True story: In the initial conversation with potential clients I’m likely to ask what their book is about. Even with a completed first draft, there are writers who can’t tell me.
True story: I recently received an email from a client assuring me that she was following through on our initial conversation and had nearly completed a detailed outline, but she was now stumped: I don’t know how to end the story.
In both situations, I recommend writing the copy for the back cover. In fact, writing the back cover copy is a good place to begin the writing process, even before starting the outline. Unfortunately, most writers don’t think about this until their manuscript is done and they are ready to consider marketing, so they come to a point where they’re unclear about how to proceed with the writing.
It’s useful early-on to write the back cover copy to have a constant reference point as you wander through your text. Your story line or material can always be compared to the back copy cover. If you are not sure whether to include a chapter that is the most beautiful writing you’ve ever created, check to see if it satisfies your description on the back cover.
I’m not saying that you can’t alter your back cover copy, but it will stand as a great self-editing tool: Does the structure work to achieve my intention? Have I seen my intention through to completion? You may realize that your intention wasn’t clear when you wrote the copy, and that it shifted as you wrote the text. Good – now rewrite the back cover material in alignment with your clarity.
So here’s what to include:
For fiction, in three or four (efficient) sentences describe the heart of the story and what the reader will experience from reading it. You can use words like titillating, sensual, terrifying, infuriating – you need to be dramatic to captivate a reader as they stand in a bookstore (attracted by striking cover design and intriguing title) or glance at the blurb online.
For non-fiction, tell the reader what is unique about your approach to the topic, then include bullet points of what they will learn. A list of benefits they will gain is much easier to absorb than reading them enumerated in a sentence.
For both fiction and non-fiction, include a paragraph to tell the reader who you are to be commanding her attention with this content. If you are an authority on the subject of your book, that is important. If you are the author of 12 award winning novels, that’s enticing. (Personally I have no desire to know who you live with or where, unless that information is relevant to the content. “Mel D. lives with 17 Rhodesian orphans on a self-sustaining farm in Siberia” might be appropriate for a book of low-tech survival skills. “Janice J lives with a constantly increasing number of cats and her 17 children in rural Connecticut” is not appropriate for a book on ecological issues.)
Writing your back cover copy is also the beginning of your query letter, so it’s worth defining your intention concisely. And you can speak about it to anyone any time – whether colleagues at a conference, agents you meet at the hairdresser, or your boyfriend’s grandmother. You are prepared for spontaneous conversations, as well as for keeping your writing on track so that your ending gives the reader the perfect aftertaste when she reaches the last page. She will be left with the question or understanding that you want her to be contemplating. And you will know when you have reached the end.
Until next time, delight in the process.
Download PDF Back Cover Text As Your Basic Guide