It may be written by the author or publisher or quote praise from others. Beyond the familiar distinction between hardcovers and paperbacks, there are further alternatives and additions, such as dust jackets, ringbinding, and older forms such as the nineteenthcentury paperboards and the traditional types of handbinding. 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. The hard front and back covers of a book are called the boards. Smile is a memoir graphic novel that centers around telgemeiers traumatic orthodontic experience. Its design matches the front endpaper and, in accordance with it, contains either plain paper or pattern, image etc. Check out selected results from nypl title quest 2019, held august 2, 2019, as well as title quest 2018. How to create a back book cover blurb that sells kindlepreneur. The name and term stuck for any publishers contents on a books back cover, even after the. Blurb distinct from the back book cover blurb is this 12 line endorsement of a book by a celebrity or another author that sits on the book s front cover. The front matter pages usually arent visibly numbered. A blurb is a short promotional piece accompanying a piece of creative work. This book cover is for a textbook but you can use it on any hardcover book, journal, or binder.
A soft back book also known as a paperback however is very flimsy, and breaks easily. What is a board book and how is it different from hard cover. The title pages of an item, the verso of the title pages, any pages preceding the title pages, and the cover. Its the third because if the book has maximum impact, then word of mouth is created, and word of mouth is what sells your product, not the cover. Book cover design is comprised of text and images that conveys a single. You already know that, in fact, everyone does judge a book by its cover. You might ask, does the back of the book even matter. That descriptionwhatever its calledis a crucial element of your marketing strategy. Book flaps contain information designed to help sell the book, as well as information about the books author. My 6 yr old daughter came home from school saying it was called a blurb.
The description on the back cover of a book is called different things. How to build the back of a book cover with template reedsy blog. Even if you store the book for extended periods of time, you can still see that the papers within the book are still good. A title page preceding or following the title page chosen as the basis for the description of. 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 include a tagline also known as a logline or the shout line, a blurb, possibly a brief author bio, a barcode and an isbn number. Below are a few examples of back cover copy for fiction. Also called a french joint or french groove, groove, gully, channel, and outer joint. It bends when the book is opened and is only seen on hardcover books. The 150 to 200 words youll choose to place on your books back cover might just be the. Why you should ignore the superlatives on book jackets.
A book cover is any protective covering used to bind together the pages of a book. Tactically, the cover sells the back cover, the back cover sells the flap and by then youve sold the book. The sheets of paper that make up the pages of a book are called the leaves. The back of a book cover is the perfect place to put this social proof. When you hear about authors being asked to blurb a book, its this endorsement theyve been asked to provide. How do i cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book.
Finding a book when youve forgotten its title the new. Learn how to write a back book cover blurb that not only intrigues readers but gets. It had a red cover and was something to do with fire possibly. Im trying to remember the name of a young adult book i read back in the early 2000s. Colors, objects and even the titles tell you a lot about the book. The other major difference between dust jackets and the covers of softcover books is that the cover is intrinsic. The flap of a book is the part of the cover folded to appear on the inside front and back of a book. Quite often the back of the book will include pages from the authors next novel a teaser to inspire you to buy the next book too.
The summary on the back cover of the book is called blurb. Its not writing the book but writing the back cover text. Its not every day you run into someone whose specialty is back cover copy for your book. Blurbs were originally printed on the back or rear dustjacket of a book, and. Finding a book when youve forgotten its title by gwen glazer, communications november 22, 2017. Back cover endorsements can also act as a call to action that entices readers dive into the book. Back cover definition and meaning collins english dictionary. A book flap also typically includes a photograph of the author. A hard cover book is usually a book that has a hard cover.
This is an update of a previous post by sharon rickson. Joint the joint of a book is the small groove which runs vertically down the book itself between the book boards book cover and the spine. 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. Note the front cover, back cover, spine, layout, picture, fonts, and other. The back cover is thick, almost cardbound, and the overall weight of the book is more than say a paperback. Walmart has a huge selection of reading material, including classics, new releases and nonfiction. In the book trade theyre called uncorrected proofs and are used to start generating support for a work prior to its publication. Its so tempting to think if everyone is doing x and i.
