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Back Cover Copy

 

This is the place where I go to get information about the novel I’ve picked up. However, I don’t want to be told much and I rarely read beyond the second sentence. If ever an author is going to hook me, it’s here because I’m a patient reader once I open the cover, but if you destroy the story with TMI (too much information) on the back cover, I’m done. What’s the point of reading it if the whole story is told in a tiny synopsis on the back of the book?

 

Point two on back cover copy: I detest a bunch of questions regarding the plot or conflict of the players. In fact, even one question annoys me. Just give me a hint of what the story’s about, and I’m good to go. Those probing questions elicit melodrama of the worst kind. I can almost hear the jarring music of the old black and white herky-jerky films accompanying the escalating questions. The idea of back cover copy—for me, anyway—is to set the stage for the story. The general idea without specifics unless necessary to define the major conflict or dilemma. Please, no questions.

 

Maybe you’re a review reader or perhaps you expect the back cover copy to reveal a fair amount of information on the characters or storyline. If so, how much do you want to know about it? And do you read the first page? Or the first chapter? I rarely read any of the actual writing before buying the book. I could probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve read any of the story before buying/reading it.

 

So what do you expect from back cover copy?

 

 

Father, help us to do our best. You’ve made us all so unique. Help us to treat each other well. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

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8 responses to “Back Cover Copy”

  1. Brenda Avatar
    Brenda

    I’ve never read back cover copy that gave too much away. If its one of the few books that pass the book cover test (not many get past that stage), I always read (or at least skim) the backcover blurb. The back cover blurb is my 2nd line of defense for weeding out romance novels.
    I’m opposite of you–I think the 150 word back cover blurb is just right. It usually tells me who the protag is and what his conflict is. And I want to know that before I plunk down a considerable chunk of change for a book.
    And if the book passes the back cover blurb test, I’ll probably skim the first page or two.
    And if it passes that test, it becomes one of the rare ones I’ll buy.

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  2. Brenda Avatar
    Brenda

    P.S. Books without back cover copy annoy me greatly–both fiction and non-fiction.

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  3. Brenda Anderson Avatar
    Brenda Anderson

    Back cover copy is probably the most important factor in whether I read a book or not. I need it to hint at the initial conflict, but not tell me the whole story.
    One trend I’ve noticed lately is that back cover copy gives away plot snippets that don’t occur until midway through the book & sometimes later. Now that annoys me. As a reader, I want to be surprised by what’s coming. The back cover copy should get me hooked so the rest of the story can be a journey into the unknown.

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  4. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    Brenda, you’ve got a fairly stiff map for buying your books, and I don’t blame you especially since your fiction reading choices are limited to a particular and rare niche of historical novels.
    I too am annoyed by the huge author pictures consuming the back cover. Interesting decision for publishers to do that. It’s like a celebrity photo–and I suppose that’s the aim. Feature the big name author, get a large “page” for a potential autograph. I don’t know.
    Brenda A., this is it for me, too: “The back cover copy should get me hooked so the rest of the story can be a journey into the unknown.”

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  5. Melissa Marsh Avatar
    Melissa Marsh

    I’ve been writing back cover copy for more than five years now (for a major self-publishing book company). It’s not easy, and everyone has their likes and dislikes. I confess, after writing so darn many of the things (well over 1,000), I get jaded with the entire process. Some of the back covers on traditionally published books are so melodramatic that I roll my eyes, too. But if that’s the direction marketing wants to go, then you have to abide by it.
    I have a bit more leeway on my end and can use my own style. I don’t like to give too much away, but the goal is to entice the reader to buy the book. Granted, this is really, really hard sometimes when I have to write the back cover copy for an extremely bad book (and believe me, I’ve done tons of those, too).
    As far as my personal buying/reading tastes go, I usually have to read the first few pages to get a taste of the author’s writing style. If I don’t like it, I won’t buy it, no matter how compelling the story might be.

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  6. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    Thanks for your expertise, Melissa. Tell me this: do you have to read each book before you write the back cover copy? Or do you read a synopsis provided by the author or an editor(?)?
    It’s tough writing I agree. I’ve done the back cover copy on all of my novels even though only two of them are (self) published. It can be tricky to give just enough info to intrigue and not expose the story.

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  7. Melissa Marsh Avatar
    Melissa Marsh

    I have a synopsis provided by the author, but usually they’re not very good, so I do have the entire book to browse through if need be.

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  8. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    Wow. I bet this has enhanced your ability to write the back cover copy/blurbs, synopses, etc. on your own work. Impressive, Melissa.

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