Write book jacket copy

May 09, 2017 so, you have a book coming out, or maybe youre editing an anthology, and now you have to write the dust jacket copywhat should it include. According a codex group study, jacket copy can have a definite impact on book sales, especially for fiction, and the importance of jacket copy cant be underestimated. Mar 17, 2014 4 articles to help you write better jacket copy for your book. This article has helpful approaches to writing back cover blurbs. Heres how to write good jacket copy, how to test your copy, and examples of good jacket. If you have indesign cs5, choose one of the following free book cover templates. The back cover is where you convince readers to buy. Doing so will keep the reader excited, which will sell your book. The space on the back cover of a book for blurbs, which are brief promotional paragraphs, is one of the more valuable spots for book promotion. Nancy peske write effective copy for your books jacket or.

Most often, book reports are a k12 assignment and range from 250 to 500 words. Even though you dont have to write a lot, each word is vital. Scrivener word processor scrivener is the premier book writing software. How to write good jacket copy nathan bransford writing, book. As ring explains in her book, each chapter of how to write back cover copy walks you stepbystep through the creation of your copy package. Back cover copy is sales copy, which means it has to be written with different considerations in mind than what you might put in a quick book summary. The back cover copy you write for your book is among the most important marketing messages youll craft. In book publishing, flap copy or jacket flap copy is the summary of a book which appears on the inside of a hardcover dust jacket. If youre working on your first book, you will inevitably have to sit down and write the sales copy that appears on the back of your book also known as jacket copy. Back cover copy includes the book summary and author bio. How to write a book description that sells with examples. Book copy should be short, succinct, and send a message.

The examples you find will make everything you read in this article clearer. The purpose of your book jackets content is to convince the reader to select the. So, you have a book coming out, or maybe youre editing an anthology, and now you have to write the dust jacket copywhat should it include. One way to write this primary reason is to present it as a question. While you may try to design and format your book jacket cover on your own, know that there are professional editors who do it for you. Next week ill discuss tips on how to craft topnotch book jacket copy that will have readers grabbing your books. In this guide, ill walk you through how to write a book description, provide you a template, and include. Does that mean that the text on my book jacket should also be in the first person, or does it not matter.

Ive seen about the author information, testimonials, brief description of the book and benefitoriented sales copy. Then ensure you incorporate them into your back book jacket blurb. Before writing your back book blurb, choose 35 of the bestselling books in your genre and make a note of stylistic similarities. 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. Reedsy is a marketplace for authors and the professionals who support them. The next step is grabbing the readers interest with a tempting back cover. So have fun with it, and take the opportunity to make your book. Editor jessi rita hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling back cover copy for your book. You have a very limited amount of space on the back of your book so every word counts. My book is a novel and its written in the first person. How to build the back of a book cover with template. Professional and quality help with editing your paper.

This will help you get a better understanding of what jacket copy should look like. Back cover blurbs for books tips for wrting blurbs that. Self publishing, book printing free book templates. Write back cover copy thats tailored to sell your self. For authors who havent had to do this before, it can feel like a bit of a challenge. A sample letter for writers requesting a book endorsement. Back cover copy also called flap copy is the text that goes on the back cover of a book or on the back cover and flaps of a dust jacket. They are arranged by spine thickness, based on the number of pages in your book. How do i cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book. This manual contains valuable tips and tools on how to write an enticing book blurb back jacket copy that both selfpublished authors can use to lure readers into finding out more about their books. How to get a famous author to endorse your book writers. How to write good jacket copy nathan bransford writing.

