Book Trailers - Why and How

by Hazel Buys

It has been argued that making a trailer for a book is an oxymoron. A trailer, after all, is a staple of the film industry and films are moving pictures. A book is, well, not moving. But the most cursory review of marketing advice for writers includes the caveat, when announcing your book launch, include social media. And there is no better way to engage social media than a video on YouTube.

How on earth do I go about creating a book trailer, you ask? What do I need? How do I get what I need? There are many resources to help you on the web. Just google ‘how to make a book trailer.’ You’ll be amazed!

Here is a summary of the main points to consider. First, take a pass on ‘I don’t know how to do that.’ (See above.)

1. You’ll want to keep it simple – that’s encouraging isn’t it?
2. Decide on the software you want to use (again, see above).
3. Look at lots of book trailers to get ideas. There are bunches on YouTube and other sites.
4. Write a script; this includes deciding on how long you want your video to be. The best book trailers are short, a minute or less. Good news, right? Writing the script is probably the hardest part, honest.
5. Decide on images and sound you want to use. There are many places to get free and/or inexpensive image and sound files to use. Your software will allow you to import these files and place them in your video wherever you choose.
6. Match your images/sound to your script and play around with the sequence and special effects.
7. Don’t forget to include all important information, e.g., your title, name, ISBN, etc. After all, it’s supposed to make viewers want to buy your book. Include a link to a point-of-sale location if you can, for example, your page on Amazon.
8. Preview your book trailer with friends and family. It’s easier to correct things at this point than after it’s already playing on the internet.

When you’re ready to go, upload it to any site that hosts videos consistent with your subject matter or genre, add it to your email signature, put it on your web site, tweet about it, feature it on your blog, use it wherever and whenever you can. It’s a wonderful advertising tool and you created it!

Writers Are Readers Too!

Here's a sample of what we've been reading lately:

Hazel: The Spell Book of Listen Taylor by Jaclyn Moriarty, is a book brimming with quirky characters and difficult adult themes, treated with a lightness of tone that is absurd except in the world of the Zings. Their response to problems that are as old as mankind is twisted but inventive and novel. If you haven’t discovered the Zing family, take a look!

Lana: Horton Halfpott: Or, the Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor; or the Loosenling of M'lady Luggertuck's Corset is the newest title by Tom Angleberger, who brought us The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. From the very first sentence, this book enchants the reader with pseudo-Victorian goofiness. Fans of Lemony Snicket will love this.


Brian: The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! by Mo Willems


In addition to writing children's stories and writing for the blog, I have a full time job, so my reading time is severly limited EXCEPT for reading time with my daughter. This is one of our favorites. Mo Willems creates a comic, emotional tug of war between two birds of different feathers. The duel of wits is funny for both children and adults; and the simple text allows young readers to particpate in the silliness. I never grow tired of hearing my daughter read the Pigeon's "Can you believe this guy?" line with her impeccable Brooklyn accent (Don't blame me, after seeing the movie Bolt, all piegeons have Brooklyn accents!)


What are you reading now (besides our blog, that is)?

The Funniest Thing About...

The funniest thing about writer’s block is that so much has been written about it. A quick Google search for the term yielded 10,700,000 articles. That’s a lot of words to describe a lack of words! 


Although some of the articles simply describe the wretched condition, the overwhelming majority of them offer advice on how to overcome writer’s block. Like cures for hiccups, there are many remedies that are varied and creative. But, also like cures for hiccups, their effectiveness is debatable. Some suggest writing grocery lists to get the creative juices flowing, some suggest drawing pictures to tempt the muses, others recommend getting up and going for a hike to clear those mental cobwebs.


 My personal favorite remedy is to just tackle the problem head on. Just sit and write, “I have writer’s block because…” and let it all out. Exorcise those demons of self doubt, mental fatigue, work or family pressures, etc. The very things that are causing you writer’s block may actually be a good source of material for the characters you create. Of course, if none of these strategies work for you, you can always go to Barnes and Noble and buy one of the 124 titles they have on the subject – or one of the 357 titles available on Amazon. 


