My idea of a great book trailer

Book trailers were a hot topic of conversation some time ago. Authors are being asked to do more of their own marketing and promotion than ever before, and I recall several conversations with weary authors who asked plaintively, “What? I have to produce a movie, too?”

As with most things, there were book trailers that were great, that caught one’s attention in the best way, and others that looked cheesy and poorly made. I’d shake my head at those, feeling sorry for the authors and publishers who had spent money on a video that might actually turn potential readers away from the book.

Just the other day I had the pleasure of watching the book trailer for Kim Severson’s memoir, Spoon Fed. I’m a regular reader of Kim’s contributions to The New York Times and find her writing consistently informative, timely, and engaging. I’m also very involved in the sustainable food movement, so a book about how Kim had been influenced by other women in the food world was already on my books-to-buy list.

But the point of this post is the book trailer, and my hat is off to whoever produced the one for Spoon Fed. I think it’s wonderful: In a few minutes you know what the book is about, you have a real sense of Kim’s voice (and not only because she’s the one talking), and if you’ve lived a while, you’ll likely recognize the story Kim shares.

Don’t take my word for it: Watch the trailer yourself: