As an author you may be great at writing “promo copy”—describing the story you know so well in simple terms. This is great, if you are writing a novel, and people know your genre, and love your style like Tom Clancy. You simply propose a new setting or interaction with characters and your audience wants to read your book.
But, if you are NOT Tom Clancy…
You can learn to write cover copy that is inspiring and engaging, not simply descriptive.
It should be simple for an author to tell people what the book is about. But what will inspire the reader to pay for a book from an author they don’t know?
Your new reader is looking for an experience, not simply a story. What impact, what engagement? what emotions will they encounter when they read your book?
We can help you take your descriptive copy and make it aspirational, engaging, inspiring readers to take that first step and trust you.
We get cover copy in-house frequently that is written by authors to sell their book. And here is one point where colaboration and trust between authors and a support team is vital… I share the below information with them, and then give the author a choice.
Here are some examples, both good and bad, of how you can take basic descriptions of your story and make them into engaging cover copy.
This is a story about XYZ. How A becomes B, then C takes A to D…
This is simply boring because we are not yet invested in any of these characters. It can feel like a spoiler as well, because general descriptions don’t engage us like stories do. Good authors know this when writing the story, but now make the fatal error of giving a vague description to people who have no investement in the characters or indeed the world that the author has created.
Description make us feel like we already know what the story is about… When you read the description on the back cover of a book you immediately think: “This sounds just like ABC and DEF book.” It is the natural action that our minds make when we read a description. We very intelligently put it in a category and compare it to what we know. That’s how we store information and make decision—like the decision to buy this book.
But if we feel we already know the story, or it is similar to another story we want to read, then there is no reason to take the risk on this new author. The potential readers mind is left with a question,”…but is the author any good?”
“I recognize this story, but how do I know if this author is any good?”
Here’s the Solution to Great Back Cover Copy for New Authors!
Instead of describing your book, you can tell the reader what they will encounter when they read this story. Engage your readers from the start. Invite them to be part of something big.
What is the revolutionary thinking that makes your novel great?
Who are the transformational characters the reader will meet in your story?
Here’s a template you can easily keep in mind for great back cover copy that engages your readers.
Welcome to [name of universe], where you will discover [reader’s transformational experience] as you embark on [readers journey]. Meet [transformational guide character] who unlocks the secret of [learning experience, but avoid a spoiler].
And here’s a quick example—forgive the run-on sentence, and over simplified ideas. Hopefully this will help you write aspirational cover copy for your readers…
“Welcome to a world that exists parallel to our own, where you will encounter the real Father Christmas, and meet the Eternal Lion who speaks deeply into your soul. His words may scare you, but are sure to awaken the passion and desire that is in you to become great. Listen to His words and you will find yourself becoming a King or a Queen, not only in the magical land of Narnia, but maybe in your own world too.”
( And if you haven’t yet read, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, then I insist you do so before reading any more of my blog!)
The above copy speaks to the reader, hinting at the interaction they will have with the characters in the story. That is why readers read! It creates an expectation about what they will think and feel, the experience they will have, and a slight transformational experience they could get, if only they would read this story.
I want to help you create this experience for your book! If you need help, ask! I hope this blog will at least start you down the right path…
And sometimes as an author you may push back and remind me that you’ve hired me to publish the book, not write it…
That’s the partnership when you work with us!
You may simply tell me, “This is what we want to do. Put this on the back cover.” As the author of your book, you are right—and I have the skill to help you make it happen!