Talkshow Thursday: A Guest Post by Ruth Wuwong

Talkshow Thursday: 

A Guest Post by Ruth Wuwong

Should Authors Create Book Trailer Videos?

In the dynamic world of book marketing, authors often seek creative ways to capture the attention of potential readers. One approach that has gained traction is the book trailer video. Much like a movie trailer, a book trailer is a short video that gives viewers a glimpse into the narrative, themes, and essence of a book. Yet the question lingers: should authors invest their time, energy, and perhaps money into creating book trailer videos?

Book trailers offer an engaging platform that piques interest in a way that blurb on a back cover cannot. In a world driven by visuals—where platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok dominate content consumption—video content is a powerful tool. For authors, developing a book trailer can be an enjoyable endeavor. Platforms like Canva offer user-friendly tools to design engaging and professional-looking trailers without prior training.

From my experience, using Canva to create book trailer videos is a fun process. The ability to customize elements to reflect the book’s tone and style empowers me to own its narrative. Here is an example from my creations for my recently released book, Echoes over Stormy Sea: https://youtu.be/m56iI7QDk4Q.

The obvious next question is: How does it impact sales?

While creating book trailers is entertaining, it’s crucial to address the reality of their impact on sales. 

From my experience and observations within the author community, book trailers may not boost sales. The fact remains that the most successful book marketing strategies blend traditional methods with innovative digital tactics. Book trailers can be a component of a broader marketing plan, but relying on them alone to drive sales may lead to disappointment.

It’s vital for authors to weigh the benefits against the costs. Hiring professionals to create book trailers is expensive, and given their minimal impact on sales, it might not be the best financial decision for indie authors. Hence, I advise against spending substantial amounts of money hiring others to create videos.

While book trailer videos are a creative way to market a book, they should be approached with practical expectations. The process of creating a trailer should be embraced as a fun, supplementary marketing tactic rather than a primary sales driver.

About Echoes Over Stormy Sea:

 

Two eras, one stormy sea. Two women navigate love and heritage across centuries. Book 1 in this dual-time odyssey series braids together a mesmerizing tale about loyalty, redemption, and transformation. Debra Gong, a PhD student in biochemistry, eagerly counts down to her upcoming 2020 wedding in Chicago. The unexpected death of her father, a famous writer, brings her back to Hong Kong. Then the sudden closure of borders because of the pandemic leaves her trapped and separated from her fiancé. Her father’s will requires her to complete his last, unfinished manuscript about a pirate princess to honor his memory.

In 1800, Shih Yi-Lan, a martial arts master and the fierce daughter of a pirate captain, faces the cultural expectations of matrimony. Unwilling to be confined by traditional roles, when her father demands her to cement an alliance through marriage, she devises a test for any would-be suitor: he must beat her in two out of three contests to win her hand. A mysterious contender with a pigtail unlike the other sea marauders rises to the occasion and triumphs.

As both women explore their worlds in flux, the stakes grow higher. Can Debra continue her PhD work, honor her father’s legacy, and find love and commitment? Will Yi-Lan maintain her resilience and passion amid the challenges? Their parallel journeys unfold against the backdrop of tumultuous times, connecting their fates in unexpected ways.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4hayWsF

Connect with Ruth:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/love.respect.grace
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/42632055.R_F_Whong
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/r-f-whong
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/RWuwong
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthwuwong
Facebook:  https://m.facebook.com/ruth.wuwong
Website: http://www.ruthforchrist.com

作家應該製作書籍預告片視頻嗎？

在充滿活力的書籍營銷世界中，作家經常尋求創意方法來吸引讀者的注意力。一種受到青睞的方法是書籍預告片視頻。書籍預告片就像電影預告片一樣，借一段短視頻，讓觀眾一瞥書籍的敘事、主題和本質。然而，問題在於：作家應該投入時間、精力，甚至金錢來製作書籍預告片視頻嗎？ 書籍預告片提供了一個引人入勝的平台，以書籍封面簡短介紹無法達到的方式激發興趣。在這個由視覺主導的世界中——如YouTube、Instagram和TikTok等平台主宰消費導向——視頻可以是強大的工具。對於作家而言，製作書籍預告片可能是一個愉快的過程。像Canva這樣的平台提供了用戶友好的工具，讓人們無需視頻編輯训练，也能設計出具有吸引力和專業外觀的預告片。

根據我的經驗，使用Canva來製作書籍預告片視頻是一個有趣的過程。能夠定制元素來反映書籍的語調和風格，讓我可以掌控我的書所呈現的敘事。這是我為最近發行的書《暴風雨海的回聲》創作的一個視頻示例：https://youtu.be/m56iI7QDk4Q。 接下來顯而易見的問題是：視頻如何影響銷售？

儘管製作書籍預告片很有趣，但必須面對銷售影響的現實。根據我的經驗及在作家社群中的觀察，書籍預告片未必能促進銷售。事實是，最成功的書籍營銷得將傳統方法與創新策略結合起來。書籍預告片可以作為更廣泛營銷計劃的一部分，但單靠它們來推動銷售可能會令人失望。 作家需要權衡利弊。聘請專業人士製作書籍預告片的費用高昂，而鑒於它們對銷售的影響微乎其微，對獨立作家而言可能不是最好的財務決策。因此，我建議不要花大筆錢聘請他人製作視頻。

雖然書籍預告片視頻是營銷書籍的一種創意方式，但不要有太大的期望。將製作預告片的過程視為一種有趣的輔助營銷策略，而不是主要的銷售驅動力。