Tips for Writing A Book Jacket Cover
Last week we covered the Why of writing book jacket copy, so now lets get down to business and get into the How.
What is copy? Book jacket copy isnt about summarizing your project or providing the reader with a clear synopsis or plot spoiler; its about sales. Book copy should be short, succinct, and send a message. 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.
How do I write it? First, and most importantly, you should draft a synopsis of your project. This will help you to determine which plot points you want to highlight and which you dont want to spoil for the reader. Once youve got your synopsis down, there are three components to creating effective book jacket copy:
Attention: Start off your copy with a powerful hook that demands attention. Is there a central question or revelation in your plot? You might start off with the first sentence or two from your plot summary.
Interest: Intrigue interest and create curiosity. Again, book jacket copy is about sales, and copywriters generally have knowledge of certain key words that engage readers and get them excited about a book. These terms relate to each genre and audience; the same words that entice a thirteen-year-old girl to purchase a young-adult book will be far different from the key words in place on the back of a literary novel aimed at an adult audience. Your best bet? Research your market.
Detail: Provide details about your story, but again, dont turn your book copy into a spoiler! The best way to know how much detail to include is to read other book jackets. Start with those in a genre similar to your book; copy on a romance novel, for instance, is going to be vastly different from a science fiction or horror story. This will also help you to get a feel for your audience and what they want to read.
You might even want to peruse the New York Times Bestseller List - choose a couple of books from the list and read over their jacket copy. The jacket copy may not be the only thing selling those books, but it cant hurt to check out the success stories.
A final caveat: The amount of copy that appears on your book jacket is completely based on the final book design.
Book jacket copy is meant to be slightly over-the-top and sales pitch-y, so be creative and have fun with it, and take the opportunity to really make your book shine and out-sell all the rest.
Keep in mind that while you may try to design and format your book jacket cover on your own, there are professional editors who will do it for you. An experienced editor will create a professionally written book jacket cover that will capture your audiences attention. This is short, succinct copy that sends a strong message about your writing.
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Heather Todd is full-time professional editor, published writer & marketing consultant whose passion is to help others create a letter-perfect presentation in their writing. Ms. Todd is Senior Level III Editing Consultant for http://www.FirstEditing.com
