Writing a book jacket cover

Although most book jackets covers are designed by an authors publishing house, knowing how to design a book jacket cover is something most authors should know how to do. Tips for a successful book cover writing with jenna moreci. Your book jacket should contain an image that intrigues potential readers by giving them a taste of whats to come without spoiling the whole plot. Just as publishers do when designing real book covers, you should devote a good deal of time and energy to creating the perfect visual representation. But it is the single most important piece of writing you will do on your. The saddest truth in book sales is that even the greatest story on the shelf cant sell itself without solid packaging. These 50 awesome book covers will inspire you learn. Date artwork created, title of book, author or editor name, publisher, year, front cover. Even though weve all been told since childhood to never judge a book by its cover, the fact is that book cover design does attract readers.

Writing tips how to write a book jacket cover articles. So youve written your book, youve chosen your title and cover design. Jan, 2010 although most book jackets covers are designed by an authors publishing house, knowing how to design a book jacket cover is something most authors should know how to do. Now you have to decide what goes on the back cover. Once students have collected all of their image resources, have them use pixie, wixie, or share to combine them into a front and back cover design or book jacket. Sep 25, 20 thata a lot of buying potential just waiting to be claimed by a snappy back cover. Book marketing is a big business, and most publishing companies have staff devoted to book design above and beyond the editorial team, including graphic designers, cover artists, and copywriters. While its always a great idea to hire a professional to design your cover art, its important to know the elements and format. This will help you gauge how many or few words youll want to include. How to write good jacket copy nathan bransford writing. Reading, writing, and the book jacket design process. Try to avoid gradients on your book cover, as well as any garnish or color combinations. If you queried agents or editors at any point, you might be able to start with the hook from your query letter. Book copy should be short, succinct, and send a message.

Design book covers with canvas free book cover maker. How to write kickbutt bcc back cover copy the wise. You wont need to spend hundreds hiring a designer when you create your own awesome cover in canvas book cover maker. Protect your library books and extend circulation life. Writing about yourself is a task that many even full time writers shy away from. Mar 17, 2014 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. It is short, succinct copy that sends a strong message about your writing. While you may not be writing your own book jacket copy, its still important for any writer to be able to do so. The book cover creator is designed to allow users to type and illustrate front book covers, front and back covers, and full dust jackets. We proudly offer six different styles of covers, including center slit book jacket covers, multifit book jacket covers, open. Jeff brown graphics scifi and fantasy book cover design. The back cover is like a second line of marketing if the front cover hooked them in, now the back cover has to close the sale practically, the back cover of fiction books tend to. The next step is grabbing the readers interest with a tempting back cover synopsis that leaves her guessing.

This book report project is an equal mix of writing and creativity that students love. In this guide, ill walk you through how to write a book description, provide you a template, and include. Most publishing companies have staff devoted to book design above and beyond the editorial team, including graphic designers, cover artists, and copywriters. How do i cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book. Next is choosing a title and helping create an eyecatching cover. In that sense, a good blurb is anything but subjective. How do i cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book cover or jacket in the text and in the workscited list. Book jacket project description page grading rubric halfpage design example photos of a completed book jacket book jacket template. Book flaps contain information designed to help sell the book, as well as information about the. Sep 12, 2018 creating a book blurb, while still technically writing, is closer to a science than an art. A few simple steps can get an effective bio that will impress interested. Its not every day you run into someone whose specialty is back cover copy for your book. Tls is the leading manufacturer in highquality book jacket covers.

Historical fiction book covers jenny quinlan specializes in book cover design for historical novels. Book jacket copy isnt about summarizing your project or. Things i learned while publishing my first book and writing my second book. Hes the art director for knopf and is considered by many to be not just one of the leading designers of his day, but one of the most influential in the history of book jacket design. Dec 04, 2019 they might flip to the back of your book or to the dust jacket and read the blurb. 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. While its always a great idea to hire a professional to design your cover art, its important to know the elements and.

Book jacket copy isnt about summarizing your project or providing the reader with a clear synopsis or plot spoiler. Canvas collection of book cover layouts is the best on the web. New authors sometimes rush this decision, writing the first. We offer a wide selection of paper back book covers including book savers, vistagloves, smart cover, easy cover, flexarmor, duragurad and reddicovers. How to write a back cover book synopsis pen and the pad. Typically, a copywriter crafts the text that appears on the book jacket or paperback cover. An eyecatching design can make the difference between a book that sells and one that stalls, so dont let your future bestseller get passed over due to a soso cover design. Most often, book reports are a k12 assignment and range from 250 to 500 words. An eyecatching design can make the difference between a book. The purpose of a book jacket blurb is to present a small snapshot of what readers will find inside the book.

Tls has a broad selection of protective book coverings including paperback book covers, book jackets covers, book laminate and laminators. Tor had put a big push behind it, orders had been taken, and so on, but they had no book. Designing a book cover can be a scary step in the publishing process. 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. Before writing your back book blurb, choose 35 of the bestselling books in your genre and make a note of stylistic similarities. You retain full ownership of the final design you select. Its the first impression that conveys your books message, your brand, and most. Mar 23, 2017 the flap of a book is the part of the cover folded to appear on the inside front and back of a book. You have one shot at introducing your story to your reader. The flap of a book is the part of the cover folded to appear on the inside front and back of a book. Dec 20, 2016 according to survey results from the book smugglers, 79 percent of people say that a book cover plays a role in their decision to buy a book.

