Indie Book Collective discussion

Have any of you tried your hand at book trailers? It's difficult to get something that works and doesn't look like everyone else's trailer. So far I've done three, all on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ZetteG

How about the rest of you?

I'm currently working on one. I'll let you know how it turns out:)

Good luck. They're interesting things to do and a nice creative break from writing -- but all in all, I'd rather write than market. LOL

I'm with you. Thank you:)

I think we'd all rather write than market... marketing stinks!

I'm lousy at marketing, but I'm trying to learn. This is the first real step for me, other than a lot of Twitter stuff. I need more time.

I'm finding that the marketing of my books is taking up more time than it took me to write them. I'm hoping that is just because I was new at it.

Marketing will eat your life if you let it.

The Indie Book Collective has FREE workshops and video tutorials to help you with marketing!

For Workshops: http://bit.ly/fIwxVP

For Tutorials: http://bit.ly/g62YqP

Both of these can help you so much with marketing and give you the tools you need to get your name out there and your book into the hands of readers! Check them out!

Karen

thank you so much, Karen:)

Here's my trailer, please let me know what you think!

http://youtu.be/SzvJu6u-Rkc

WOW, Elizabeth, I love your trailer! You did beautiful work:)

Thanks! A friend of mine and I worked on it for an entire weekend. Trying to find copyright free music was a bear, but I'm pleased!

I've been having the sqme problem with the music. Do you have a recommendation? That's what's holding me up.

I used
http://www.incompetech.com

and then there is

http://www.royaltyfreemusiclibrary.com/

hope this helps!

Lovely work!

For my last two book trailers I used this program for the music:

http://www.magix.com/us/music-maker/d...

I like the program because it's so nice to create music that fits the story like the one I did for the Silky trilogy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwOCji...

Thank you so much:)

May I List your books and trailers on my websites with some others I am putting up on Monday? They're new sites, but growing quickly:)

http://triquetrapresspublications.com
http://heartsoffireromance.com
Http://magicallandofbooks.com
http://thefemininezone.com

Excellent, Lazette!

I used MovieMaker (which was a major biotch, BTW) and Audacity to edit my music. Always looking for easier ways... ;-) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjuj4l...

If you mean mine, you certainly can. Kat Among the Pigeons is Urban Fantasy, the Silky Trilogy is traditonal fantasy and the other book is a nonfiction book (not Indie) on writing. It was contracted about five years ago and as series of problems kept it out of print until recently. I'm not even sure how to market it any more. LOL

Kat Among the Pigeons trailer:

http://youtu.be/jKQyF-uFNgo

The Silky one is in the link right up there in my last post.

Actually, the one for Silky didn't work, did it?

http://youtu.be/MwOCjiH4pDA

Yep. It worked. I will put all your books up on my sites. Beautiful work:) Check the sites later on Monday k. Thank you all so much:)

Here are my trailers. BTW, I use iMovie.

Expert Assistance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mmXT2...

Monitor (done by a friend): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17mn93...

Lisa's Way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8huGR...

Dennis wrote: "Marketing will eat your life if you let it."

Ah Dennis, have you tried a manageable marketing plan? marketing needs to be 'ongoing' to be effective but not 24/7. With the right plan & marketing tools it might even get to be fun, well at least not so much of a chore. http://avidbookreviews.blogspot.com/2...

The book trailer for my debut story collection, Cut Through the Bone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B0y5y...

Thanks for your time.

Ethel Rohan

Thank you, Lynnette:)

Yes, thank you, Lynnette.

Absolutely beautiful, and moving, Ethel.

Thank you, Lenore. I'm blessed to have had such good friends who produced this trailer for me, otherwise it would never have happened. For me, it's another and wonderful way for (a flavor of) my stories to get to be in the world.

wow there is some really good info and lovely trailers here - very inspirational. Here is mine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AISfyU...

Thanks for sharing. Patti

Here is my trailer. It's simple, but I think it has a certain dark humor to it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mQE8D...

I've seen a lot of really lovely work here! Thank you for sharing!

John wrote: "Here is my trailer. It's simple, but I think it has a certain dark humor to it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mQE8D...

"

Great trailer John!

You know, the comment about Indie music has me thinking that there are muscians doing exactly what we are. So I'm going to find some sites. Maybe there are a few interested in another way to promote their work.

Patti, here you go. It looks like I will be featuring a new book each week on my blogs:) With setting up the blogs, I didnt get the rest of the books listed in the genre section of the bookstores, but I'm still working on it:)

http://heartsoffireromance.com/blog
http://paranormaleromance.com/blog
http://magicallandofbooks.com/blog
http://talkaboutauthors.com/blog

I'm adding a section for trailers tomorrow, if all goes well.

Hi Lenore, i sent you a message - great blogs!

Oh yes, the trailer! Here is my trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTg1dA...

I've been considering doing a book trailer for Demon Possession, but am still not sure it's worth the time. Do any of you see sales from your trailers?

I'm about to release one and find out, but I know watching some of the trailers has caused me to want to read their books. I think the trailers reach people on a level few things can. Like watching a movie trailer tells me which movie I want to go see.

We paint beautiful pictures with our words in our books, but somehow we have to stand out to get readers to open our books. I believe the trailers help to do that.

I think that trailers are a great idea. I'm with Lenore on that!

Ok, I thought I posted my trailer here, but I guess I didnt, or maybe didnt do it correctly. So, here it is again. :)

This is a combination of both books, In Between Lies and Intimate Illusions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOeXMv...

I had my first trailer professionally done and it turned out great. But, I didn't see much of a return on the investment. So, I started doing my book trailers myself with One True Media. If you can put up with their logo flashing across the screen the first three seconds after you start your trailer, it's not bad. And for $39.99 a year, it's *really* not that bad.

Unfortunately, I also spent too much time doing trailers and not enough writing. So, I stopped. Like everyone else, I would rather be writing.

Thanks guys, I'm still on the fence about doing a trailer, unless it can be done quickly and still be (sing song) AWESOME! I agree with Lenore, we need to find creative ways to stand out, but Maricia said it best, most of us would rather be writing. LOL

I've asked people in my groups if they've ever purchased a book because of a trailer, most said no, but some said it might make them look a little further into the author/book.

I am not really sure that the trailers do much good, but they are nice to look at. I don't believe I have ever had anyone purchase just because of it.

Hey everyone, those of you who want their booktrailers put on my sites, please send me the codes to your booktrailers to lenorewolfe@gmail.com, but please be patient with me and give me until at least next week. I still have a lot of books to up and link back to smashwords, goodreads and Amazon for others:)

I am just dipping my toe in the waters now - have vague ideas and of course the book - floundering a bit on what to actualy potray but its only the 2nd day!!!

great link for music maker - I like the idea of creating own background music - my story has such a mixture of mood - will look into this - thanks

I have just completed a trailer on on a site that someone (cant remember who - but thank you) on goodreads recommended and here is the result. It is called "One true media" once i got the hang of it, it was not too bad. Patti

http://theangelsarehere.wordpress.com...

Patti, Thats gorgeous. do you mind me asking, where was that site?