For a nonfiction book, authors should make a bullet point list of the books main features and actually put that list on the back cover. Nov 23, 2015 write a short summary of what your book is about. How to write good jacket copy july 8, 2019 by nathan bransford 7 comments one of the most important tasks youll tackle when youre selfpublishing is coming up with a good description that will make someone want to buy your book. Back cover copy is the blurb on the back of a book. How to write a blurb back cover copy marilynn byerly. It typically serves as the foundation for your online book descriptions, as well as any press releases or pitches you make to the media. Jun 28, 2012 eterna cadencias answer seems, at first, counterintuitive. How to write good jacket copy by nathan bransford chris. Find out how other authors position their books and what benefits they highlight. Here are some tips for writing copy for the back of a book, or a book s jacket, that will sell your book to the reader. This is short, succinct copy that sends a strong message about your writing. The synopsis should give an overview of the book without giving away any of the key elements. This is one of the most important pieces of copy youll write, since it has a lot of work to do representing your book and showing people whats.

How to write kickbutt bcc back cover copy wise ink blog. Aug, 2015 put the bulleted list in the middle of the copy you write for your back cover. How to write book jacket copy, essay on cow for kids in english, popular scholarship essay ghostwriting site au, poverty global issue essay. Editor jessi rita hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling backcover copy for your book. Proofreading and creating a paper from scratch, professional writers, intime delivery and 247 support. The next step is grabbing the readers interest with a tempting back cover synopsis that leaves her guessing. Heres a question for you about back cover copy for a nonfiction book. On amazon, you really dont have much room to grab someone. In marketing tags back cover blurb, back cover copy, blurb, book blurb, book description, book design, book publishing, how to promote a book, market your book, sell more books, writing a book blurb writing. In 300500 words, this is the publishers opportunity at marketing a book. If readers expect one type of story based on your back cover copy but actually find something else entirely within the books pages, theyll feel tricked and misled. Then part 2 contains tips from our top designers on the best ways to design an aesthetically beautiful jacket.

This is a short summary designed to be highly interesting to the. Above the list, speak directly to the readers, and give them the primary reason why they should read your book. With a sleek, sturdy look and prominent sizing, they instantly pique curiosity and stand out on the bookshelf. Is the jacket copy supposed to reflect the narrative pov of the book. Research other books start by reading the jacket copy on other books, especially from books in the same genre as yours. Having a book blurbaka a book jacket or an endorsementfrom a famous or even semifamous author is a marketing strategy that can have a positive impact on your book sales. The length of the copy that appears on your book jacket is entirely dependent on the final book design. Its crucial to have a good description of your book.

Nancy peske write effective copy for your books jacket or back. Book cover images and copyright the librarian who doesn. Write a book get expert advice on how to write a book. Mar 23, 2017 according a codex group study, jacket copy can have a definite impact on book sales, especially for fiction, and the importance of jacket copy cant be underestimated. If you have succeeded in designing a killer book cover, created an outstanding book title and subtitle that really hooks your readers, then youre ready to reel them in with the back cover book jacket. Next week ill discuss tips on how to craft topnotch book jacket copy that will have readers grabbing your books off the shelves. How to write kickbutt bcc back cover copy the wise. We need our allotment of incest and intrigue and sixpage descriptions of every last meal. Book jacket copy is also distinct from the longer book descriptions. After writing and polishing an entire book, many authors are surprised when they become stuck when trying to write.

Here are a few thoughts on how you can make the back of your book really sing. How to write jacket copy that will help sell your book bookbaby blog. The descriptive copy included on hardback books is known as jacket, or flap, copy. The same copy is often used by online retailers when your book is listed on their sites. Book jacket copy is meant to be slightly overthetop and a sales pitch. So have fun with it, and take the opportunity to make your book shine and outsell all the rest. Blurbs i always like to include a blurb or three on the back, usually before or after the actual dust jacket copy. Before you start to write, read ten book descriptions on the back of books. If you are citing descriptive copy or a quotation printed on the cover.

