To read or not to read?...

As independent writers, we, here at Under The Oaks, are constantly approached by marketers advising us to utilise their services for cinematic book trailers, and I personally feel a certain sense of conflict.

I’ll explain why,

Growing up in the seventies, books played a pivotal role in my childhood, my shelves were filled with untold books, Saturday mornings couldn’t come round fast enough, a trip to town to spend my pocket money on yet another literary masterpiece (well, if you count Snow White and Rose Red as such!) particularly in the depths of winter, when outside play was not on the agenda.

As a mother to several generations of children, the Millennials, and the Gen Z’s, I have watched the shifting trends and how video killed the radio star, which sadly has spread to books, physical, hold in your hand, dog ear the corner of the page, BOOKS.

So when we are approached to create a cinematic book trailer or advised that reels and video’s are the way forward on social media, we politely decline. Our target audience are book lovers, readers, those who love nothing more than to let their imagination run riot and visualise the characters as they see fit.

Sadly, the trends of today lean towards creating the vision for you, which for me, loses the magic of the imagination. Stuck in your ways, I hear you cry, perhaps that is so, move with the times, some might say and perhaps we should, yet sometimes the old ways are the best and if it was possible to stay cocooned in a world filled with books, I probably would. How about you? What are your thoughts?...

Bright blessings,

Louise X