And if all else fails, take comfort in this bit of wisdom that American poet William Stafford offered his students: “There is no such thing as writer’s block for writers whose standards are low enough.”

Ask An Author: Where do you write?

Today we have exclusive, untouched, never-before-seen photos of real writing spaces. Have a gander . . .

Here's where Brian writes. He calls it the Fortress of Squalitude.

Hazel takes advantage of the view from her window, perfect for day-dreaming and asking herself "what if?" While she most often writes at her computer, she also likes to keep old-fashioned paper and pen handy for thoughts on the go.

Over the years, Stephanie's writing place has moved from room to room. Here’s the spot where she’s settled for now – all freshly neatened up for its blog debut! Her desk fits snugly between two windows. She like to have LOTS of light! Stephanie's fantasy writing place would be a glass tower in the back yard.

Here's where Lana does most of her writing, although she has been known to frequent Panera when a change of venue is necessary.


Tell us about your writing space . . . or your fantasy writing space.

Location, Location, Location!

by Pat Tabb

I once heard a writing instructor mention that writing is about fluency.  And fluency finds its impetus in momentum.  “The secret,” she said, “is to keep your work moving, even if you have to try something quirky to fool yourself into staying with it.”

This advice came to mind much later, when I switched from writing shorter works to middle-grade novels.  As with any writing project, I began well.  The keys just seemed to tap away for me.  Then, somewhere in the long middle of it, I was in a writing rut.  I needed to shake things up, “fool” myself into seeing it to its finish, but how? 

A writer friend of mine mentioned that she changes location regularly to keep herself interested and involved in her projects.  Really?  I never considered that I had to move myself just to keep my story moving.  In fact, I thought that my study, set up for writing, was the best place to stick to my routine.  “Even if I can’t get out,” she said, “I’ll change rooms during the day.”  Maybe she had a point.  Was I slowing down from just staying in the same place too long? 

I tried changing rooms, but I was still stuck.  Then I picked up my writing and “took a hike.”  A brief writing session at a Starbuck’s, where folks were obviously on the go, seemed to kick up the verve in my story.  A quiet spot in the library where others were reading, studying, and writing, worked wonders.  Encouraged by their industriousness, I set to work.  Oddly, even while driving out and back, I found my mind clicking with scenes and dialogue.  Any outing provided the impetus I needed, whether writing in a new spot or back at home, too.  Who would have thought it?  (Other writers, it seems; for example, Emily Bronte, who wandered the moors of Yorkshire and Joseph Addison, who trudged a footpath along the River Charwell in Oxford.)  So now when I’m stuck, I change to another location to move the writing along.    

How about you?  What kind of writing atmosphere or location works best for you when you need writing momentum?

Light Bulb Lab: Trust your cluster!



I love writing poetry for children. I love the way an unexpected rhyme can take a linear story and turn it on its ear. And the best way I’ve found to tap into my poetic muse is with a strategy called clustering, as developed by Dr. Gabriele Lusser Rico. To cluster, you write a single word in the center of a blank page and circle it. Then as fast as possible you draw lines outward from that word and write as many related or rhyming words as you can think of, circling each one. After a minute or two of brainstorming, stop and assess your page. See if you can make connections between the numerous circled words in seemingly random array on your page. For instance, my poem “Fishful Thinking” began with the single word fish. From that word I “clustered” the related words ocean, shark, fishing pole, and swim. I also clustered the rhyming words dish, wish, swish, fishes, delicious. Looking at my clusters, the finished poem practically leapt off the page! Dr. Rico explains the relationship between the right and left hemispheres of the brain as the key to clustering. Her book, WRITING THE NATURAL WAY explains the process in greater detail and I recommend it heartily for anyone seeking to channel their poetic muse.

Bits and Bytes

6 Things You Should Know about Publishing:
Writer's Digest has a quick list of things you should know about publishing. Although it's by adult author Karin Slaughter, the list applies equally to children's publishing. Point number six is especially relevant: "Publishing is an uphill battle, so enjoy what you're doing." So just forget about sales and marketing and six figure book deals and simply lose yourself in a good story.