Book jacket copy isnt about summarizing your project or providing the reader with a clear synopsis or plot spoiler. How to write sales copy for the back of your nonfiction book by stephanie chandler on 020420 with comments 0 if youre working on your first book, you will inevitably have to sit down and write the sales copy that appears on the back of your book also known as jacket copy. Hardcover book printing hardback book printer bookbaby. I am currently writing the text for my book jacket. Before you start writing the early drafts of your jacket copy yes, just like your book, this text should probably go through several revisions, check out the following articles for some guidance, warnings, and inspiration. The ability to condense a 100,000word manuscript into 300 words is no easy task, and writing copy for your own book presents unique challenges. Jul 26, 2019 how to write good jacket copy by nathan bransford posted on july 26, 2019 july 15, 2019 by the story reading ape one of the most important tasks youll tackle when youre selfpublishing is coming up with a good description that will make someone want to buy your book. But, whether youre a new writer or a veteran, asking someone for a cover quote may seem intimidating. Sep 12, 2018 how to write a book blurb in 4 steps the opening of your blurb has to be incredibly precise and dynamic, says editor rebecca heyman for a lot of firsttime authors, i think theres an instinct to make sure readers understand everything that happened in the books universe before the beginning of the actual story. 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. Jul 20, 2016 having an irresistible cliffhanger in your blurb will make readers want to buy your book to find out what happens. Lets roll up our sleeves and get into how to write a book jacket cover.

It should grab the reader and tell them why they should pick your book rather than the thousands of other titles packed into the shelves. Its the essence of your book s most exciting features, distilled into a few hundred words. Inside front cover flap write interesting information about the story which will make readers want to open the cover and keep reading. Jun 27, 2012 in a new video of their song write like the wind george r. Once the wrapper is removed and the book is cracked, the ink begins to age. Before sitting down to the task of writing your backcover copy, examine the backs of other books in your genre for examples of how the copy should read. The copy that lives on hardcover book jacket flaps, or on the backs of soft cover books, is essentially besides wordofmouth what gets a customer to buy a book they are browsing in a book store. This should be broader in scope than the reasons you put in your bulleted list. Mar 25, 2016 because i dont want to know exactly how a book ends when i pick it up to read the description on the back cover or on the jacket flap, i decided to make this helpful little video. How to write compelling jacket copy for your book nonfiction.

Martin, they implore the author to pen the next book in the series. Before you start to write, read ten book descriptions on the back of books that would appeal to your intended audience. If you are citing a book cover, or part of a book cover, make sure to keep in mind that you are still citing a book. Before you write a letter to an author requesting a quote, endorsement, or blurb for your book, take a look at our sample letter shown below. Hardcover books are also designed for durability, making them a valuable addition to any readers collection. To fully cover both points, weve split this post into two sections. In order to write good jacket copy, you need to know why someone would want to.

Start with a headline that makes or implies a promise. Its crucial it be compelling, because readers make buying decisions from the book description. How to write sales copy for the back of your nonfiction book worth reading even if you dont write nonfiction, as many of the same concepts will apply 2. 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. Jacket copy archives nathan bransford writing, book. We get so caught up in delivering an enthralling story or a big idea. Reviewing our example will help you write your own book cover quote requestbut dont copy. 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. Most run several paragraphs, but some publishers want them shorter or in a special format so be sure to check with your publishers guidelines before you begin work. Date artwork created, title of book, author or editor name, publisher, year, front cover. Jul 28, 2017 how do i cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book cover or jacket in the text and in the workscited list. However, most books today are paperback originals, and hardcovers often use the back of the book for an author photo andor testimonials for the. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a book s contents.

Thats why its so helpful to have a book marketing company write that cover copy for you. A book written in disappearing ink video jacket copy. Ill say it impossible, without examining dust jackets from successful novels, that is. If its a novel, you must include the storys most engaging plot points. Finally, once your dream publisher has picked up your book, youll be able to ensure that the copy your book jacket receives is the copy it deserves. It should grab the reader and tell them why they should pick your book. Putting together the copy package first allows you to cement your nonfiction ideas and message, work through your fiction plot, develop your character arc, and strengthen your motivation. Jul 08, 2019 how to write good jacket copy july 8, 2019 by nathan bransford 7 comments one of the most important tasks youll tackle when youre selfpublishing is coming up with a good description that will make someone want to buy your book. This is another way of how copywriting uses writing to persuade the.