Hello faithful Forgotten Bookmarks readers. I plan on having the usual Friday giveaway today, but I wanted to get your thoughts on something first.
As most of you know, I have a book coming out in a few months. I've been told that book trailers are a great way to get the word out, and I tend to agree. Most of the ones I've checked out have been funny, exciting, inspiring - all the things you want potential readers to feel. The problem I'm facing is that I have no idea what I'm doing. Most trailers are about two minutes long, and I'm not sure how I'd fill up two seconds.
So what do you think? Anyone have any grand ideas? What kinds of things would you like to see in a short video like this?
I'd love to hear any and all comments and thoughts - and advice, if you have any. Feel free to leave them below as you enter today's giveaway.
Now, on to the free book:
Today's giveaway book is "A Farewell to Arms" by Ernest Hemingway. This is a lovely Franklin Library edition from 1979: half leather binding with lots of gilt, sewn-in ribbon bookmark, illustrations by Bernard Fuchs. To be honest, I want to keep it for myself.
To enter, leave a comment here, or on Facebook or Twitter. I'll pick a winner at random tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM EST.
I like everyone to be happy, so if the winner is chosen from Facebook, I'll run a contest for the other two sites, and so on. You get the picture - everybody gets a chance.
Good luck, and I look forward to your thoughts!
ohhh Leather! Entering!
ReplyDeleteFirst comment for my second favorite Hemmingway novel!
ReplyDeleteI would like to enter the book giveaway for today!
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Rhea
Ok, for the quick question: Just put up a script for the video. With a few closeups from the book and the bookmarks, and a nice off voice, it would do the trick. Some white or black background to make it clean, and background music.
ReplyDeleteThe description you have in the post where you announce the book would be great for the script, I think you shouldn't change it. So there it is, your trailer-teaser book!
(BTW, count me in the giveaway!)
Couple ideas for a book trailer:
ReplyDelete1) An stop motion animation of books opening and revealing their forgotten treasures.
2) A story within a story. Basically you could tell quick, 2 minute fiction about the story behind a photograph or similar found within the book. Example: 1950's girl eating ice cream cone. Girl being photographed. Photograph appearing in book 50 years later.
Best of luck!
This is one of my favorite books, so I'd love this!
ReplyDeleteAs for book trailers - I love them and I sort of like the ambiguous ones best. The ones where there are some images, some text, but that don't spell everything out for you. They live you intrigued.
Ah, my second-favorite Hemmingway! That's a beautiful-looking wrap and whoever wins it will be fortunate.
ReplyDeletelove me some Hemmingway!!
ReplyDeleteWow. Pickmepickmepickme! Love this book!
ReplyDeleteomg!!! i love this so much... i would love to read this book... i'm entering!!! muwahahahaha
ReplyDeleteA beautiful book! Please enter me! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAs usual, I'm in. I don't have any ideas for a trailer, I don't judge a book by its marketing.
ReplyDeleteI know nothing about trailers or making them, but I have participated in several blog tours for authors. That way you get interviewed with the questions ahead of time. Might be something to consider?
ReplyDeleteIt looks gorgeous!! Definitely entering this competition :) Thanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful giveaway! Keeping fingers crossed.
ReplyDeletewow...what a beautiful edition! count me in please! (I don't have any ideas for the trailer I'm afraid :()
ReplyDeleteOne of Hemingway's best works. I'd love to see that on my new bookshelf.
ReplyDeleteThat's a gorgeous book - I would love to enter for it.
ReplyDeletecount me in on the Hemingway.
ReplyDeleteWow! What a great book for a giveaway! Hope I win!
ReplyDeleteLike.
ReplyDeleteA riff of shots, with your explanation as text (like you do on the blog). No need for voice because you won't be having voice in the book.
You =will= need background music. There's a variety of royalty-free music (some even free-free) at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamendo
Checking /"free art license" music/ in your favorite search engine will get you other collections.
Yeah...Hemmingway! Count me in please! I wish I could help with the book trailer question, but I don't know the first thing about them. I love your blog and want to get your book!
ReplyDeleteTonya
Great giveaway! I'd say try and make it something humorous. Or try and give the things you found some back story and heart.
ReplyDeleteHemingway... yes please. To answer your question, recommend you contact your nearest Art Institute and ask if a senior videography student would like to take on your project. My kid is a senior at the AI - Dallas and would love something like that, would probably do it for free too. There's several AI's around the country.
ReplyDeleteI use BookPage reviews a lot to pick books-I rarely look at ads, so no suggestions for you.
ReplyDeleteI would love to add this book to my library. Please add me to the giveaway.
Ooh, prettty!
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of a book trailer before, but I checked out your link and I'm sure it would be a good idea for your new book. I don't really have any suggestions, other than to show the bookmarks and the books they were found in just like you do on the blog. Thanks for another fun giveaway - and if you're in Irene's path, I hope you'll be safe.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to win it and take it with me on my trip to the Hemingway museum in the Key West. As for trailer. Use your description and also read an extract from the book.
ReplyDelete*swoon*
ReplyDeleteI'm in a Hemingway class at the moment and would love to own this beautiful book. My professor would be so jealous! haha
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about book trailers, but I know I like books. Do your trailers come in paperback for easy flipping?
Love to have this, so count me in.
ReplyDeleteOh, and as for your questions - you know as much about book trailers as I do - maybe even more. I don't have a clue how to make a trailer video, let alone what to put in one.
me please
ReplyDeleteI want!
ReplyDeleteI read For Whom The Bell Tolls recently and nearly died from love of it~
(I retweeted on Twitter too, not sure if that disqualifies one of these entries)
It seems a fading in and out of different "bookmarks" would make the most sense (I'm assuming the book is based on the blog?), perhaps with some sort of narration over? You should get the guy who does all the narration for the major blockbusters. =)
The book trailers are so great and I loved the Stephanie's ideas ! The book is lovely, thanks for the chance !
ReplyDeleteWould love to own this copy of A Farewell to Arms. It is one of my all time favorite books (second to Jane Eyre) and 1979 is the year I was born :). Currently, Im reading For Whom the Bell Tolls!
ReplyDeletePersonally, I've never seen a book trailer, but this book looks awesome! I'm in!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful book. I'd love to win it.
ReplyDeleteAs for the book trailer, I don't have any helpful ideas. I actually never watch book trailers.
quixoticdreamer(at)hotmail(dot)com
Always entering, and always hoping to win one of these. Always amazing stuff being put up.
ReplyDeleteI'd love this book! thank you :)
ReplyDeleteWondering what Hemmingway would say about trailers . . .
ReplyDeleteBeautiful book. Personally, I hate book trailers...never watch them. It's a book , not a movie for Petes sake.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to read that.
ReplyDeleteI've been in DialUpDesert, so please COUNT. ME. IN!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd - Have you forgotten a take off on THE BOOKMARK? An opening shot of leafing through only to find something eye catching?
ReplyDeleteLOL. Just a thought. Want me to do a storyboard? That would be a first.
Beautiful! entering!
ReplyDeleteI don't think that one took. beautiful book. entering!
ReplyDeleteI love Hemingway and would love to add this book to my collection.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could have a book trailer contest? I've seen other authors do this...free autographed copy to the winner?
ReplyDelete