Map tour
Pan across your map and name three locations with a one-line hook each.
Example hook: “Welcome to the kingdom where magic is taxed.”
Magic system in 20 seconds
Explain the rule, the cost and the loophole — three beats.
Example hook: “Magic here costs one memory per spell.”
Character select screen
Introduce your cast like a game menu: name, class, weakness.
Example hook: “Choose your fighter.”
If you liked…
Name comparable books or games honestly and show what's similar.
Example hook: “For readers who loved found family and heists.”
Prophecy reading
Read the in-world prophecy over atmospheric images; let viewers guess its meaning.
Example hook: “The prophecy everyone misread…”
Worldbuilding detail
Share one specific detail (food, currency, insult) to make the world feel real.
Example hook: “In this city, you pay for bread with secrets.”
Villain monologue
A 20-second first-person clip from the antagonist.
Example hook: “You call me the villain. I call me the only one who read the ending.”
Trope tags
List subgenre tropes on screen: chosen one, morally grey, academy.
Example hook: “Academy. Rivals. A library that eats people.”
Book aesthetic
Three images that set the mood, no words except the title.
Example hook: “Aesthetic: candlelit libraries and storms over the sea.”
Series reading order
Show covers in order and explain where new readers should start.
Example hook: “Where to start my series (it's not book 1).”
Tips that apply to every idea
- Put the hook on screen in the first second — many people watch with the sound off.
- Keep one idea per video; 15–30 seconds is plenty for most of these formats.
- End with one clear action: 'link in bio', 'comment your pick', or 'follow for part 2'.
- Batch-make a week of clips in one sitting, then post on a schedule you can keep.
For a full posting plan, read How to promote your book on BookTok and Reels.
Don't want to film yourself?
xBookvideo turns your manuscript into narrated, illustrated vertical episodes with subtitles — and the Marketing Pack adds 5 hook clips and a 30-day posting calendar. This sample was made from The Great Gatsby.
More for fantasy authors
Fantasy book trailer guide · How to make a book trailer · Classic books as videos