[Note #2: In case you’re wondering, this post is a FOLLOW UP TO THIS POST which received more than 100 comments from all around the world! I try my best to respond to as many comments as possible, BTW].

As most of you know I am not only the co-founder of BubbleCow, but also a published writer.

I actually write history books for children, well to be more precise I write the books I wanted to read when I was an 11-year-old boy.

But I digress . . .

How This Whole BubbleCow Thing Started

I remember the EXACT moment it all started.

Caroline (Mrs BubbleCow) and myself are both writers.

In 2006 we were both struggling to build our reputations as writers (Caroline is now a bestselling novelist BTW).

Money was tight as we fought to juggle writing and ‘real’ work. Though advances were bigger than they are today, they were still barely enough to live off.

To make ends meet we were both working as freelancers. Caroline as an editor and me as an editor, but also a researcher for the horribly successful Horrible Histories series.

Each month we would fight to find clients, constantly tapping into our ever dwindling list of contacts.

One Friday, after a frustrating week of searching for work, Caroline suddenly announced, “We should make this into a business. You know with a real website, name and business model.”

We mulled it over and realised that a business would give us the platform we needed to help writers to get published. After all, we were in the unique position of having insight into two worlds. On one hand we were writers, but on the other we had worked closely with publishers, agents and big writers for years.

Over the next two days we drew up a rough business plan, hacked together a website and debated endlessly over a name.

Now a question we get asked on a weekly basis is, ‘Were did the BubbleCow name come from?’ I always try to answer this honestly, but I have never told this story on the blog before, so here goes…

We wanted a name that did two things:

• 1. Had no competition on Google.
• 2. A domain name that was not already taken.

We also wanted to show that we were not the run-of-the-mill editors. We wanted to show we knew the internet and could help the new breed of internet savvy writers that were beginning to emerge. After all this was in the days before the Kindle. How did we survive?

We went through loads of names.. and I mean loads.

We tried traditional names, wacky names and downright stupid names. But we liked the idea of combining two words to make a new name (I know, very web 2.0).

We really liked the idea of bubble–something, and after rejecting rat, bull and cat we provisionally settled on cow.

The decision didn’t go firm at first. In fact, it was not until we found the logo (not the one at the top of this page) that the choice was made. This cute cow picture made up our minds and the name was decided (you can see that photo if you look at the avatar on our @bubblecow twitter account).

So come the following Monday morning BubbleCow was born. The website was up (thanks to WordPress!) and we were eager to change the world but…

No one knew about us!

Caroline was already running a blog and had a Twitter presence and this seemed to attract a few writers.

However, it was all pretty scary.

Days passed and writers didn’t flock to BubbleCow.

Now I would like to say that the next step was to spend loads on traditional advertising, but we didn’t for two very good reasons:

• 1. I knew magazine advertising was an expensive and unmeasurable way of attracting attention.
• 2. BubbleCow was skint! All the money BubbleCow was earning was going to pay bills.

Then…

Two things happened that changed BubbleCow (and me) forever.

The first was that I was lucky enough to stumble across of book called Inbound Marketing by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah. Well, it was a review copy sent from Wiley (and the well thumbed copy is still sitting on my desk BTW).

I am trying to keep this short, but this is important.

This book set out a blueprint on how to attract customers using the Internet. In essence it develops the idea that if you build a web platform, and then produce valuable, sharable content targeted at potential customers, they will come to you.

The second huge revelation was an interview I heard with Internet superstar Guy Kawasaki (NOT Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc. as Caroline insists on calling him!) At the time Mike, sorry Guy Kawasaki was one of the key early adopters of Twitter, and he had built a huge following.

Anyway… in this interview he laid out his strategy for attracting followers. He explained that his approach was to send out 5 or 6 tweets each day with links to interesting articles.

A huge light went off in my head and I suddenly realised that I could use social media to build a business.

So I did…

The blog was born and I launched headlong into Twitter.

