Create Book Trailers or Posters

A book trailer or poster is a visual way to promote a book — much like a movie trailer or film poster. Creating one requires you to read deeply: you need to understand theme, mood, character, and plot well enough to choose what will make someone else want to read the book.

What Makes a Great Book Poster

• A striking image or illustration that reflects the mood or theme.
• A hook — one sentence (often a quote) that makes the reader curious.
• The title and author's name in a font and color that matches the tone.
• A brief tagline: a short phrase that hints at the story without revealing the ending.
• Minimal text — every word on a poster must earn its place.

Choosing Your Hook Quote

• Look for a sentence that raises a question without answering it.
• Avoid spoilers — the hook should intrigue, not summarize.
• Short and punchy beats long and detailed.

Book Trailer Structure

1. Open with the genre and mood — a visual or sound sets the atmosphere.
2. Introduce the main character and their world in two or three sentences.
3. Hint at the central conflict — the problem that drives the story.
4. End with the hook quote and the book cover.