How To Create Book Trailers In 6 Simple Steps

Creating a book trailer might seem intimidating at first—writing scripts, choosing visuals, picking music—yeah, it sounds like a lot. I totally get the feeling of staring blankly at your screen and thinking, “Where on earth do I even start?”

But don’t worry! Stick around, and you’ll see exactly how easy it can be to put together a fun, attention-grabbing trailer, even if you don’t have fancy tools or major editing skills.

Here’s a quick rundown of exactly what you’ll learn.

Step 1: Write a Script for Your Book Trailer

Creating a book trailer always starts with a clear script that effectively captures the essence of your book. Think of it as the skeleton of your video: it determines what visuals you’ll show, what music you’ll play, and how you’ll engage potential readers. Write it as if you’re telling a friend the story in just a few lines—teasing them enough to spark curiosity but not giving away spoilers.

To make your script really engaging, ask yourself questions like: What’s the main conflict or problem your character faces? What’s the hook that makes your book unique or intriguing? If you’re stuck getting started, some fun horror story plot ideas or creative realistic fiction writing prompts can inspire you and shake loose fresh angles for your trailer content.

Keep your script brief, ideally around 10-15 sentences, since book trailers work best when they’re under two minutes. A short, punchy script means viewers are more likely to stay until the end—and possibly buy your book because of it.

Step 2: Find Images and Video Clips for Your Trailer

Once the script is done, it’s time to round up visuals that’ll actually grab viewers’ attention. Videos generate far more shares—in fact, people are 52% more likely to share video content than any other format. And since about 80% of internet traffic now involves video, high-quality visuals are a must-have.

You can use stock photo websites like Unsplash or Pexels for free, royalty-free images, or get short video clips from sites like Pixabay. You can even shoot your own footage with a decent smartphone camera if you want to personalize the trailer more.

Make sure every image or clip you choose directly relates back to the scenes or emotions highlighted in your script. Avoid random visuals that look flashy but don’t connect to your book’s storyline, because your viewers will notice—and it won’t convince them to buy.

Step 3: Create a Simple Storyboard

A storyboard is just your visual guide to putting everything together quickly and smoothly. It’s a simple sketch or outline that matches each script line or paragraph to the image or video clip you’ll use. No worries if drawing is not your strength; just use stick figures or text descriptions to get a sense of the visual flow.

Here’s an easy method to create your storyboard in ten minutes:

1. Grab a blank sheet of paper and divide it into 8-12 boxes (depending on your trailer length).
2. In each box, jot down or sketch the main visual you’ll pair with each sentence or snippet of your script.
3. Add quick notes beneath each box, specifying any music cues, sound effects, or text that’ll appear on screen.

This quick method saves you tons of time when editing because you’ll know exactly what you need from the start. Plus, mapping out your trailer visually ensures your final video clearly tells the story and draws viewers in—exactly what makes book trailers sell more copies. Remember, 15.5% of readers buy books solely after watching the trailer, while another 45% said trailers influence their buying decision significantly.

Step 4: Pick Music and Sound Effects

Music and sound effects can make your book trailer more captivating and emotional, hooking your viewers right away.

Think briefly about the emotional tone your book has—is it spooky, heartwarming, suspenseful, or humorous? Once you’ve nailed down the mood, search for royalty-free music on websites like Free Music Archive or Bensound where you can legally download quality tracks.

A quick tip: avoid loud, distracting music or overly busy sound effects—this can drown out your message. Instead, aim for subtle, mood-setting pieces that complement the visuals without overwhelming them.

Don’t overlook sound effects. Even subtle ambient sounds (like rainfall, footsteps, or doors creaking) can lend authenticity and pull viewers further into your story’s universe.

If you struggle deciding on background music for a wintry scene or story, these winter-themed writing prompts can help inspire your musical choices and solidify the emotional themes you want to capture in your trailer.

Step 5: Edit Your Book Trailer Using Video Software

Editing your trailer is where all your earlier preparation pays off because you finally bring your storyboard, visuals, and music together.

You don’t need pricey editing software; free tools like DaVinci Resolve, iMovie (for Mac users), or CapCut (for mobile editing) can easily do the trick.

Start by adding your visuals in the order of your storyboard, then trim each clip between 2-4 seconds to keep viewers interested without rushing through important clips.

Add text overlays sparingly and avoid complicated fonts that distract from the visuals. Basic, readable fonts like Arial or Helvetica usually work best when creating a trailer. Choosing the right typography can make a significant impact, so consider looking through some of the best fonts for book covers to help you pick one that’s visually appealing.

Next, sync your soundtrack or background music, making sure dialogue or text captions match their intended visuals perfectly. If possible, have someone else watch your edit to make sure the pacing is clear and engaging.

Remember, about 87% of video marketers confirm videos directly help them boost sales, so putting time and care into a polished edit could bring meaningful results and more book sales.

Step 6: Export and Share Your Finished Book Trailer

After all that creative effort, it’s finally time to export and share your trailer.

When exporting your video, go for standard settings like MP4 format, 1920×1080 resolution, which work for most sharing platforms—including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook.

Speaking of sharing—this step is crucial because simply posting your video isn’t enough to guarantee views and sales. Take advantage of hashtags relevant to your genre, and consider exploring popular platforms like TikTok—after all, the BookTok hashtag alone boosted about 20 million print book sales in 2021.

If you have an author website or personal blog, embedding the trailer there makes perfect sense: a well-placed video attracts visitors and increases your chances of turning curious readers into book buyers.

You can also ask friends, family, and your followers on social media to share your trailer, seeing as people are 52% more likely to pass along engaging video content.

Finally, monitor engagement after release—if your trailer’s getting attention, that’s a good indication you’ll see positive results in your book sales. And hey, if your dreams as an author include bigger publishing options down the line, learning more about how to get a book published without an agent can guide you in the right direction without a traditional publishing deal.

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