From that day to this, each working day morning I have sat down and found 5 or 6 links I can send out via Twitter. (No joke, I do this everyday!)

15,000 tweets later we have over 11,000 Twitter followers (the majority of which are writers) and a platform on which we can build a business and, most importantly, help writers.

In The End, And After Some Work…All My Passion and Drive Has Worked…And in a BIG Way.

Back then, when we were where arguing over names such as BubbleRat, StickHamster and JollyCat, I would never have believed that:

• We would have helped thousands of writers to take one step closer to their dreams.
• Had famous clients (that we had to keep secret).
• Had publishers and agents asking us for advice!
• We would be employing and training our own editors and proofreaders.

But In Addition To Being Humbled By The Impact I’ve had, I’ve Also Been Blessed to Have A Very Gratifying Lifestyle (My Friends Call It Amazing . . . I Just Enjoy Having Flexibility).

For example, I get to work FROM HOME with writers all over the world (thanks Skype), and know that I’m making real and meaningful connections with people (and that those connections and my advice can create dramatic changes for the better).

I never would have dreamed that I’d get to make my own schedule (so I can be more available for my children and family).

And I never would have imagined that I would NOT have to do ANY traditional marketing . . .

So Here’s What I’m Coming To . . . Here’s What’s Being Demanded Of Me . . . And Here’s What I Feel Compelled To Do . . .

Here’s the deal.

The demand for detailed, practical and most importantly WORKING training for writers to market and sell their books is overwhelming.

I have considered offering a consulting service where I help writers to build their own platform and market their books on a one-to-one basis.

But there is only one of me… I would never be able to help enough people. I’m finding over and over again that the need for training is so much bigger than I could ever fill in a thousand life times.

So I feel that our community is being compelled to step up to the plate. As one commenter in the last blog post wrote, “I would absolutely love to see this sort of advice coming from a successful business such as yours. I’m looking at putting my work out there in the professional world, and it would be invaluable to me to be armed with any knowledge that can help me along the way.”

In my heart of hearts, I want excellent marketing training to be readily available for all writers. I’ve wanted this for a long long time. And this is way overdue.

But the huge task of reaching the thousands that need to be reached CAN NOT be done alone.

But by providing down-in-the-trenches proven (over and over again) techniques that actually work. We can spread the knowledge and give all writers a head start.

I’m Thinking About Making A Free Resource Kit For You

I’ve been really humbled by the buzz surrounding my last blog post. There has been A LOT of interest in the training program that I’m POTENTIALLY developing.

But to test the waters . . . I’m thinking about making a value packed, 100% free “Blueprint To Promoting And Selling Your Books Online” for you.

IF you’re serious about learning to promote and market your book.

Here is what the free “Blueprint To Promoting And Selling Your Books Online” will include:

• Three recorded interviews one with a high level book publisher (the current MD and former Marketing Director of the Osprey Publishing Group), one with a successful self-published writer (this is a secret, I really can’t spill the beans), and one with myself. In these interviews we talk about the individual steps you can take to promote and sell your book online. This not only contains the blueprint we have used to promote BubbleCow, but also the systems used by self-published (and professional writers) to get their books noticed.
• A set of quick start videos and written guides. This set of videos (and ebooks) outlines set out the key principles behind selling your books online. These not only explain the principles behind building a online platform, but also outline a set of tips and tactics that you can immediately apply to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and your blog.
• A ebook called 101 Blog Titles That Will Get Shared. This ebook shows you how to construct blog titles that will entice people to click and visit when seen on social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook.

But Here’s The Catch

Because I’m a helpless perfectionist and will inevitably blog this thing way out of proportion and make it into a much bigger package than it needs to be (or you even want) . . .

. . . I want to get a list of everyone who is interested in having this free “Blueprint To Promoting And Selling Your Books Online”.

So Here’s What I Want You To Do

I’m making a list of everyone potentially interested in getting my free resource kit AND getting in at the start of all this.