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 your text and then create a standard entry for the book in your workscited list. Laying out back cover endorsements should be done in a strategic way that compels a potential reader to want to explore the contents of the book, and ultimately purchase it to indulge in the interesting content within. On the back of the title page is listed information for cataloging. Reading is a wonderful way to relax or to learn new things. The definition on wikipedia is a blurb is a short promotional piece accompanying a creative work. The back matter also known as the end matter is you guessed it material found at the back of a book. Front matter is the information that appears in the very beginning of a book. Wondering what the back of a book cover is called and why its so important, then this is the article for you. The back cover often contains biographical matter about the author or editor, and quotes from other sources praising the book. What is the summary written on the cover at the back of a book called. Book covers, dust jackets, and casewrap books the book. The cover of your book is important because its the first thing a reader sees.
Asked in search engine optimization, books and literature. In this video, well share with you five important tips to keep in mind when submitting your. What are the things on the back of the book called. The fundamental advantage of having a hardbound cover is that the book in itself remains undamaged. The cover page of a book is not the same thing as the actual cover. Authors use their back matter to offer readers further context or information about the story, though back matter can also be extremely simple. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The first book has no name it is just called artemis fowl if you cant find it look for a gold cover on the back of the book it says. This means all the focus needs to be on the reader their needs and expectations. But once that reader picks up your book and flips to. It goes without saying that the cover of your book is key.
What is the summary written on the cover at the back of a. The summary on the back of a book is called a synopsis. So they give their 2 daughters necklaces but they each hate the one they got. If those steps end up selling a book that the purchaser doesnt like, game over. Back cover copy includes the book summary and author bio once you wow your potential readers with an excellent front cover, the next part of your book thatll hook them is your back cover copy, which is publishing speak for the information that appears on the back cover. How to build the back of a book cover with template. The wording on the back cover of a book stating a brief discription of the book. As already noted, writing a back book blurb is a marketing exercise. British indie novelist carol cooper, who has also had many nonfiction books tradepublished provided balance against the naysayers i think puff quotes can be useful if they are from someone really well known, or they add to the info thats already on the book cover.
You also know that you have only two or three seconds to attract a potential reader with your front cover. The backcover copy also functions as the primary ad for your book. Here are six rules to be mindful of before you put pen to paper on your back book cover blurb. Although this book has been making the popularity rounds on youtube and in other ya circles, it didnt really appeal to me until a booktuber i follow, who isnt a reader of ya books, mentioned a few things that piqued my interest.
The three main sections of a book cover are the front, the spine, and the back cover. What is the wording on the back cover of a book called. This free book cover template includes a full front and back cover for a paperback or softcover, including an adjustable spine. It can be tough to remember the title and author of a book you read a long time ago. So it has a king and a queen or possibly just super rich landowners back in the time if castles. Testimonials are incredibly persuasive in transforming potential readers into readers.
One childs courage to survive paperback september 1, 1995. Its called a blurb and it isnt in the back of the book, its on the back cover of the book, on the outside. 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. Back cover copy includes the book summary and author bio. Hand bound books may not be cased in, but thats another world from what were looking at here. The front matter contains the nuts and bolts of the books publicationinformation such as title, author, publisher, isbn, and library of congress data. The hard cover of most commercially bound books is known as the case. What is the writing on the back cover of a book called. It is a brief description of a book and book plot that should immediately attract the attention of your. When buying a new book, covers play an important role and influence in. After the book title and front cover, the back cover is the next thing readers look at when deciding whether to make a purchase. Sometimes its called book jacket copy or back cover copy.
Five tips for a professional cover design authorhouse. Super simple to customize with your own sizing and design, this book cover template is the perfect canvas for creating your own printready layout. Casebound books are sometimes issued with paper covers, which are typically called dust. Copy that occurs on the back cover of a softcover book would generally appear on the front and back flaps of the dust jacket of a casebound book. The pinnacle orchards catalog was named best food catalog, received dozens. Immerse yourself in a story, get to know new characters, read about your favorite historical period or learn a new skill by picking up a book.
Youll want it to have a design that grabs their attention and portrays an accurate idea of what your book is about. Book cover or book board the front and back covers of books are often referred to as book covers or book boards as they are often made of bookbinding board and cover the book. A synopsis sums up the plot of a written work, providing a brief description of the main events of the storyline. The pages at the beginning and end of a book are called the endpapers or the. Not only will it appear on the book itself, but youll probably use it as your amazon description. What do you call the paper cover that covers a hard back. 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. 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. Writing your back cover copy book designer fiona raven. The back cover of a book usually contains a blurb about the contents of the book. It is a brief description of a book and book plot that should immediately attract the attention of your readers.
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