Mar 02, 2016 carrie charley brown is hosting reforemo read for research month, a time when writers challenge themselves to read picture books as mentor texts to improve their writing. We did a similar one on the front matter youll remember that the front matter is all of the material that comes before the central story or body text in a book. A boring cover wont sell much, but a dynamic and unique one will attract readers. Why is the cover of your business book so important. The back cover copy you write for your book is among the most important marketing messages youll craft. You might ask, does the back of the book even matter. Its the 30,000 to 50,000 words you just pumped out. About the authora brief biography, nor more than 1 page, about the author.
You might think that your book is finished once youre done writing it, but the truth is, there is still a lot more ground to cover before you become a bestselling success. How the back cover of your book can sell your book. Your book back matter might be the most valuable section of the book. Cover matters is a new monthly feature in which we examine the medium that is first contact between a reader and a book. This excerpt from book design made simple offers insights into the best way to present this material. Apr 28, 2016 the back cover copy you write for your book is among the most important marketing messages youll craft. Its not every day you run into someone whose specialty is back cover copy for your book. This book focuses readers on the essentials of godhonoring worship, combining biblical foundations with practical application in a way that works in the real world. This is typically done for a scholarly, nonfiction book. Its design matches the front endpaper and, in accordance with it, contains either plain paper or pattern, image etc. Between the covers of your nonfiction book bookbaby blog.
It typically serves as the foundation for your online book descriptions, as well as any press releases or pitches you make to the media. 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 unique, interesting, or especially valuable about what you. How to write a synopsis for the back cover diggypod blog. How to build the back of a book cover with template. In the hardcover print version of jk rowlings fantastic beasts, the back matter includes an about the author page, followed by about the book design, which shares the identities of the books designers. But with this book, i wanted to push myself to do something bigger and better than id ever written before. Above the list, speak directly to the readers, and give them the primary reason why they should read your book. Picture books as writing mentor texts featuring giant dance party november 28, 20 2014 goal setting revamped december 9, 20. 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. Shop for books at and browse categories like young adult books, childrens books, mystery books, adult coloring books and cook books. The electronic scanning lines printed on the back cover or book jacket are encoded with information about the book product, such as the title, publisher, and price. We tend to spend all of our time writing the main content of the book and fail to factor in the extra time required to write and organize the front and back matter. Whats it matter the front and back matter of a book. Can you tell us a bit about what sparked the change.
Just as front matter is what you find at the beginning of a book, back matter, simply put, is what you find at the end of a bookthe sections that appear after the central story has been completed. Many authors dont pay close enough attention to the stuff in the front of the books beginning including the cover, or after the book ends. Oct 09, 2017 how to write a synopsis for the back cover. Rightfacing pages are odd numbered pages in printed books because the first piece of paper is on the right side, facing up from the open, printed book. In the internet age that means the thumb nail image needs to be interesting enough to click on. We will be talking about issues such as whitewashing practices, covers in poor taste, misleading or completely inaccurate. Front matter is everything that comes before your content.
It can also affect the perceived quality and value of the book. Its the page at the very front of the book, not used in all cases, that has only the title of the book on it. No matter what your book is about, your crowd will read it to fuel specific emotions within them. 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. Your books cover, front and back matter does matter.
Its the essence of your book s most exciting features, distilled into a few hundred words. How you should be using back matter in your ebooks adam geen. Lamination can change the visual and tactile experience of shopping for or reading a book. If they dont, then no matter how great the content is, the book will get passed over. When the book came out, the editors words from the letter were on the cover with a wellknown authors name underneath. This is where most people focus their attention, and you should to. Aug, 2015 put the bulleted list in the middle of the copy you write for your back cover. An indieauthors guide to organizing a book for publication.
The back cover often contains biographical matter about the author or editor, and quotes from other sources praising the book. Now before we get into it, these are merely meant as suggestions and there are definitely some who refuse to put a table of contents at the beginning of their book for instance since it. Book promotion expert ben cameron always says writing the blurb is the hardest 100 words youll 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 youre feeling least like writing another word, after completing your book s final edit. The back of a book cover is the perfect place to put this social proof. Complete guide to book cover sizes why do they matter.
Nov 15, 20 it goes without saying that the cover of your book is key. As much as i know youd love to read an article about dust jackets, in this article, we will dive deeper into the written matter on the back of the book cover more. Last week here, i presented the parts of a book which appear in the front of the book. Testimonials are incredibly persuasive in transforming potential readers into readers. Book promotion expert ben cameron always says writing the blurb is the hardest 100 words youll 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 youre feeling least like writing another word, after completing your books final edit. Back matter in picture books marcie flinchum atkins. This is a work file in kcb format you can use to update your book later.
The order of pages shown above is customary but not mandatory. While you wont need to worry about a back cover for most ebooks, back covers. Dec 08, 2017 how the back cover of your book can sell your book. Front matter and back matter grammar factory publishing. I once got sent an arc for a book that went on to be a bestseller.
What connection you may have to the subject matter for example, if your. How do i cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book. Learn more about creating projects and tables of contents. Authors typically have little to say about the matter. This feature will dedicate more separate space to a topic that has always intrigued, irked, and befuddled us. Bad covers, with pixelated images, watermarks clearly visible, text badly formatted or aligned, and so forth, suggest to the reader that the interior of the book will be equally sloppy. Last week we discussed the different elements of book cover design.