Anyway, if you’re interested, then: (1) enter your email address below, and if I end up making it I’ll send it to you at the email address you list below (leaving a comment with any suggestions on what you’d like get from the kit would also help).

If enough people get on this “interest list” (I’m thinking 500 or more) then I’ll make this free thing and send it to EVERYONE on the interest list.

If no one wants the free “Blueprint To Promoting And Selling Your Books Online” then no worries.

Gary

Ok…so I’m getting a LOT of emails/comments from readers upset with me about that cliff hanger in my previous email and blog post.

Sorry about that…

Anyway, as I suggested in the last post I’ve been feeling reluctant to talk about something.

But it’s *niggling away* so here goes…

As you may or may not know, this whole ‘helping writers’ thing we do has gotten WAY out of control (in the best possible way).

When we first started BubbleCow over 5 years ago . . . We never in a million years DREAMED we would have the opportunity to positively impact so many writers.

We have been blessed to have helped thousands of people starting on their writing career.

And I’ve been deeply touched by all the emails and letters you’ve sent us over the years (and from all over the world).

Perhaps the best thing for me is the amount I have learned. Each day I speak and chat to writers and each day I learn something new about your needs, problems and possible solutions.

For example, only last week a writer talked me through the process of how she had tested ‘tags’ for her Amazon listed self-published books. She explained that including the word ‘wolverine’ (her books are fiction about wolves), significantly increased the ranking of her books!

So here’s the thing…

Writer’s have:

• Nicely asked.
• Strongly encouraged.
• Begged.
• Pleaded with me . . .

…To share the accumulation of what we have learned over the last years (and to share and teach the art of writing your own books and then selling enough to make it worth your while).

I am in a unique position, since I not only have an agent and published books (giving me insight into the way the traditional publishing world create and sell books), but also have tonnes of experience with self-published books and how to sell them online.

And then there’s BubbleCow. After all, BubbleCow lives on the internet!

We have never paid ANYTHING for traditional advertising. Instead, we have used the internet 100% to grow our business (I know numbers can be meaningless but we have 11K Twitter followers for @bubblecow and 700+ Facebook followers).

For YEARS I’ve resisted teaching this stuff.

I made the usual mundane excuses like, “I don’t have enough time” and “I’m too busy with editing writer’s books.”

I also wondered if I was even capable of teaching everything we had learned over years of doing this. Concepts and big ideas are great, but you need practical step-by-step guides that will REALLY help you to take the actions you need to sell books. (Day in and day out, now, I’m realizing just how small this kind of thinking was).

Oh. And I’m also a bit of a 100% guy.

Ok “a bit” is a understatement . . . I’m a FULL BLOWN perfectionist.

I have realized that I simply cannot go half-way with this. As far as I am concerned – its **all the way** or not at all.

If we are going to put BubbleCow at risk, then I need to provide the ‘perfect’ solution to writers.

So… I’m Seriously Considering Doing This

Despite my fears I am seriously considering pulling back the curtain and showing you just about everything I know about how to market and sell your books in a way that will bring you success.

And sharing stuff I’ve never publicly shared with ANYONE about how we have used Twitter, Facebook, blogging and emails to build an online presence.

These are techniques that really work… (BubbleCow is proof of this, remember we have never spent anything on advertising).

(I would have LOVED to have had this training years ago when we were just getting started).

If I Do This, It Will Be A LOT Of Work.

I’m excited about sharing stuff with you, but I’ve been around long enough to know that my small projects quickly get out of hand and turn into big ones (I am the big 40 remember!)

So I only want to do this if there’s enough interest.

So I want to know . . .

• What do you think?
• Should I do this?
• Would you be interested?

Your feedback and thoughts are gold dust to me at this point. They will either throw fuel on this idea or kill it dead in its tracks.

And I don’t want to even think about doing this unless there’s enough potential interest.

Anyway, if you have a second, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think.

