Writing your back cover copy

Back cover copy is the text that goes on your book’s back cover. Everyone judges a book by its cover (you know that!), and your front cover only gets a few seconds to grab a reader’s interest. However, once a reader picks up your book and flips to the back cover, this is your big chance to sell that book. You need to convince that reader to buy using compelling back cover copy.

Back cover copy sells books

Front covers attract … back covers SELL! Your back cover is a powerful marketing tool, so be sure to make the most of it. Take off your author hat and put on your marketing hat for this very important task. Think of your reader and how your book can benefit them.

Write a catchy tagline

Grab your reader’s attention with a catchy tagline. Don’t just repeat your book’s title on the back cover. Your tagline can be a short phrase, a whole sentence, or it can pose a question. Just make sure it’s easy to read and to the point to draw your reader in.

Tell your reader what a great benefit your book will be. It’ll be easy to use, or fast to use, or it’ll keep your reader up-to-date. It’ll simplify your reader’s life, or make them an authority on the subject.

Here’s an example from Book Design Made Simple. Our target readers are self-publishing authors and novice book designers. The benefits are in the headline:

Design your book with confidence—even if it’s your first book!

List the benefits (for a nonfiction book)

Now write a paragraph or two (or create a bulleted list) setting out the benefits of reading your book. What will the reader gain by reading your book?

Does your book conveniently divide material into sections? Is it the most up-to-date reference? Will it save the reader time? Does it provide valuable advice?

For example, here is our list of the benefits of reading Book Design Made Simple:

We worked long and hard to cut our list down to these 8 items.

If your nonfiction book has competition in the marketplace, check your back cover copy against theirs and then make yours distinguish itself in some way. Perhaps yours offers additional material, has a different perspective, is more up-to-date, more compact, or something else.

A summary or blurb (for a fiction book)

Don’t give away the entire plot, just offer an enticing taste of what’s inside. Not many people are going to read the whole thing and wish for more, so one or two paragraphs should be enough. And remember that this is not the same style of writing as inside the book; this is ad copy.

Testimonials, endorsements, reviews, blurbs

If possible, include a few testimonials or endorsements. Ideally, your testimonials will be from well-known people in the subject area of your book. Be sure to include their credentials after their name.

Someone may want to give you a testimonial, but be unsure about what to write. In this case, write a good testimonial yourself and ask permission to use their name with it.

Here are a couple of examples from Book Design Made Simple:

We were fortunate to receive great reviews from two respected publishing experts. We cut their full statements down to these blurbs but included the full reviews on the first pages of the book.

Author bio

A page about the author is often placed on the last page inside a paperback book. However, a few sentences about the author (with an optional photograph) can be included in the back cover copy. If you choose to use a short bio on the back cover, make sure the author sounds like the ultimate authority on the subject. (The back flap of a hardcover book jacket usually includes an author bio, so there’s less of a reason to add another one to the back of the jacket.)

Publishing information

Your publishing information is usually placed at the bottom of your back cover. This includes:

• bar code with ISBN number and price
• publisher’s name
• publisher’s logo (optional)
• website URL
• QR code (optional)

Bookstore categories

List one or two categories so that bookstore staff will know where to shelve your book. The categories are usually shown at the top left corner of your back cover, but can also be placed at the bottom with your publishing information or bar code. The Book Industry Study Group website provides official book subject categories.

Keep your back cover copy simple!

When deciding what to include in your back cover copy:

• Ask what the main benefits are to your target readers. Leave out everything else.
• Don’t clutter your back cover with too much information or a distracting background.
• Present less information in an easy-to-read type size. Don’t cram in too much by using a small type size.

Edit your back cover copy down to the bare essentials. A crowded space repels casual readers. Then design a back cover that clearly separates the types of information, coordinates with the front cover, and generally invites readers to learn more about your book. Chapter 64 of Book Design Made Simple is filled with design variations and examples.

Remember, your back cover copy can be just as powerful a marketing tool as your front cover. Be clear about the benefits of buying your book, and you’ll deliver an irresistible message!