My students typically complete their book jacket in in three 30minute. Previously, i covered the why of writing book jacket copy. Book blurbs are an oftoverlooked part of a writers marketing planafter youve spent so much time writing a new book, it can feel understandably overwhelming to write even morebut these blurbs are actually a crucial part of book sales, and they can be. A few simple steps can get an effective bio that will impress interested readers and help sell your book. Students can use the tool to create new covers for books that they read as well as to create covers for books they write individually or as a class.

Once a reader sees a book cover design and thinks the book title is intriguing, whats next. In todays guest post, editor jessi rita hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling backcover copy. Tls is the leading manufacturer in highquality book jacket. The fact that chip kidd designed the cover for his novel the cheese monkeys, published by scribner in 2001, should come as no surprise.

You have one shot at introducing your story to your reader make it count. 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. Apr 19, 2017 tips for a successful book cover writing with jenna moreci. How to write jacket copy that will help sell your book. If you are citing descriptive copy or a quotation printed on the cover of. Also try to visualize how the copy will look on the jacket and back cover of your book. If you are looking to write a book report, please see the owl resource, writing a book report. May 17, 20 7 secrets to writing persuasive back cover sales copy by casey demchak covers the key points authors should think about when writing their sales copy selfpublishing book design. How to write a book description that sells with examples. This is known as a tshirt design and can make you book cover appear amateur and unprofessional. And even if youre planning on only selling through online retailers, bcc is still incredibly useful. But when it comes to the back cover of their printed book, many new authors skimp or are unconcerned with what goes on the back cover. In ebook and selfpublishing, a book blurb is whats used on the main online sales page.

How to design a fiction book cover that sells tips. Aug, 2015 in todays guest post, editor jessi rita hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling backcover copy. Authors spend a great deal of energy writing the book of course. A book flap also typically includes a photograph of the author. The blurb that appears on the back cover of your book, and on your amazon page, will either. Then ensure you incorporate them into your back book jacket blurb. How to write kickbutt bcc back cover copy wise ink blog. We proudly offer six different styles of covers, including center slit book jacket covers, multifit book jacket covers, open edge book jacket covers, polyjac book jacket covers, processor book jacket covers and profit book jacket covers. Its not writing the book but writing the back cover text. The most important advice i can share in picking your book designer and cover design is to make certain that person takes his or her job seriously and embraces the passion that has gone into. We get so caught up in delivering an enthralling story or a big idea.

Typically, a copywriter will create the text that appears on the paperback cover or book jacket. A book blurb also called a backcover blurb or a book description is a short description of the books main character and conflict, usually between 100 and 200 words, that traditionally is included on the inside cover or on the back of a book. A book cover is oftentimes an authors first interaction with a reader, so the cover has to be particularly eyestriking to get readers to move down the sales funnel and purchase the book. So youve written your book, youve chosen your title and cover design, and youre breathing a sigh of relief. Work by convincing readers to take a chance on it, or. A successfully designed book cover will convey the tone of your book, will whisper hints without giving it all away, and will excite readers into actually opening up the book and reading. Nov 23, 2015 authors spend a great deal of energy writing the book of course. What helps them decide if they want to make the purchase. 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. Design book cover for free with online templates adobe spark.

But when it comes to the back cover of their printed book. Write only a paragraph or two, and include the hooksthe story s most engaging plot points. When writing promotional copy, try to identify features that set your book apart, consider what it offers readers in terms of subject matter, characters, or plot and highlight that. So now lets roll up our sleeves and get into how to write a book jacket cover what is copy. Students can use the tool to create new covers for books that they read. Its important to know where your jacket and marketing copy will live and craft your pitch with that in mind. If you are a novelist, your back cover should provide a short summary of what your book is about. Creating a bestselling and popular book is hard enough, so follow the above steps to create your own book cover template. Adobe spark is a free book cover maker that lets you craft a vision from your writing. If you are citing descriptive copy or a quotation printed on the cover of a book, its. Many authors write the book blurb as an afterthought. With it, you can find a book cover template that suits your genre and style, and you can customize it until you have a sleek ebook cover thats perfect for your verbal art. Apr 04, 2019 designing a book cover can be a scary step in the publishing process. Thata a lot of buying potential just waiting to be claimed by a snappy back cover.

And since youre selfpublishing, whats on your physical book matters a lot less than how its going to appear on amazon and other marketplaces. Creating a book blurb, while still technically writing, is closer to a science than an art. Our team of awesome designers have worked hard to create quality layouts which will help your book look professional and sell out. Book flaps contain information designed to help sell the book, as well as information about the book s author.

Hes the art director for knopf and is considered by many to be not. How to write a catchy backcover blurb that sells 2020. Writing tips how to write a book jacket cover articles ways. Once your title and cover have drawn the reader in, the blurb is what is going to make the difference between a missed opportunity and a sale. Try our rigid covers for serious protection against dirt and tearing for your best loved paperback books. 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. Most publishing companies have staff devoted to book design above and beyond the editorial team, including graphic designers, cover. Nine things that need to be on your book cover alicia dunams. An experienced professional editor, such as the editors at firstediting, will create a professionally written book jacket cover that will capture your audiences attention. Jul 11, 2017 yes, an old pulp trick but i did it a number of times in the hundredplus books i wrote in my days of traditional publishing. The three types of book cover design every author should know. Its crucial it be compelling, because readers make buying decisions from the book description.