It would mean a lot to me, and I’ll do my best to respond to each and every comment.

Gary

So, on most weeks I send out helpful advice about writing, getting published and selling more books…

Well . . . today is a bit different.

I want to pull back the curtain a little bit and share something more personal.

Here goes…

I was recently out celebrating my 40th birthday (old, I know!). As the celebrations progressed I was asked, “Do you like your birthday?” I smiled at the question. This particular group of friends didn’t know (yet) about the strong feelings I have about my birthday. This got me thinking about how I should share some of this with you.

You will see why as you read further.

All my closest friends know that I think of my birthday as my own personal New Year (well it is in January). I always celebrate my birthday, even if I don’t like how fast life is going and how quickly I am getting older.

I think of it as a time of letting go, changing and expansion.

I think about my past year and what I want to change, do and accomplish in my new year, personally and professionally. My friends laugh with me and at me, they celebrate with me and they may not always admit it . . . but I think I get them to think about their “New Year” also.

Here are just a few examples of past goals . . .

• Places to travel (We returned to Malta after an absence that was too long.)
• Losing some weight (Still going well!)
• Trying a new sport (Didn’t work, I like soccer too much.)
• Working less, more family time.
• Better planning (I am now a Getting Things Done advocate.)
• Write more (I had two books out last year.)

. . . and the list goes on.

Some big goals and some small, but all with the intention of creating something new.

Anyway, since this year WAS a “big number” year, it felt hugely different.

I’ve found myself having BIG paradigm shifts in my life and the way I look at the business.

You may be asking, “Gary, why are you telling us this now?”

What I didn’t tell you is that I made this year about YOU!

I’m serious.

As many of you have noticed, I am revamping the way we do business (book proposal course) and am focusing on what YOU have told me over the years that you would like to see us offer or address. Hence, the blog, the weekly newsletter, the free book proposal course, the live chat, the one-to-one help I have been providing and many, many phone and Skype calls..

There’s still more to come! I am always interested to know what you wish for me to provide, so keep the ideas coming!

But…(the infamous “But”)…

There is one REALLY BIG request you have made that I’ve been holding back on– for YEARS, despite many of your pleadings and outcries.

I’m contemplating changing my mind and giving you what you’ve been asking for since, like, the beginning of time.

But I’m nervous because it means sharing with you more of myself and BubbleCow than I have in the past.

And I’m also going to need your help.

Anyway, that REALLY BIG request is . . . . (stay tuned until next time)

–Gary Smailes

P.S. I’ll be back with more details in a couple of days. But until then, tell me in the comments where you’re headed this year. Any goals for your personal “New Year”? Does anyone else do this nonsense?

In 2001, when I was first looking to get published, the idea of writing a book proposal was frankly pretty scary.

In fact, I did what most writers seem to do, that’s knock together a crappy book proposal that turns out to be a rejection magnet.

However, I was lucky.

I was, at the time, working with the writer Terry Deary. He opened my eyes to what makes a winning book proposal.

But this was only the start…

I then spent years talking to writers, agents and publishers about what was needed in a good query letter and synopsis.

The result is that I now have more than 20 books in print, with publishers both big and small.

So what was the secret?

Well, as with all things, there was no ONE secret. However, below is a few key points.

• The query letter is really a sales document.
• Get your genre wrong and you are doomed.
• The synopsis must show plot, characters and narrative structure.

FREE course

I wanted to share my success with other writers, so I decided to write a course that would explain all the secrets I had discovered.

It started life as a simple blog post, then expanded into a five day email course and has finally become a 19 lesson extravaganza.

So if you want to join up for my masterpiece, the click the button below.

Don’t forget it’s all free.

Start Today – It’s Free

Pressbooks have created an online tool that allows you to add your text, book cover and book details, then, with the push of a button, produce a digital version of your book.

All for free!

As it stands you can produce:

• epub,
• print-ready PDF,
• InDesign-ready XML,
• Online HTML version.

