Book trailers – Yay or nay?

Book trailers – Yay or nay?

For years, trailers have been associated with movies – they are a clip of what to expect in the movie. An enticing glimpse to get you sucked in and want to watch the movie. But what about books? Should books have trailers or is this just a silly innovation?

Trailers

Trailers have become so elaborate that for some highly anticipated blockbuster movies, the trailers are just as anticipated as the movies themselves! The snippet gives you an introduction or a hook to the plot and characters. Some people love and need this while others consider them as spoilers. I guess it would be like reading the blurb on the back cover of a book, right?

Not exactly. Trailers come in many shapes and sizes. Most movie trailers show you the main characters and this perfectly fine as people are more likely to watch a movie if it has an actor they like. But this isn’t the same for books, I don’t think.

Book Trailers

Books are, in a way, written by both the writer and the reader.

Wait, let me explain…

When writers create characters, they allow their readers to fill in gaps. They give indications as to how people and things appear, but the readers paint the visuals in their minds.

A trailer, especially one that shows characters, can take that away. Not leaving much up to the imagination of the reader.

Is that enough to say nay to book trailers? I don’t think so. Trailers can be a brilliant way to draw the attention of potential readers.

Let’s take a look at some book trailers that work.

After the End by Clare Mackintosh

Why did this work well?

Firstly, it was short and sweet. With the internet cluttered with so much marketing noise, short is good.

The trailer gives you enough to get an idea of what to expect without giving away too much and without embedding images of characters in your mind, leaving you with the room to imagine.

The visual graphics suit the brand of the book and add value to the story plot – marry this up with video text and you have a fantastic trailer!

Was the Moon Landing faked? | Big Questions with Neil deGrasse Tyson

“Was the Moon Landing faked?” is a non-fictional book and therefore character visualisation can only be a good thing. The fact that Neil deGrasse Tyson is so charismatic makes this trailer fantastic. His energy and personality are addictive and thus you know the book will have his voice. And if you, like me, loved his voice and tone, you will most likely love the book.

Perfect Little Lies is the first book in a crime thriller series set in London. The story introduces Detective Constable Jaxon Knox and Detective Sergeant Natasha Freeman.

When the body of a young woman is found washed-up in the Thames, DC Jaxon Knox and DS Natasha Freeman are assigned to lead a murder investigation.

 

It’s a perfect murder – no clues. Except one. A clue that unravels a serial killer. The hunt is on and no one is safe. The more the Major Crime Unit digs the more they realise they are far from finding the real killer.