Yesterday I had a Stargate Universe marathon TV watching session. I had given up on this franchise when Stargate Atlantis proved so boring, but I was pleasantly surprised by SU. The plots revolve around consciousness technologies, which is straight out of the Matrix movies. Very cool.
Remember the novel and movie, Primary Colors, the scandalous fictionalized account of Bill Clinton's first presidential campaign? Almost as interesting as the story's connection to President Clinton was the book's author, the infamous "Anonymous," who, as it turned out, was journalist Joe Klein.
Well now another anonymously written roman à clef has been published, this one based on the imagined reelection campaign of President Barack Obama. Titled O: A Presidential Novel, the guessing game around the book's authorship has been going on for weeks before publication.
That's some brilliant marketing strategy there. Titillate and tease. Self-publishers, keep this in mind when you're about to launch your own publicity campaigns.
In addition to the tease, Simon & Schuster produced this video trailer for the book:
What do you think? Do you give this trailer a thumbs up or a thumbs down?
Is it funny or a fail, provocative or boring? Most importantly, does it make you want to buy the book? At least think about buying it? Or will you wait for the movie?
Compare the O video trailer to others featured on this site.
I chose this particular video for review because it seems pretty cheap to produce, which is all-important to self-publishers. All you need is a desk, some scenery, a little music, and a guy (as long as you don't hire a former MAD TV comic, that is).
The purpose of this exercise is to discover the elements of a good video book trailer so that you can incorporate them into your own. You should feel confident about the possibilities: even on a tiny budget, you can generate pre-publication excitement for your self-published projects.
Kripal is a religious historian, but he's definitely not status quo. He says,
I read, translate, and interpret mystical literature, that is, texts from around the world that express and enact “the secrets” (Greek: ta mystika) of humanity’s fundamental unity, even identity, with divinity. Put bluntly, I study how human beings come to realize that they are gods—or superheroes—in disguise. Source
Wow.
Not only is Kripal's trailer provocative, it just goes to show that you don't have to spend a lot to promote your book. Moving text, clouds in the background, and dramatic music are enough to make the viewer visit Amazon.com to investigate. I know I did.
As a writer, that last is something I've suspected for a long time:
What if... this world is a story... and we are all characters being written? And what if we could step out of this story... and author ourselves anew?
Writers, how does that resonate with you? Donna Marie
Tim Ferriss doesn't know it, but he's become a mentor to me. During a 4-hour road trip this week, I listened to The 4-Hour Workweek and became an instant convert. He describes a life of freedom and discovery that I've always wanted to live. The nest is finally empty, and the little birdies have flown the coop. Now's a perfect time for me to redesign my life and have a little fun for goodness sake!
When I reviewed the video book trailer for Ferriss' new book, The 4-Hour Body (read here), I was so smitten that I decided then and there to buy the book. Well I bought it as a Christmas present for myself. It's big (592 pages), so I doubt if I'll read it from beginning to end. I'll probably jump around a lot to chapters that pertain to my situation (read here).
Ferriss is a marketing machine, and his Amazon stats tell the story: Body is #4; Workweek is #51. His blogwas already attracting more than a million visits per month (an author platform that would make any publisher drool), but the video book trailers sent him into the stratosphere.
Here's another trailer promoting Body:
Why am I promoting Ferriss' books? I've always loved the idea of setting "impossible" goals, but that's not why I've devoted now 2 articles to Tim Ferriss. His marketing is a thing of beauty. He understands what we authors must do to market and sell our books. He really gets the mindset we need to have to be successful. Now Ferriss is published by Crown, but the principles still apply to self-publishers -- more so given that we have to do it all ourselves.
Authors need to come to terms with a sobering reality: no one is going to care about your book as much as you do...
You are responsible for shepherding your book onto the bestseller list and into the hands of millions. From the idea to finished product, from the marketing plan to windowing, you need to be informed and act as a driving creative force...
Fight for what you believe, using data and compelling arguments. Beyond the satisfaction of a book you've produced with blood, sweat, and tears, there is a science to the bestseller.
If you've been following The Celebrity Editor, you know that I tend to go on and on about boring book promotions. See here and here.
Well, what do you think about this book trailer promoting Tim Ferriss' new book, The 4-Hour Body?
I love a good book trailer, but how can the book ever live up to this hype?
If I took a flying leap like the last guy, I'd end up in at least 2 or 3 pieces. But I have to admit, watching it made me feel good, like I could do something amazing with this middle-aged body.
The trailer sold me. I'm going to buy!
Ferriss has a strong brand, which was launched with his first book, The 4-Hour Workweek. Folks who loved that book will definitely buy his second. Body hasn't even been released yet, but it's already #78 on Amazon.
The important question for self-publishers is, How can we produce exciting book trailers like Ferriss' on a budget? Here's one idea, but obviously this doesn't come close to Ferriss' masterpiece. On the other hand, like my mother the English teacher says, "Do what you can" (which is why we always had mismatched furniture in the living room).
Any ideas? Please share with the Celebrity community!
The jury is still out on whether or not video book trailers (same as movie trailers) are effective, but why not give it a try. It surely couldn't hurt, and if your video is entertaining enough, it could actually go viral. That would be nice!
I made the following video of SugarStrings (my daughter and nieces) with Roxio PhotoShow. From a purely objective point of view, those girls are AWESOME! This string trio performs throughout the country, and the video is a nice visual way to show a little of their history.
Actually, musicians could use a feature that allows them to upload their own music, but for authors, the sampling of musical styles provided are varied enough to suit most needs. I plan to use Roxio PhotoShow to promote The Celebrity Editor and my forthcoming books.
You can post your video on your website, blog, or YouTube.
The SugarStrings video took about an hour or so to put together. It took that long because I had to sort through all the photos we have of the girls. For a low-tech person who has yet to figure out video recorders, this was perfect (for now).
Being the director of my first video was fun and pretty easy. You can try Roxio for free for 30 days. After that, upgrade to a premium membership (or you'll lose your work).
One day we'll do an actual music video but until then, this will help us get the word out about the fabulous SugarStrings.
By the way, to hear music the girls themselves recorded, visit SugarStrings.com. There are a couple of sample mini tracks on the site. Also, they were interviewed here (ABC/7) and here (WTTW/11).
Shameless sales pitch: Contact me at CelebEditor@aol.com if you'd like to interview SugarStrings or book them for your next book signing. Imagine reading a passage out of your book to a classical, jazz, popular, or sacred tune. Beautiful! Or the girls could entertain the long line of people waiting to get your autograph. Remember, no more boring book signings!