Kevin Metzger has put together a series of videos that have become the ‘unofficial guide’ to Pressbooks.

You can sign up for a free Pressbooks account here.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Pressbooks

Lesson 2: Dashboard And Functionality

Lesson 3a: Front Matter, Chapters And Parts

I have previously outlined the technique I have used to write query letters that resulted in me getting more than 20 books published.

However, a number of writers have asked for a Query Letter Template that they can use as a guideline for writing their own query letters.

So far I have resisted since there is no ONE way to write a query letter. However, below is the outline of the four paragraph approach that we teach at BubbleCow.

Please read this post called How To Write A Query Letter before using this template.

Query Letter Template

Dear [put the name of the agent here. Avoid using general terms such as sir/madam. Do your research and find the name of the agent that will love your book.]

[Elevator pitch -- A couple of lines that capture the essence of the book. This is a concise and targeted summary of the book in just a couple of sentences. e.g. Using the Three Little Pigs story the first paragraph would be... With his brothers already devoured by a serial killer known only as The Big Bad Wolf, the third pig fights for his life with just a pile of bricks between him and certain death.]

My book is called [your book's title in italics]. It is complete and consists of [word count e.g. 40,000 words]. My book fits firmly into [your book's genre - pick one genre only]. Readers of my book would also read [list three books that are in the same genre as your book and would be read by readers of your book. This will show that you understand the genre and will reassure the agent that your book is in a genre that they represent].

[This is a very brief description of your book's plot. The key is to keep it short. For the Three Little Pigs we get... Set in the fairy tale land of medieval Europe, this tale sees three pigs leaving home to make their way in the world. However, their coming-of-age is overshadowed by the presence of the serial killer known as The Big Bad Wolf. The first pig opts to build a house of straw, but it offers little protection from the Wolf. The second pig tries sticks, but with the same results and he ends up as the Wolf’s second victim. The third pig develops a plan that involves a brick house, a chimney and a pot of boiling water – but will it be enough?]

[The last paragraph is your biography. It should be short but include the following: 1. Any published books 2. Your writing experience 3. A bit about you 4. Anything unusual that may set you aside from the crowd.]

In fact, the thought leaders in the digital publishing space are already predicting that two types of approaches to ebooks will guide what happens in the next few years.

• Social Reading – This is the idea that bringing together other readers will improve the reading experience.
• Online Publishing Tools – Here the key concept is that books will be created online and then ‘ported’ to the relevant reader. The idea being that content is separate from the way it is delivered (container). This free online book will explain this in more detail.

So, putting my money where my mouth is, here’s three companies I feel will do well in the coming years…

PressBooks

PressBooks is an online tool that allows writers to add their text and then produce an ebook ready for publication. The system is very simple and currently produces epub, pdf and more. It is also free.

Small Demons

Small Demons is a new concept and is best described as follows:

It all begins here. Suppose someone took every meaningful detail from all the books you love. Every song mentioned, every person, every food or place or movie title. And what if they did that for all the books everyone else loves, too. The ones you’ve never heard of. Suddenly you’ve got a whole world of seemingly random people, places and things, all gathered in one place.

Together they create something vast, wonderful and entirely new. A Storyverse. A place where details touch, overlap and lead you further. To new music to listen to. New movies to watch. Places to visit. People to know. And of course, new books to read. Getting started is simple. Just choose a book. See where it takes you.

Readmill

At its core, Readmill is a system that allows readers to read and comment on books. It then takes these comments and uses them to build a bigger conversation. It is currently only available as an iPad app but they have big plans…

This is Readmill from Readmill on Vimeo.

It is often a difficult leap from being a creative writer to becoming a successful,
working writer. While every journey and approach is unique, there are certain
key principles that will serve you well.

Here, freelance writer Derek Thompson, offers a few tips he has picked up
along the way.

