book trailers for my books, but it seems (so far) that other writers like to see them, but they're not as popular with readers.

I think Adrian Deans is right when he says "At some point, someone will come up with a trailer that blows everyone away and the entire rules of the game will have changed once again"

I'm sure you're right there, and as I said in the other thread, it's still in its infancy too:)

Brenda wrote: "I'm sure you're right there, and as I said in the other thread, it's still in its infancy too:)"

Wouldn't it be nice to come up with the one that blows everyone away! ;)

Yes I imagine it would be:)

To some extent I think you already need a substantial audience. That would certainly help. Very hard for a comparative nobody to get critical mass without doing something utterly amazing. As I've said elsewhere, I went for a piece of 90 second art that told an atmospheric little story by itself, rather than go for the hard sell. I felt that was its best chance of being referred on etc but it hasn't achieved critical mass. I'm now being paid by a big studio to write a treatment for a screen adaptation - so (in the still very unlikely event that) if the film gets made the book trailer will probably get a million hits after the main event!

Erm...in my dreams.

Adrian wrote: "To some extent I think you already need a substantial audience. That would certainly help. Very hard for a comparative nobody to get critical mass without doing something utterly amazing. As I've s..."

A substantial audience is a must. I've had my trailers on YouTube for just over a week and have had about 100 views (certainly nowhere near critical mass, but I guess we have to start somewhere). When I started writing there was no social media (showing my age here) and I'm still trying to get my head around it. I've certainly had a spike in sales over the past week but I don't know if this is related to the trailers or just a strange coincidence.

I wish you the very best of luck that the film gets made, Adrian. That would be fantastic! :)

Thanks Dianne. I estimate the odds have shortened from a million to one down to about 200 to one. But those are still pretty long odds. Mind you, I spoke to the head of Ealing Australia again today and he's certainly talking like it's going ahead.

Thing is (like plenty of others I'm sure) I've had my expectations cruelly raised and dashed so many times in the past that I simply don't believe anything anymore.

Re kids disowning. I asked one of our kids to write the music for a possible book trailer and she said she's too busy.
There is one book trailer where the author hired a bunch of real tanks for a battle scene in a US desert.
Sure beats five slides and a non-flattering image of me talking.
Perhaps I'll give it a try... Let's see, to cover the costs I need to up my book sales by around 1 million percent.

I never look at a book trailer.

To be honest I find them confusing. I keep thinking it's a movie of the book. I'm with you Dale. Don't really see the point. Reading the blurb is sufficient and probably more informative. :)

Glad to know it's not just me resisting Elaine.

I never look at book trailers either - even the ones by my favourite authors!

I have two who agree. I am in excellent company.

To be honest I very rarely see them. They haven't exactly taken off as far as I can tell.

They will...when someone finally gets the formula right.

Dale wrote: "I have two who agree. I am in excellent company."

Make that three Dale ;)

I find them irrelevant. If I want to choose a movie I watch a trailer - if I want to choose a book I read the blurb. Stick to the same medium.

Phrynne wrote: "I find them irrelevant. If I want to choose a movie I watch a trailer - if I want to choose a book I read the blurb. Stick to the same medium."

I'm with you Phrynne, I don't like it when the ABC Bookclub does it either..it's only a very short show as it is without wasting time on trailers..leave the movies to "Margaret and David" :)

Phrynne wrote: "I find them irrelevant. If I want to choose a movie I watch a trailer - if I want to choose a book I read the blurb. Stick to the same medium."
Agree Phrynne

Phrynne wrote: "I find them irrelevant. If I want to choose a movie I watch a trailer - if I want to choose a book I read the blurb. Stick to the same medium."

Totally agree!

Well, this is a site for readers, so fair enough. But if you ever have the misfortune to evolve into the lowest form of life (ie, a non-famous writer), then you will clutch at any straw that might add to your profile.

Some might glibly ask: why not just write an excellent book if you want to get noticed?

If only it were that easy.

Adrian wrote: "Well, this is a site for readers, so fair enough. But if you ever have the misfortune to evolve into the lowest form of life (ie, a non-famous writer), then you will clutch at any straw that might ..."

I do understand your problem Adrian. I guess I am just saying that if you were to spend big money on a book trailer then it would be wasted on me because I don't watch them. However if you happened to be an author in a genre I read and you mentioned it on this site then I might well read it:)

I have looked at book trailers and if I am reviewing a book on my blog and there is a trailer I'll try and include it. But sometimes it doesn't seem to sum up the mood of the book very well and you are left scratching your head. I tell you who does make good trailers And that's Brian Kavanagh. He does have some experience in film making so maybe that is why he does a good job.

