Book Trailers 101... Easy and Fun

A while back, Myrlin Hermes was a guest blogger on Nathan Bransford's great blog for writers. In his post, he shared the process of creating a book trailer using Windows Movie Maker, which you can download for free! It's very intuitive. I didn't even need to read the "How to" section, although it's there if you have any difficulty getting started.

I gave it a try. I have to tell you that I had more fun than a kid at an amusement park. It's very easy to use. One other item of value was the link to a website called Incompetech, which provides free downloads of royalty-free music tracks. And there's a ton of them to pick from! You can spend a half day listening to find just the right soundtrack for your trailer. What about art and graphics? Those are free as well. Here's a great site with thousands of photos, clip art, just about anything you need to put together a great, professional book trailer: Photos and Art. So, if you have a PC, download the Windows Movie Maker program and start exploring the possibilities.

If you have a Mac, don't despair (why would you ever?) because there's a program built right into your Mac that's just as good as the PC counterpart. It's called iMovie, and I've been playing with it, too. The example above was created with iMovie. I like it just as well, although both programs are slightly different in the way you move through them.

I also found a few other sites where you can get great stuff—for FREE! If you'd like some old black and white movie clips that are in the public domain, visit Public Domain Flicks. Another site with great video loops of different types can be found at Stock Footage For Free and Vimeo. Give it a try. It's all free and you just might discover something you really enjoy doing.

Now, you have no excuse. Give it a try if you're so inclined. You may be amazed at what you're capable of creating! I'm wondering if a high quality video trailer might someday replace the old (so-hard-to-write) query letter that we just talked about. What do you think? Leave a comment. Maybe we can start a trend.

Cannibal Island - Book Trailer

I know. I know. You don't have to say it. The book trailer is supposed to come AFTER the book is published. But I couldn't wait. In fact, the way things are moving along, it may be another year or more before it's published. Perish the thought!) It's just the overachiever in me that makes me do these things. I like to get my ducks in row - just in case.

Actually, this is a pretty primitive example of the high quality book trailers currently out there. But it was relatively simple to create and produce, limited only by the producer's imagination and the resources available - and there are lots of them.

First off, I downloaded the free version of Windows Movie Maker and spent a little time collecting royalty-free graphics, photos, and audio. If you're needing a soundtrack or background audio, a site known as Incompetech can fix you up with free audio clips, and there is a plethora of them from which to select. There's no membership fee, nothing. I'm sure you can find just the right soundtrack for your own trailer, should you decide to make one. Also, Wikipedia Commons has millions of graphics and photos you can use with no fee and no copyright infringement issues. It's all out there for the taking, mixing together, and putting into a completed video of your own.

So, take a look and let me know what you think. And, if you're an agent in search of an exciting, boy-centric, steampunk adventure with exotic ports, danger, intrigue and a touch of romance and humor, your cabin awaits on The Seahorse for a 70,000-word voyage from England to Peru and the uncharted island where the Inca gold has been hidden for the last three centuries. There's even a cute little monkey to accompany you on your adventure and help out when necessary. But keep a close lookout for that blasted dirigible that's been following us since we steamed past Portsmouth. I think it's that oily-haired Hans Von Hisle!

If you have any trouble viewing the trailer on this site, you can click HERE to go directly to the Youtube version. It seems to load quicker with no interruptions along the way.