Feb 28, 2017 the most important part of the back cover is a description of the book that offers up enough detail to ensure that the shopper cant say no to buying it. Back cover definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Most often seen in nonfiction like a biography or an academic text, a bibliography lists the references and sources used in researching or reporting the book. You have one shot at introducing your story to your reader make it count. Also on your back cover, youll include a description of your book. How to write successful back cover copy mascot books. A finished book might need dozens of operations to complete, according to the specific style and materials. Joint the joint of a book is the small groove which runs vertically down the book itself between the book boards book cover and the. Oct 16, 2018 the better your book description, the better your chances for gaining visibility and remaining visible. Nov 15, 20 it goes without saying that the cover of your book is key. The back cover of a paperback should also include a headshot, your bio and your credentials if the work is academic or professional. Our friends at bookbub carried out an ab test in which they sent group a a book description with a testimonial and group b. A title page preceding or following the title page chosen as the basis for the description of.
The book description, often overlooked as a means to drive traffic to your page, is also a great place to use keywords. The better your book description, the better your chances for gaining visibility and remaining visible. Heres a screenshot of this book, how to sell a truckload of books on amazon. Learn more about timelines for updates to published books. In the words of renowned typographer jan tschichold 19021974, book design, though largely forgotten today, relies upon methods and rules upon which it is impossible to improve, and which have been developed over centuries.
Advertisers argue that ads in the back of the book have the lowest response rate because so few people read magazines all the way to the end. Sep 25, 20 at wise ink, we believe that one of the most important things we do is help indie authors put their best foot forward when marketing and selling their book. I really suggest you go on a field trip to a bookstore for this exercise. Description entice readers with a summary of the story and characters. Back of the book financial definition of back of the book. Many authors write the book blurb as an afterthought. When printing with star print brokers in asia, and a spiral. Back matter can include an afterword, an appendix, a bibliography, a colophon, a glossary, and an index. Your description should be at least 150200 words long. There are many, and in many cases ive read a book mainly because it was hard to put it down after reading the back cover description.
How to create a back book cover blurb that sells kindlepreneur. Im a published novelist, and i participate in several writing groups and online communities. To add some visual to your book cover, add in an image. Book plate an ownership label, usually placed inside front cover.
Some informative blog posts have addressed techniques for creating an effective front cover, but an often overlooked aspect of book cover design is the back of the book. Wondering what the back of a book cover is called and why its so important, then. Most often seen in nonfiction like a biography or an academic text, a bibliography lists the references and sources used in researching or. Click picture and browse to the cover photo or picture of your choosing and click on it. There may be exceptions to some of our definitions our main concern is to provide you with general concepts relative to commonly used book jargon. Click the publish button at the bottom of the page. Cover art serves one purpose, and one purpose only, to get potential customers interested long enough to pick up the book to read the back cover blurb. Let readers know what makes your book interesting, and give them a sense of what kind of book it is. When youre choosing a book, how often do you read the back cover blurb to see what the. Narayan there are writers tolstoy and henry james to name two who.
A more complete guide to book sizes, book conditions and binding terms can be found through the aforementioned links. Physical description in book cataloging the collation. Once you wow your potential readers with an excellent front cover, the next part of your book thatll hook them is your back cover copy, which is publishing speak for the information that appears on the back cover. How to build the back of a book cover with template reedsy. An index is an optional but highly desirable element for nonfiction works. Set your book up for success with an expertly crafted back cover book blurb, an author. If more than one copy of the publication is held, and the heights of the different copies vary, record the height of the tallest copy and give the height of the other copies in a local note and when the height of the publication differs by 3 centimeters or more from the hight. How to write a back cover book synopsis pen and the pad. But first, i want to quickly clarify some terms you might equate with a back book blurb. Book jacket copy is also distinct from the longer book descriptions included on. Just think, how many times have you picked up a book and read the description to see if it interests you.