Phrynne wrote: However if you happened to be an author in a genre I read and you mentioned it on this site then I might well read it:)


I try not to do too much overt advertising of my work here. I am a reader as well as a writer, and I respect that this is mainly a site for readers. (But to answer your question, darkly comic, off beat crime.)

Adrian wrote: "Phrynne wrote: However if you happened to be an author in a genre I read and you mentioned it on this site then I might well read it:)


I try not to do too much overt advertising of my work here..."

Well I did mean mentioning it in the right place of course! Anyway I have already looked and I will try one of your books as soon as I am able:)

I don't think book trailers are essential, but they can give the author another platform on which to express their ideas or personality. For example, Gary Shteyngart's trailers don't necessarily tell you much about his book, but they give you an idea of his style.

I think blurbs, excerpts and reviews are probably still the most effective way to reach potential readers, but trailers can be an interesting extra, especially if authors find a way to use them creatively. Those are just my thoughts :)

Phrynne wrote: "Adrian wrote: "Well, this is a site for readers, so fair enough. But if you ever have the misfortune to evolve into the lowest form of life (ie, a non-famous writer), then you will clutch at any st..."

@Phrynne... you can also be bitterly disapointed by a book by a Goodreads author. I very recently downloaded Kindle to read a book by an author in another group - thank goodness it was relatively cheap! The author in question needs to do a course in basic English or to have had it edited first. There were even spelling mistakes - I persisted for 4 chapters, before discarding it. Research was also extremely poor.

I too am currently writing my first novel, and though I have a university degree, I intend to have it edited prior to publishing it anywhere.

Adrian wrote: "Phrynne wrote: However if you happened to be an author in a genre I read and you mentioned it on this site then I might well read it:)


I try not to do too much overt advertising of my work here..."

@Adrian... I am fairly new to Goodreads, but I have found that the site is primarily aimed at "selling books". In some groups one is expected to buy a book each month for group reading. There also seems to be many new authors promoting themselves and their books.

And that Ariel is why we moderators are sometimes dragon like in herding authors off to their special spot here in the group to promote their works. So no one feels obliged or hassled into getting the books unless it is a book they really, really have to have - and there are a lot of them as my whimpering Credit card will tell you :)

@Sally906... Thank you... I appreciate that. And it is why I like participating in this group.

Have to say it has never once occurred to me that GR was primarily set up for selling books. Just about all of the threads I get involved in are about reading books - with a few side issues related to publishing here and there (like this one).

BTW Ariel, reading between the lines of one of your posts above...my books are not self-published.

@Adrian... you read incorrectly then :-) LOL. I assumed you were not 'self-published' when you did not 'advertise' your books in the thread.

In order to read a book - one needs to acquire it - normally done by buying it? :-)

Normally done by borrowing I reckon for a huge percentage of most people's reading. Not whinging though - I'm the same over the course of my life (although more of a buyer than a borrower these days).

Anyway, I've hijacked the thread enough.

Book trailers? They're cool...

Adrian wrote: "Normally done by borrowing I reckon for a huge percentage of most people's reading. Not whinging though - I'm the same over the course of my life (although more of a buyer than a borrower these day..."

Borrowing is my preferred method as well. Unfortunately, living in a small country town in the middle of Australia has some disadvantages there... But I do love to buy books as well (and over the last 50 years I have bought and read more than I can remember). Though these days, it is normally reference books for the novel I am writing (not experienced as you - this is my first).

No such thing as hijacking a thread - it is impossible. I agree - book trailers are great!

I know I'm very late to the discussion but I thought I'd chuck my 2 cents in when I remembered a book trailer I saw years ago that stuck in my mind. Made by the New Zealand Book Council for Going West by Maurice Gee; it blew my mind at the time and it's still very impressive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_jyX...

I just found this discussion - and It's really interesting. I had quite mixed feelings about book trailers until my publisher provided me with one a few weeks ago, which I then used as part of my launch and as part of the lead up to the launch.

I'm not a great blurb writer, but I really liked the trailer, and at just over a minute it wasn't an arduous watching experience.

I understand the idea of films having film trailers and books having blurbs, but in our increasingly visual world, maybe the book trailer does have a place.