1. Have a starting rate.

When you choose freelancing as a means of earning an income, you need to
have a baseline. That can vary, of course, depending on the client and what’s
required. But be very clear at the outset what you’re prepared to work for – it
makes negotiation a lot less painful because…

2. Almost everything is negotiable.

The timescale, the scope of the job and even the specifics of the requirements
– all these are subject to change. This can work to your advantage as well.
The ad may say ‘local writers only’, but that doesn’t stop you making a pitch if
you really believe you can convince the client that you’re the best person for
the job. Although…

3. The client is ALWAYS right, even when it doesn’t feel that way.

They can change their mind, cancel the project, dangle carrots in the far
distance and promise you the moon. They can be frustrating, contradictory,
flaky or never satisfied. But it helps to remember they are the client and you’re
being hired for a job. The professional thing to do is grin and bear it (even a
tiny grin counts) until the project is completed; then collect your payment and
politely walk away. Because…

4. You’re only as good as your reputation.

Your CV or resume may serve to illustrate your credentials and experience,
but personal recommendation will serve you well in the long run. Everyone
remembers the plumber or carpenter who arrived on time, finished the job
to the agreed spec and tidied up after themselves. Who wouldn’t want to
recommend someone like that?! So it is with freelancers – every client is a
walking, talking advertisement. So be very sure that what’s on the billboard is
good for your business.

5. Practice good time management.

As a project manager, I never forget that all projects are a balance between
Time / Cost / Quality and Scope.

If the price is fixed then your time needs to be fixed as well, or you very
quickly start to both see your hourly rate and the viability of the project
eroded. When you’re working on a project, don’t answer personal emails or
allow yourself to get distracted. It’s a business so treat it like one. However…

6. Accept that there will be unproductive time.

And a personal thanks to Geoff Thorndyke here. Geoff – a tutor on a
business course I attended – believes that you should expect half an hour
of unproductive time (i.e. unpaid) to every productive hour. Setting up,
researching, clarifying by email or phone and those last minute revisions you
hoped not to see. These are all nibblers of time and nibblers that expect to
dine for free. It’s part and parcel of freelancing so the sensible thing to do is
factor that in to your hourly or project rate.

7. Everything is more useful than you think it is.

Every piece of writing is a combination of facts, circumstance, imagination
and creative ability. It’d be a shame to waste all that on just one piece of work.
Everything you produce has the potential to become many different pieces
and you can accomplish that in several ways:
- Be clear which rights you are offering, both electronic and print.
- Approach the same piece from a different angle.
- Look at syndication options.
- Can a serious piece be rewritten with humor and vice versa?

8. Paypal is the freelancer’s friend.

It’s quick, convenient, secure and accepted around the globe. It’s not perfect
of course – the wait for eCheques can seem like forever. And don’t not forget
to factor in Paypal’s commission when you work out your fees. Overall, it’s a
great way to do business.

9. Work is where you find it.

Be discerning. The $1 an article brigade seem to have taken over the Net,

but that isn’t the case. Move on and search more intelligently. Check out
writing forums, online communities and magazines. There is work out there
for the intrepid freelancer, although you may have to spend some of that
unproductive time I mentioned.

10. Cultivate your successes.

Every time you complete a client’s requirement successfully, you have
made a valuable contact for future work – either for them or through their
recommendation. And every success is another notch on your CV (or
resume), increasing your repertoire, your confidence, your range of clients
and, ultimately, your earning power.

Derek Thompson is a freelance writer with clients in the US, UK and Canada,
and he is available for hire!
www.professional-writer.co.uk
www.alongthewritelines.blogspot.com

Here’s what they found:

• The average (mean) annual earnings of a writer: £16,531
• The typical (median) earnings of a writer: £4,000
• 60% of people who saw themselves as ‘professional authors’ required a second source of income
• The average (mean) annual earnings of a writer (25-34): £14,564
• The typical (median) earnings of a writer (25-34): £5,000
• The average (mean) annual earnings of a writer (35-44): £24,533
• The typical (median) earnings of a writer (35-44): £18,000
• The average (mean) annual earnings of a writer (45-54): £35,958
• The typical (median) earnings of a writer (45-54): £14,250
• The genres that earned the most money (highest to lowest): TV writing, Theatre/film writing, Audio, internet and other, Books – fiction, Books – academic/educational, Books – children’s fiction, Newspapers/magazines and Books – non-fiction.