This is then used as the book description when selling ebooks on. The most important words are not your books opening lines. What is the summary written on the cover at the back of a. Nov 17, 2019 end matter is the material at the back of the book, generally optional. Covers back definition of covers back by the free dictionary. The books interior will only be printed in black ink, with one color black on both sides of the page. Its design matches the front endpaper and, in accordance with it, contains either plain paper or pattern, image etc. You might ask, does the back of the book even matter. Learn how back cover copy is a powerful sales pitch to hook potential readers. A list of books or articles cited as resources by the author. Its the essence of your books most exciting features, distilled into a few hundred words. This information usually falls into one of three parts. How to design your books back cover ny book editors.
Now you have to decide what goes on the back cover. Book design is the art of incorporating the content, style, format, design, and sequence of the various components and elements of a book into a coherent unit. The next step is grabbing the readers interest with a tempting back. It goes without saying that the cover of your book is key. This back cover blurb explains exactly who the book is for, what the reader can expect to get out of it, and why the book is an excellent alternative to similar resources. New authors sometimes rush this decision, writing the first. Summary and synopsis are also used but, in my experience, are used only in. What are some excellent back cover descriptions of books. Below youll find a list of terms and their definitions to common book printing terms. The section of a magazine that comes after most of the content. If you are citing descriptive copy or a quotation printed on the cover of a book, its preferable to incorporate the necessary details chiefly, the author of the copy or quotation you are citing, if known, and the source where the copy or quotation appears into the body of your text and then create a standard entry for the book in your workscited list.
After the title and the book cover, your description is the most important book marketing material. Sample book back cover a man can never truly run away from his past, jack preacher thought, as four mysterious horsemen appeared from beyond the desert threatening to throw the quiet and dusty town of cameron into disarray. This abbreviated glossary covers only the most commonly encountered terms. So far, weve blogged about how to discover your books brand, how to craft a professional author bio, how to hook people you talk to on the concept of your book, and even how to become a marketing expert in just a few steps. A book description should draw the reader in, but authors tend to get too flowery with these. One way you can help them is by printing the principal category the book belongs in on the back cover. On the inside of the back cover page, extending from the facing page before it, is the endpaper. The stack is then bound together along one edge by either sewing with thread through the folds or by a layer of flexible adhesive. How do i cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book. Alternative methods of binding that are cheaper but less. Our glossary was designed to help visitors to our website understand unfamiliar book related terms. In todays guest post, editor jessi rita hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling backcover copy.
Jan 23, 2015 the most important words are not your books opening lines. Describe your book in simple, straightforward, and consumerfriendly terms. You can do so by clicking on the insert tab on the template. Writers use the term blurb to describe the text on the back of the book. Apr 28, 2016 the back cover copy you write for your book is among the most important marketing messages youll craft. How to write kickbutt bcc back cover copy the wise. The first half of the glossary contains terms az and is followed by two book anatomy illustrations, descriptions of the various book sizes, a guide to condition ratings, and the most common abbreviations used in the world of.
But its not just any description as you have approximately 200 words depending on your font type to grab the reader. General sporting terms sport the guarding or protection of an opponent, teammate. Many have become collectible due to the designer or owner. There are writers tolstoy and henry james to name two who. Aug 07, 2008 the front of the book is defined by the cover that the reader opens the back is the side opposite the front the head is the top of the book when it is held to be read the tail is the bottom. Nevertheless, back of the book ads usually cost the same as ads elsewhere in the magazine. As a reader of ebooks with a long tbr library, i appreciate being able to find it without having to go back online. In your new mindset you will see in a few minutes why you need to provide categories on your book. Recased a book that has been glued back into its covers after having been shaken loose. You want to look at the bookstore in a new way, as a publisher. Back cover blurbs for books book publicity book pr.
How to write a back cover blurb with examples book editing. Book cover or book board the front and back covers of books are often referred to as book covers or book boards as they are often made of bookbinding board and cover the book. Back cover copy is the blurb on the back of a book. You can also follow this same process if you want to add an author photo on the back page of your book. Hinge the inside portion of the flexible area where book cover meets the book spine. Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book of codex format from an ordered stack of paper sheets that are folded together into sections or sometimes left as a stack of individual sheets. Blurb is the more relevant term here because blurbs are marketing tools. What is the summary written on the cover at the back of a book called. Back cover copy includes the book summary and author bio.
