Book videos

If you haven't noticed, YouTube is awash with videos from authors and publishers in the act of selling books. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not; I've certainly enjoyed a couple of videos, but I haven't felt compelled to watch a lot of them. The NY Times has a good article on the phenomenon: 'In the streaming video era, with the publishing industry under relentless threat, the trailer is fast becoming an essential component of online marketing. Asked to draw on often nonexistent acting skills, authors are holding forth for anything from 30 seconds to 6 minutes, frequently to the tune of stock guitar strumming, soulful violin or klezmer music. And now, those who once worried about no one reading their books can worry about no one watching their trailers.' More...