When a reader left a comment wondering why more authors don't use video to promote books, I suggested that perhaps they don't know how to create and use videos. Here are a couple of how-to articles that may be helpful: Book Video Trailers - 11 Steps to Make Your Own Promote a Book with Video - How to Get Started How about you? If you are using video to promote books, please leave a comment below and let us know what software you used to create your video, and also share a link to your video. Thanks!In my recent survey about the top 10 online promotional tactics authors are planning to use this year, video was the sixth most popular tactic.
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I actually hired a company called authorsbroadcast.com to do my children's book videos. He was very reasonable, very professional, and I loved how my video's turned out. And turn around time was great too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHnJsDj55g4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHnJsDj55g4
Posted by: Barbara Techel | January 25, 2011 at 03:53 PM
Nice! Thanks for sharing, Barbara.
Posted by: Dana Lynn Smith | January 25, 2011 at 04:53 PM
I made my own using Final Cut Pro. It's a children's picture book called "The Adventures of Lucy Snigglefritz - Book 1". I wrote it and my sister did all of the illustrations and coloring. I just uploaded it last week and I'm really proud of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLVJRfirFA0
Posted by: Patrick Milne | January 26, 2011 at 03:05 PM
Nice job on your video, Patrick! Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Dana Lynn Smith | January 26, 2011 at 08:02 PM
I used Movie Maker to create my book trailer back in 2007. However, I have been using Camtasia 7 to create other videos and I really need to update my video. You can see the old one here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUQSBOmmtIw
Posted by: Tony Eldridge | January 27, 2011 at 12:59 AM
Thanks for sharing your video, Tony. You found some wonderful images and music (sources are listed on the last screen).
Authors: Camtasia costs several hundred dollars but it can be a good investment if you're going to make a lot of videos like Tony has with his video marketing tips series at http://www.marketingtipsforauthors.com/videotips.html
Posted by: Dana Lynn Smith | January 27, 2011 at 06:30 AM
I recently published my first book and made my first video. I didn't have much money to spend so I used iMovie, which was already on my Macbook. Here's my link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8drY5sAaxGQ
Posted by: Ronda Ray | January 27, 2011 at 05:05 PM
Thanks for sharing that link and resource Ronda. Windows 7 users, the Windows Live Movie Maker software should already be installed on your computer and it's easy to use.
Posted by: Dana Lynn Smith | January 27, 2011 at 07:07 PM
I got mine from Reader Views when they were having a "Black Friday" sale. I'm going to try making one of my own (short reading from book) once I get iMovie working and have a little more practice with my Flip camera, but I'm pretty pleased with what they did. Link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd-q7gVBHyc
Posted by: Sue Ann Bowling | January 28, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Thanks for sharing your video Sue.
Reader Views offers book video services here: http://www.readerviews.com/services_previews.html
Posted by: Dana Lynn Smith | January 28, 2011 at 01:13 PM
I use Ghostwriter Extraordinaire (http://www.gwextra.com/) for my trailers -- they're prices are great for all you get (flexible lengths, revisions and distribution). The trailers turned out EXACTLY like I had wanted them.
Below are my trailers from GWExtra:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anuvlp6xYK8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEYRYCfu5x4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64anuo5RPGI
Posted by: Chris Hambleton | January 28, 2011 at 01:28 PM
Hi Chris, thanks for sharing your trailers and yet another resource for production of book videos.
Posted by: Dana Lynn Smith | January 28, 2011 at 02:38 PM
This is a great thing you're doing Dana, thanks.
My first book 'Character Happens!' a personal development book, I enrolled in a free class put on by Jeannie Ruesch, a professional designer, her site is: http://www.willdesignforchocolate.com
She felt sorry for me, perhaps wanting to use me as an example with other attendees of the class. Nonetheless, she took my home made book trailer (MS Publisher), along with information from my books site, etc., and made this beauty. It made me cry.
http://www.youtube.com/user/designforchocolate#p/u/2/yYfx69-SJm4
Can't begin to tell you of the bump in sales this professionally made book trailer made. Nice.
