Comments on: Watch then Read

By: Avid Reader

Avid Reader — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 18:21:18 +0000

But for the most part they aren’t creative or nifty. And I have never watched a book trailer and than HAD to have the book. It is generally I HAVE to have a book or I LOVED a book, then find the trailer. So…

Yeah, that’s pretty much my experience, too. Even when confronted with a book trailer on their website before the book is released, I still won’t look at it.

By: Sybil

Sybil — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 04:46:08 +0000

I generally don’t seek them out. If I run across them and they amuse me or the author is doing a guest thing I will post them on the blog. There are a few I have found interesting and well done.

But for the most part they aren’t creative or nifty. And I have never watched a book trailer and than HAD to have the book. It is generally I HAVE to have a book or I LOVED a book, then find the trailer. So…

By: Avid Reader

Avid Reader — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:12:12 +0000

Hey Rosie and Janine. Thanks for your input. I usually will avoid book trailers for the same reason why I prefer no people on my covers: I like using my imagination. I didn’t mind say, Ms. Brown sharing her thoughts on the writing process but when I saw the book trailer, I didn’t want to be influenced by what I saw or heard. I tapped on that link that Li shared and wasn’t rewarded with a memorable experience

By: Janine

Janine — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 18:05:27 +0000

I too prefer excerpts. For me one of the big joys of reading a book is that as I read the author’s words, my imagination conjured up sounds, images and an atmosphere. Reading is a kind of collaboration between the author’s imagination and the reader’s imagination.

Book trailers seem to me to take some of the reader’s imagination out of the equation — they provide images and sounds that are different from the ones my imagination would come up with. For me, it’s almost like having part of my imagination shut off. It doesn’t feel like an invitation to read. Rather than make me more interested in reading a book, the trailers often make me less interested in it.

That is not to say that I think book trailers are necessarily a bad idea. They may work for the majority of readers better than they do for me, in which case, more power to them.

But personally, I have a strong preference for excerpts and would never buy on the strength of a book trailer alone. Because I am a reader to whom an author’s voice and style really make a difference, excerpts give me a strong hunch on whether or not I will enjoy a book that I can’t get from a book trailer.

By: Rosie

Rosie — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 04:07:26 +0000

My problem with the book trailers is that the production quality is all over the map. The ones I’ve watched have usually been on someone’s blog pimping a book they are really psyched. I’ve yet to look for one or watch one that motivated to make a book purchase. I can’t help but think promotion dollars could be better spent. Call me crazy.

By: Avid Reader

Avid Reader — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 23:50:38 +0000

My expectations was low already, Li, just from your introduction. After watching it, I think I’ll give Silver Master a pass. It was the dust bunny that did it.

By: Li

Li — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 21:17:56 +0000

Don’t care for book trailers at all — I much prefer excerpts. Having said that, I just clicked through to Jayne Castle / Krentz’s book trailer on You Tube just to see what a dust bunny looked like in her Harmony world — yes, I’m sad, and no, it wasn’t worth clicking through for

Err — link here if you’re interested
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-I8PdKu74A