Author Tip No. Five

The Back Story

As an author interested in getting your thoughts and ideas out there to the public (selling your book), an important portion of the process is devoted to the back cover copy and sales handle. In terms of elements influential to your readers, next to the cover design (or rather, behind), the back cover copy and sales handle are key. These three components are most often the items found in reviews, online retailer pages, and bookstore databases.

For the back cover, you don't want copy that dryly recreates the content of your book. For fiction, a succinct description of the characters, setting, and plot, leading up to the point of resolution is typical. There should be a tone of suspense that engages the reader enough to make a commitment to find out what happens to the characters, and what kind of life lesson (if any) can be learned. Often a comparison can be made to a similar author (e.g., "If you like Graham Greene, you´ll not be disappointed with this book").

For non fiction, the description needs to prove why this particular book on this subject (which, no doubt, has been written about numerous times over and over) is different or outstanding in some way. What makes yet another book on Italian cooking interesting? Perhaps the recipes include only fresh ingredients, traditions from one region, etc. These are the selling points that need to pop out in the copy.

The sales handle is your chance in one sentence to grab the reader's attention, a very brief description that covers what your book is, and why it´s important to your audience. The handle is usually found near the top of the back cover or directly above the main description.

See how the examples below spark your imagination and compel you to find out the rest of the story:

A tightly woven tale of psychological suspense and a literary tour de force from Booker Prize winner Penelope Lively.

Two mathematicians join forces to stop a serial killer in this spellbinding international bestseller.

Profound lessons for spiritual growth aren´t found exclusively in Tibet and India; they´re found within you in everyday events. This book will show you how to tap into them.

For information on how to get an effective back cover copy and sales handle from the professionals at Mill City Press, follow the link above or go to http://www.millcitypress.net.