Source: What are Words Worth? The ALCS commissioned research carried out by Bournemouth University.

The book trailer’s ability to communicate the essence of a book in a short and entertaining manner can be a real boost to sales.

In this article BubbleCow writer Laura Elliott explains how you can make your own book trailer without breaking the bank. Her tips will also show that even the least tech savvy writer can construct a video that will promote their book.

The Birth Of a Book Trailer

I knew I needed a book trailer to help promote my newly released debut YA novel Winnemucca. First of all, I love movies. Heck, I lived in Los Angeles for twenty-four years. And, I worked in the entertainment industry. I knew the power of the trailer. Plus, how much fun would making my own trailer be?

But still, I didn’t know how to make one. Hmmm. I’d incorporated videos in my designs for years at E! Entertainment Television and at The Los Angeles Times. But they were provided to me by amazing teams of award winning videographers. And the photos I worked with were shot by Pulitzer Prize winning photographers. Who did I think I was trying to do this all on my own?

Well, that’s the best part. We aren’t on our own! Writers are some of the most generous people. And so I kept my eye open for trailers that I loved. Enter the wonderful writer Rebecca Rasmussen [@birdsisters] author of The Bird Sisters published by Crown/Random House. I was surprised to find out she made her own trailer. Rebecca was very generous with her support and advise. Thanks Rebecca!

So after a load of conversations I managed to conjure up a recipe for a book trailer:

• iMovie application.
• A killer soundtrack.
• stock videos.
• stock photography.

and WaaaaLaaa! You have your book trailer.

A Recipe For a Book Trailer

iMovie is a very easy application to work with. It’s drag and drop so no worries there. And it comes with every Mac.

A killer soundtrack is so important. I don’t mind book trailers where the author reads their work. There is something very pure about that. But, like I said, I love movies. Music that evokes your story is compelling and can draw a viewer into the trailer in a unique way. I used www.productiontrax.com. Most of the audio clips are very reasonable priced. [I splurged on this and purchased sound for $60 because I loved it and am a music junkie.]

Stock Videos. I’ve seen a lot of trailers that try to tell the story with static images and scrolling or rolling text. It’s a great effect. But, the medium is meant for video. And, if you don’t have any that you’ve shot yourself, stock video sites are great ways to add some punch to your trailer. Sites I like include istockphoto.com and pond5.com. Both have great selections and great ways to save multiple videos for your consideration so if you are busy, like who isn’t, you can come back later and make your final cut. Again, most videos are very reasonably priced, but watch it, some aren’t. And don’t worry if your video has a soundtrack with it. iMovie let’s you separate the audio channel out and you can use whatever audio you want with any video. My average purchase for a video was $15.

Stock Photography. I use the same sites I recommended above to find images for book covers and for book trailers. Again, stock photography is reasonably priced. But be sure you check prices.

As always, have a budget in mind and stick to it, mine was under $90. It’s really important to get the word out about your book, but what’s more important is how much fun you have doing it!

The Book Trailer

Winnemucca is a young-adult small-town fairy tale about a teenage girl’s enchanted road trip to her true self no matter who or what tries to stop her. One mistake will change Ginny’s life forever. One answer will set her free.

I’m thrilled that my debut YA fantasy Winnemucca was just released on Amazon.com. One edition is digitally signed by me with a donation to The Wounded Warriors project, in honor of my nephew. You can check out my books here: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004KFSC92

Over To You

Did I miss anything? Do you have any tips or tricks from making your own videos? If you have anything to add to this article, or even just want to share your own video, then please add it to the comments below…