Dont give away anything that adds to the suspense or surprise. Its crucial it be compelling, because readers make buying decisions from the book description. Bookbinding is a specialized trade that relies on basic operations of measuring, cutting, and gluing. It is the area between the front cover and back cover. Search the glossary of book terms to unravel the puzzling language you may have found in the description of your book. If youre stuck for ideas, research the back cover or inner dust jacket flap of books in your genre. The books interior will be printed in full color 4color cmyk, with ink on both sides of the page. Notice the calltoaction words in the bullet points.
Bookbinding combines skills from other trades such as paper and fabric crafts, leather work, model making, and graphic arts. Abbreviations appear alphabetized at the beginning of each respective letter. How to build the back of a book cover with template reedsy blog. Shaken an adjective describing a book whose pages are beginning to come loose from the binding.
Shorthand for how the cover will be printed, in the following order. At wise ink, we believe that one of the most important things we do is help indie authors put their best foot forward when marketing and selling their book. Our glossary was designed to help visitors to our website understand unfamiliar bookrelated terms. I add my book description to the front matter since you cant just turn it over and read it on the back cover like with a print book. In the internet age that means the thumb nail image needs to be interesting enough to click on. Readers love to know more about the author, and details about who wrote the book can help the description seal the deal. Spiral bind a binding using a continuous wire or plastic, threaded through punched holes. Our friends at bookbub carried out an ab test in which they sent group a a book description with a testimonial and group b a version without a testimonial. So youve written your book, youve chosen your title and cover design, and youre breathing a sigh of relief. To improve your own story description, read the book marketing copy for dozens even hundreds of books in your genre, and pay attention to. All printed material that appears in the back of the book after the body copy. It is a brief description of a book and book plot that should immediately attract the. The glossary is a list of term definitions used throughout the book that might be unfamiliar to the reader. It typically serves as the foundation for your online book descriptions, as well as any press releases or pitches you make to the media.
The back cover copy you write for your book is among the most important marketing messages youll craft. The back cover often contains biographical matter about the author or editor, and quotes from other sources praising the book. If you dont have a print version of your book and its only sold online, everything in this article about back book blurbs can be applied to your book description in online listings. Most books dont include printing on the inside covers, so they are 4004, with 0 meaning no ink. The next step is grabbing the readers interest with a tempting back cover synopsis that leaves her guessing.
Boards the front and back covers of a hardcover book, today typically a. The back cover, spine center panel which connects the front and. Antiquarian bookseller a term, in todays usage, that describes a. Rejointed means the book has been repaired preserving the original covers, including the spine. The back of a book cover is the perfect place to put this social proof. Rare books cataloging rules do take variations in binding height into account to some degree. Ioba book terminology independent online booksellers. It will vary in width depending on the type of binding and number of pages in the book. Once your title and cover have drawn the reader in, the blurb is what is going to make the difference between a missed opportunity and a sale. Dont squander this moment by going into a blow by blow of what happens in your book. Nov 18, 2016 im a published novelist, and i participate in several writing groups and online communities. How to write kickbutt bcc back cover copy wise ink blog.
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 thatll hook them is your back cover copy, which is publishing speak for the information that appears on the back cover. Testimonials are incredibly persuasive in transforming potential readers into readers. Learn how to write a back book cover blurb that not only intrigues readers but. The title pages of an item, the verso of the title pages, any pages preceding the title pages, and the cover. Aug, 2015 in todays guest post, editor jessi rita hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling backcover copy.
The front of the book is defined by the cover that the reader opens the back is the side opposite the front the head is the top of the book when it is held to be read the tail is the bottom. Apr 02, 2015 use keywords in your amazon book description. How to write a book description that sells with examples. Jul 28, 2017 if you are citing descriptive copy or a quotation printed on the cover of a book, its preferable to incorporate the necessary details chiefly, the author of the copy or quotation you are citing, if known, and the source where the copy or quotation appears into the body of your text and then create a standard entry for the book in your workscited list.
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