May 27, 2015 book promotion expert ben cameron always says writing the blurb is the hardest 100 words youll 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 youre feeling least like writing another word, after completing your books final edit. It is however something that ive seen certain authors inquire about on the kindleboards so i thought why not bring it up for some discussion as you create your ebooks whether its meant for kindle or kobo or nook or whoever, you have the option of inserting front matter or back. Your body content is the book itself its your introduction, conclusion and everything in between. Front and back matter in books alliance of independent. Often overlooked and underconsidered is book cover lamination, or the finish which gives the book protection from the world around it.
This should be broader in scope than the reasons you put in your bulleted list. Building a book cover in indesign with 3up layout of cover. The cover of a book is a very important aspect in book sales. How to design your books back cover ny book editors. For the last couple of weeks, weve been doing a blog series on the back matter of a book. The sympathizer, by viet thanh nguyen, grove press, 2015. In most cases, publishers choose book cover art and write back cover text that supports proven merchandising strategies.
Kindle create displays your book in three sections. 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. As you create your ebooks whether its meant for kindle or kobo or nook or whoever, you have the option of inserting front matter or back matter sections. This includes the title page, half title, table of contents. On the inside of the back cover page, extending from the facing page before it, is the endpaper. A welldesigned cover is the first assurance the reader has that the book is of a high quality, both in content and delivery. But when it comes to the back cover of their printed book, many new. Make it shine by arranging it in the proper order and designing it for great readability. The author biography should either be on the last page of the book, or on the cover of the book but not both. We all know what the title page is, but whats a half title. How to build the back of a book cover with template reedsy.
Back cover blurbs for books tips for wrting blurbs that. 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. The cover can scare away a customer or lure them in. The first step in the exploratory journey is the front cover of the book. Perhaps the greatest and least exploited marketing tool for your book is the front and back of your book. This free lesson snippet from the pluralsight video course, indesign cc designing a book cover and spine by pariah burke wil. And one way to do that is by utilizing a blank book cover to make your mockup. Feb 28, 2017 cover creation is the very last creative step when publishing a book. Whats it matter the front and back matter of a book the. Blank book cover make your book look awesome no matter. The parts of a book for self published authors bookstand.
Authors use their back matter to offer readers further context or information about the story, though back matter can also be extremely simple. Author julie broad shares 5 back cover tips that will help sell your nonfiction book on amazon and elsewhere. Not only did you broaden my outlook on back matter, but you introduced me to. Today, we look at the elements which make up the back matter. Thats because almost everything about the anatomy of a book cover is controlled by the final, edited version of the book. The third example shows how part of the back cover copy the author bio, in this case can show up on the inside flap of a hard cover book. Back matter pages are numbered continuously with the main text. Today id like to talk about something that i dont see talked about in too much detail on the web.
For nonfiction, establishing yourself as an expert and differentiating your book from the others written about the same. All of the pages in a book that appear before the body copy. Jan 10, 2014 last week here, i presented the parts of a book which appear in the front of the book. It goes without saying that the cover of your book is key. The back matter also known as the end matter is you guessed it material found at the back of a book. Aug 15, 2017 this free lesson snippet from the pluralsight video course, indesign cc designing a book cover and spine by pariah burke wil. If the book is a hardback, it will have a book jacket. O ne of the most important parts of book publishing, of course, is making your book design.
If you set out to design your cover by yourself, you can either use a picture editor software, like photoshop or its free alternative, gimp, or go online and try a book cover designer app, like canva. You can split, merge, or rearrange chapters as needed. Im the guest authoreducator there today talking about back matter in picture books. In a way, dark matter is very much like the wayward pines trilogy in that its a thriller with a backbone of speculative science. Why book covers are so important writers and authors. Nonfiction back cover copy for nonfiction, establishing yourself as an expert and differentiating your book from the others written about the same topic will help sell your book. Below are a few examples of back cover copy for fiction. Put the bulleted list in the middle of the copy you write for your back cover. These sections of back matter are often supplementary in nature, and inform the reader about some aspect of the book. Most nonfiction books include some back matter, perhaps a glossary, bibliography, or index. January 3, 2018 2 comments what is the back matter of a book. Book back matter what to include in the back of your book. This is typically the last page of a book and is on the left hand side.
One way to write this primary reason is to present it as a question. Some elements are expected and others are optional, but there is a standard order. Back cover copy includes the book summary and author bio. After this comes the body of the book and after that, what is called the back matter. After the last page of the manuscripts text, pagination continues in numerical sequence into the back matter. Apr 27, 2010 cover matters is a new monthly feature in which we examine the medium that is first contact between a reader and a book. An introduction to a book, usually written by someone other than the author of the book. Its the essence of your books most exciting features, distilled into a few hundred words. The author, a pastor and noted songwriter, skillfully instructs pastors, musicians, and church leaders so that they can root their congregational worship in unchanging scriptural. Back cover copy is the blurb on the back of a book. Front matter is the stuff in your book from the page after the cover till the page before chapter one. Give your backcover copy the time and attention required to.
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