Videos help sell books

At least, I think they do. If you're racking your brain trying to think of ways to gain more readers, try engaging them in other mediums. I've found Youtube and uStream to be great resources. People will often take the time to watch a video (which is passive entertainment) more readily than they'll sit and read your pitch (which requires action and effort on their part).

The dubbed Hitler videos are quite overdone, yeah, but I've had a lot of positive reaction to them over the years. I even played them at a reading once, which got the talk off to a laughing start and made me a lot more relaxed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex1BeHrkbzo&feature=related

I've also done things like proof copy reveals. I know it's hard not to rip into that package when you get home and find it on your stoop, but it was a lot more fun to set the proof aside, unseen, and set up a live reveal. Fans were able to log in and chat with me leading up to the announced opening, and then ask questions live. It made them feel invested in the work. They were probably going to buy it anyway, but now it might be something they talk about, feel more bonded with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsjn55VW1F8

Finally (and most embarrassingly), I've done things like this: I promised a reader that if one of my books got to 100 Amazon reviews, I'd dance for them with a silly hat on. Making a fool out of myself humanizes an agent (the author) who is normall invisible. I think it makes for a tighter connection between the writer and the reader.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIoHObRNO78

I really believe these are some of the things that have worked for me and led to decent sales. Maybe you would prefer to do a video chat, or a video blog, or just talk about your writing process or your plot ideas. What about a video summary, where you pitch the book face-to-face instead of with your written words? You might show them the cover and let them know how hard it is to get a sale but how rewarded they'd be if they took a chance on your story.

The gist is this: moving images are powerful. We, as writers, tend to discount this. I say don't. Embrace it and harness it! And then write stories that create just as vivid a scene in their heads.

Brutal Mustang said:

Hey Hugh. It's good to see you around. You know what really sells books? Word of mouth. My mother has been talking nonstop about your Molly Fyde series to her friends.

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You tell your mother she hasn't aged in a decade. What a lovely woman. Give her a squeeze for me, would you?

(And does she take checks? See if she can wait until the end of the month before cashing this one.)

KimJo said:

I don't know that book trailers help sell books, though I do make them for my books because they're fun.

Sometimes other types of videos can help boost an author's visibility, though. I've done some "vlogs" on topics like bullying and self-harm, because those are issues I address in my books and are something I speak about in person and on my blog. I don't really know if those vlogs have helped my sales, but they've gotten my name out to people who might not have found me otherwise. As an author, I'm promoting myself as much as my books, because I want people to want the next book and not just the current one.

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That's more the sort of thing I'm talking about. Not so much the book trailers (which are fun), but ways of interacting with readers.

I think a video version of an audio book is brilliant! Youtube makes embedding and sharing so easy, like on FB and blogs. You've got my cogs turning.