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The back cover of a book is referred to in many names, some call it “dusk gasket”. This is also the outer layer of a book that can be removed. The writing on this outer back cover is referred to as a Blurb or Synopsis. Almost everyone will pick up a book at one time or the other and it can happen in the real world or online. Though 99.9% of readers will examine the front book cover first and if the back cover is attractive enough, they will flip a book over and that is when they can decide whether to buy or borrow your book or not. Fortunately, online publishers like Amazon now allow online readers to check both the front and back cover of a book.
Why is the Back of the Book Cover Very Important?
The back of the book cover can be very important especially in the area of marketing and launching the book. Each step in creating and publishing a book must be set for success and these include having a good book cover. Though the first thing people look at before deciding whether to buy a book or not, is the front cover increasing number of people are now checking out both the front and back cover. For the more serious people, reading the synopsis and checking out the piece of art on the back cover is equally important when deciding whether to buy a book or not. There are several places to find ideals on book cover mockups but never miss these book mockups and information offered on this website.
Ry and put yourself in the position of readers online looking for their next book to read online. As the reader scrolls from page to page, there will be lists of options. While the front cover gets most of the accolades, readers will surely want to check out information about the author of a book before finally picking it up.
One important thing about the back cover of the book is ha if the potential reader doesn’t find your front cover pleasant enough, the back cover may make them say further in considering your book and if they find it fascinating enough, they may change their mind and settle for your book. Your back cover does no only offer extra support for the protection of the content inside, it is as important as your book’s front cover.
What Should be Included in the Back Cover?
Your book’s back cover will perform its job if a potential reader checks it up, this is why you should not blow up that chance of converting people to readers via the back cover.
The description or synopsis of your book is the most important thing you should include in it, even though some people may argue that the artwork design is more important. Many potential readers will pay more attention to a glimpse of information inside the book and wouldn’t get carried away with great artistic designs.
A headshot is another important thing your book cover should contain. It should also contain your credentials and bio especially if the book is academic work. You may include the bio and credentials in the interior of your book flap instead of the book cover too, as doing this will help leave more space at the back for other things. Putting your bio at the back will help readers find out some information about the person who wrote the book and this piece of information may help you seal a deal especially with the little description added.
The back cover of the book should also leave a space for the inclusion of the International Standard Book Number, though it doesn’t occupy much space as it is written in one line. The International Standard Book Number or ISBN comes with a bar code and ha should be included too. All these are only needed for offline books and not Amazon online published eBooks.
The description is also known as the panel copy and it briefly summarizes the different parts of your book and also highlights key features. The description is just like a movie teaser that gives a preview of what to expect in a movie. Be careful of revealing too much in your book description, you want to leave so much to the imagination of your readers and to make them buy it. Keep in mind that your description is not a personal statement on why you wrote the book.
If you have any book reviews or endorsements, you should include them on the back cover. For instance, an endorsement from celebrities, known actors, and other public figures can help your book sell more and faster, hence they should be squeezed into the limited space. Endorsements on a book are just like celebrities endorsing a TV commercial.
Additionally, writing services (check out Academichelp for more information) can also be an invaluable tool in creating back cover text that accurately portrays the book’s story and mission, while also squeezing in as many endorsements and reviews as possible.
Your Bio should be short, perhaps 3 sentences should be enough. If your book belongs to the fiction genre, you should express your personality to your potential readers, and you should also describe your most recent accomplishments. As a non-fiction writer, you should establish your credentials by describing yourself and recent works. In summary, you should aim at using your author bio to sell yourself briefly and connect with your readers.
Conclusion
The importance of a book cover to the whole book cannot be over-emphasized. It is an integral part of your overall piece of work that many potential readers and buyers will check out. As one of the most underrated components of book marketing, the book cover normally becomes the last place of consideration. The art on the book cover must also be done in moderation to avoid excessive use of space that may not allow you to include some other vital information. Your book cover should be easy to view and read, hence you should not use more than three-quarters of the space and make sure the font sizes of your letterings are readable. In summary, your art and contents on the book cover should be simple.
