How to Create a Book Trailer, by James Mascia

Think of a book trailer as something akin to a movie trailer. It is a short preview designed to get people excited about your book. When designing a book trailer, you should consider the following:

Don't Tell Everything 

Think of a movie trailer. Does it show the whole movie? No, it doesn't. Instead, it show tiny snippets of the story, making the viewer want to see more. The key is to only show the viewer just enough to make them feel the need to discover more. This will lead them to your website, which, in turn, will get them a step closer to buying your book.

Limit the Time 

Like not showing everything, you need to find a balance in time. Too short, and your viewer will be confused and not want to look at what it's all about. Too long, and the viewer will grow bored, and not get to the end of your trailer, and then will not bother to find out more. The trailer has to be the perfect length. Ideally, 1 ½ to 2 minutes is an excellent length for a book trailer, but anywhere up to 2 ½ would still be acceptable. At this length, you can't give away too much and your audience won't grow bored.

Fit the Mood 

This is crucial - the mood of your book, should be reflected in the trailer. You can't have a trailer for Angela's Ashes using a lot of brightly colored scenes with AC/DC's Shook Me All Night Long, playing in the background. Just like you don't want to use hardcore rap in a trailer for the Harry Potter books. The point is, if your book is sad, have images and sound that will go along with it. If your story has a lot of action and suspense, that should be reflected as well.

Source: James Mascia - http://www.islandofdren.com/blog.html

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