Being overly literal won't do you any favors. Now it is the job of the back cover to draw them in so much that they feel compelled to buy the book. Your front cover did its job if the shopper made it to the back cover; it got them interested enough to give the book a second look. I think a tricky part about writing back cover copy for fiction is writing it with a sense of urgency to grab a reader’s attention. To cap this eventful year, we've put together a list of the best book covers of 2020. These templates don't need to be downloaded. Back cover endorsements are a valuable part of your book’s design. That’s why the blurbs for nonfiction and fiction books are based on two separate formulas. A book blurb (also called a “back-cover blurb” or a “book description”) is a short description of the book's main character and conflict, usually between 100 and 200 words, that traditionally is included on the inside cover or on the back of a book. A book cover can (and should be) an interaction with the reader: A spectacular cover. As illustrated below, the barcode should be placed on the lower region of Cover 4 (aka back cover). The front cover has a critical role to play, of course, but today’s post is about the strategic use of the back cover. Still working to develop this skill. It … The back cover is your second opportunity to make the sale (after a potential reader is hooked by your awesome front cover). Like the front cover, it should also grab the attention of readers, otherwise they will return it … Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Back cover: The back cover is your billboard. The first rule of the author bio is: KISS. Check. The bio on the back of the book cover should be the nutshell inside of the nut. In order to make scanning seamless and not inconvenience customers, retailers train their cashiers where to expect to scan barcodes on products. How do you think it will help them? But the real secret to a great blurb is to know your audience. Last Updated: February 12, 2020 Think of a movie trailer and try to capture that effect. At best, they’re only vaguely intrigued at this point. Treat your back cover with the same respect as your front cover. Now you’re seeing why most authors find them so hard to write. Which means, they’re effectively a sales pitch. Our friends at Bookbub carried out an A/B test in which they sent Group A a book description with a testimonial and Group B a version without a testimonial. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. To recap, your best practices for both nonfiction and fiction blurbs are to: Take note, authors: the bio isn’t always your “About the Author” section! Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Are there any must-haves for the back?Great questions! Don’t squander this moment by going into a blow by blow of what happens in your book. So strike them with the tagline right at the top of the back. After the title and the book cover, your description is the most important book marketing material. Back Cover Copy for Fiction (and Nonfiction Narratives) It’s not uncommon for traditional publishers to put nothing but blurbs or book reviews on a novel’s back cover, especially if it’s by an author who is already well-known. An incredible adventure is about to begin! Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book. The Sympathizer, by Viet Thanh Nguyen, Grove Press, 2015. There's something for everyone, from fiction to non-fiction! I can not download as I don't see any link. From reputation management to content marketing, SEO for Growth will help you put it all together.”. Writing is an art. What are they going to get out of it? They’re skimming the shelves when their eye is caught by a brilliantly imagined front cover. Therefore, your first instinct is probably to make it dazzling. To understand what makes a back cover tick, let’s expose its partner-in-crime: the front cover. Looking to create the perfect children's book? Like many writers, I published my first novel with high hopes. Back Cover Copy Includes the Book Summary and Author Bio Once you wow your potential readers with an excellent front cover, the next part of your book that’ll hook them is your back cover copy, which is publishing speak for the information that appears on the back cover. For fiction authors, this is optional. The back cover is there to finish the job. To create this article, 9 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. What should be on the back cover of my book? References. Think about how you can create extra elements to enhance the blurb and give it a sense of atmosphere. To create this article, 9 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. The novel’s blurb should promise intrigue, excitement, mystery, wonder, or drama. Thanks. In ebook and self-publishing, a book blurb is what’s used on the main online sales page. To recap, your best practices for the author bio are to: Testimonials (also known as “cover blurbs”) are positive endorsements from notable personalities, such as a fellow author or a publication. Where exactly is the line for having to get a new one? In this post, we’ll show you how to make that time count so that a reader ends up deciding in your favor. I've seen too many back covers that are slammed from margin to margin with text with the blurb in the largest font possible. Your best bet is to directly tell them — and use bullet points if you need to communicate a great deal of information efficiently. Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. If you are a novelist, your back cover should provide a short summary of what your book is about. These words, if written well, will hook the reader and convince them they need to buy your book. There’s a lot of back cover endorsement examples that … The book description with a testimonial caused 22.6% more readers to click and buy. Sometimes I employ the film texture from the front as a background. What exactly should be on the back of a book cover? They pick the book up. If you receive positive blurbs and add them to the back cover, are you required to get a new ISBN? Write it with the reader’s desires in mind. Your cover copy doesn’t just tell potential readers what your book is about–it’s a critical marketing tool. Looking for the best places to find book cover pictures that won't break the bank? Start with a headline that makes or implies a promise. Present the question / challenge / problem. [1] X Research source The most important part of the back cover is a description of the book that offers up enough detail to ensure that the shopper can’t say “no” to buying it. However, we live in a new era where almost 70% of all books are now purchased online (meaning Amazon). Is this correct? Hint at the emotional payoff that awaits them within the pages! When you hit a perfect balance between all the elements, you’ll have created a back cover that works. Or, if you’re the author of a fiction book: “Her work understands human secrets generally as well as secret places both in the world and in the mind.”, ― Lorrie Moore, New York Times bestselling author of Bark and Birds of America. Publisher information, if you have it, is the least important. Identify your audience. By using our site, you agree to our. Check. The back of a book cover is the perfect place to put this social proof. What age group is the book targeting at? Tell readers in plain words what they’ll take away from the book. Thinking of publishing a book? It should be the last thing people notice. If they say that they’re open to it, send them a free ARC (advance review copy) of your book. Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We've got you covered, with our hand-picked list of 20 sites with royalty-free stock images you can incorporate into an amazing book cover. Are there other dimensions in space? Reedsy is more than just a blog. Therefore, the most effective blurbs will: Here’s the blurb for Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time, for instance: A landmark volume in science writing by one of the great minds of our time, Stephen Hawking’s book explores such profound questions as: How did the universe begin—and what made its start possible? When readers browse the bookshelves, it’s the front cover (or spine) that gets them to pick it up. The best ones do this through: To fully cover both points, we’ve split this post into two sections. For instance: “There are many pieces to solving the SEO puzzle. The back cover of your as yet unwritten book can help you write a better book, and write it faster, too. Are you in the middle of designing your own back cover? As a reader, I won’t usually buy a book unless I can read the back cover copy to see what the book is about. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. However, nonfiction authors must include an author bio as part of their back cover copy to convince readers of their authority. It can now compete with other book covers on the shelf (or in the listing). A Description of Your Book. The front cover is the most important part of a book as it grabs the attention of the customers and entices them to buy the book. We're giving you somewhere to start with our list of 10 brilliant fonts that you can use in your book layout. Thanks for the tips to write good back cover copy. The main thing is to give some creative energy to the back and make it look as though the whole project is integrated and thought through. In many cases, it’s even more compact. It's not writing the book but writing the Back Cover Text. A boring back cover text will cause the reader to lose interest and put the book back on the shelf. Here are their best tips for you, in their own words: Jake Clark: Don't overcrowd your back cover. Front cover: If the book is a hardback, it will have a book jacket; if it is a soft cover, the cover will contain the same information as a jacket. Inspire Action. Books with great back cover texts usually go up in high sales. “May the odds be ever in your favor.” – The Hunger Games, “Even in the future, the story begins with Once Upon a Time…” – Cinder, “A great modern classic and the prelude to Lord of the Rings.” – The Hobbit. Are you an artist who wants to share or a publisher who wants to sell?The two are not mutually exclusive, but be honest with yourself about whether you’re selling literary art or an intellectual/entertainment commodity. Book promotion expert Ben Cameron always says “writing the blurb is the hardest 100 words you’ll ever write”, and many authors are also stumped when it comes to writing the front and back matter – another task that usually falls just when you’re feeling least like writing another word, after completing your book’s final edit. Is the universe unending—or are there boundaries? Check out this article for more in-depth tips (and examples) on writing a great blurb for your novel. We’ve created a couple of templates to show you the most popular configurations out there. If you secured a starred review from a publication, be sure to note that in parentheses. But it happens to be one of the most important sales tools at your disposal. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. But like many writers, I quickly realized I had written my first book because I had a story to tell, not because I had conceived of a literary product targeted to a specific reader group. If you crawl into the mind of nonfiction readers, they’re basically asking, “What new information will I gain from reading this book?” Don’t be cute or vague. The job of the back cover tick, let ’ s the front cover contains the title and book. A testimonial caused 22.6 % more readers to click and buy tick let! ( he, she, the author ” section that you can use same! The novel ’ s used on the best ones do this through: to fully cover both,... 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