Recently, I put together one of my own for a new book (biography of WWII veteran), using free software called 'muvee autoProducer 6, here's their site: http://www.muvee.com/en/
Using the many pictures I had (the book contained 39 pictures), with the nice 'old time' template that muvee provided...it didn't turn out so bad. Check it out and advise what you think.
(Don't remember where I sourced the music but it matches perfectly, I love it). Here's the link on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo3bcto3VjE
Again, thanks for being such a great resource.
Garry M Graves, Author
'Character Happens! The 5 Most Important--But Fleeting Virtues' and now 'Bloody Omaha--My Remembrances of That Day by James Robert Copeland.'
Posted by: Garry M Graves | January 28, 2011 at 02:39 PM
I also made my book trailers using iMovie. Could not have been easier. I then downloaded them to YouTube so that they would be converted into a format for broader access. Below is a link to my three trailers
http://www.blackplumebooks.com/page11/page11.html
Posted by: Patricia Turner Custard | January 28, 2011 at 02:39 PM
I love your newsletters - they always get my creative marketing juices flowing. Thanks so much.
I made a video trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm-B81xxc_Q using Sony Vegas Pro software (totally recommend it), a bunch of free stock images, and a song that I thought was free domain but YouTube begs to differ. (They let me keep it up there, but I'll make triple sure next time.)
My publisher made this video clip from a reading at a party they hosted: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyjPppSyIhU I use that on my site, because I think it adds personal connection with readers.
No idea how any of this translates into sales, but I think it's all part of being present and interactive online.
Posted by: Robin Spano | January 28, 2011 at 04:25 PM
Hello,
I produced my trailer myself and did cross marketing as well by using the artwork of an internationally known Civil War artist. He graciously, not only gave me permission, but put the trailer on his website as well! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqDl6bwuyK0
Posted by: Jessica James | January 28, 2011 at 04:37 PM
I made a video of a secret hummus recipe to promote my book. I used the new windows movie maker live. It was adequate. I also am now in the book trailer business and made this one for a client.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VV-kzqCskM
Posted by: Jason Alster | January 28, 2011 at 07:19 PM
I made my book trailer using Pinnacle Studio, which I have used for abour eight years for making our travel DVD's.
I made some of the 'scenes' first in Adobe Photoshop and uploaded them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmp0HL_ZeBo
I have since produced a couple of podcasts as a trial
http://www.discover-rosalie.com/Just_Us_Two_Multi_Media_Gal.php
New video need for larest book.
Posted by: Rosalie Marsh | January 29, 2011 at 12:48 AM
Thank you for your blog and your advises and all the great news!
I made my first video in by following the direction in IPhoto and IDVD. Lots of patience, and trial and error. You may see it in
www.youtube.com I like it but I know I will make a new one maybe with a child reading some pages of the book.
You may see it at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsAek0ld5kQ
Posted by: Mercedes Cecilia | January 29, 2011 at 06:25 PM
Thank you everyone for sharing your book promotion videos. It's interesting to see such a variety of production methods.
Posted by: Dana Lynn Smith | January 29, 2011 at 07:20 PM
I used a group called video clip wizards. They did a great job!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRC9tC2MsCQ&feature=related
Thanks for the opportunity to post it here, and for the great info.
Posted by: JA Robinson | January 30, 2011 at 05:18 PM
I have been amazed by the different methods of video promotions in your post. I definitely gather some valuable information both on the posts and on the comments itself. Without your post, I will still probably be out of ideas on what tool to use in video promotion. Thanks.
Posted by: Sherman Unkefer | February 01, 2011 at 08:12 AM
Sherman, I'm so glad you have found this helpful! Thank you to everyone who has shared their video links and production methods.
Posted by: Dana Lynn Smith | February 01, 2011 at 09:15 AM
I created my video using the Mac iMovie software. Very simple and (I think) effective. All I had to do was use photos from the book and pull a public domain Beethoven piece off a free music website. It's easy to do, particularly if you want something subtle or understated.
http://bit.ly/gdpQjx
Posted by: Arnie Bernstein | February 08, 2011 at 08:45 AM
Sorry, I gave the wrong link to my book trailer! Here's the proper one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8P-fdGIWbk
Posted by: Arnie Bernstein | February 08, 2011 at 10:22 AM