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. 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. Book jacket definition and meaning collins english. Ip208man information description en1book jacket picture of the hoffa wars author, dan moldea sourcethe hoffa wars. Book jacket noun the noun book jacket has 1 sense 1. Then ensure you incorporate them into your back book jacket blurb. A brief history of the dust jacket books tell you why, inc. A blurb is a short description of a book that is written for promotional purposes. The next piece to start working on is the book summary, which is usually found on the inside flap of book jackets. If theres no clear way to signal direct authority or credentialsfor example, you wrote a thriller or a romance novelthen dont make up things or try to invent authority. This information usually falls into one of three parts.
But when you include this information on createspace, it. My students typically complete their book jacket in in three 30minute. Book jacket definition of book jacket by the free dictionary. How to write good jacket copy nathan bransford writing. Book jacket project description page grading rubric halfpage design to save paper example photos of a completed book jacket different novel as example this hatchet activity is an equal mix of writing and creativity that students love. If you are citing descriptive copy or a quotation printed on the cover of. How to write a memorable author bio with template reedsy. The jacket is a 2001 childrens book by author andrew clements. Name about write this in your designed to be the publishing company. Its important for indie authors to know how to write an author bio that tells readers. Frontmatter introduction in quest of the bookjacket the art of the bookjacket the growth of the bookjacket index classified index of illustrations bookjackets under categories. Description despite the fact that dust jackets often include useful information about a book and its author, including biographical notes and often a portrait, it has long been research libraries practice to remove the jackets from new books during processing for. 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. Novelists will rarely depend on the bio to sell the book, but as book launch.
Now mccann demonstrates once again why he is one of the most acclaimed and essential authors of his generation with a soaring novel. We get so caught up in delivering an enthralling story or a big idea. Feb 28, 2017 this often goes on the interior book jacket flap for hardbacks. Aug, 2015 in todays guest post, editor jessi rita hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling backcover copy. This book report project is an equal mix of writing and creativity that students love. Writing your author bio can be a daunting task, but a wellcrafted bio can help readers learn more about what makes you and your books so. Looking at some of your favorite titles, would you have chosen the same artistic style, or description on the inside book jacket. Be careful not to give away the entire plotl o o rear flap author s name summary of author s life illustration of author back cover spine. Dust jacket in all cases, the lack of a dust jacket should be noted if the book was issued with one. This should be eyecatching and reflect an important part of the book. If you are the publisher or author of this book and.
The most famous example is the jacket on the first edition of the great gatsby by f. The interactive character scrapbook is a great way to engage students and help them form a deeper understanding of a book s characters. After the title and the book cover, your description is the most important book marketing material. Oct 22, 2015 michael siemsen is the usa today bestselling author of 6 novels, including the dig, a warm place to call home a demons story, and exigency. 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. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The wrapper was intended to completely enclose the book, and in fact, there remain traces of sealing wax from where the paper was. The work centers upon a young boy that discovers that although he doesnt identify as racist or discriminatory, he does have deepseated and unconscious. Readers love to know more about the author, and details about who wrote the book can help the description seal the deal.
Sep 12, 2018 a blurb is a short description of a book that is written for promotional purposes. While your book cover design is the most important tool when. The book description goes most prominently on the back cover, and the top of your amazon page. If you are citing a book cover, or part of a book cover, make sure to keep in mind that you are still citing a book. The back cover presents a synopsis and details about the author that relate to the book. If its a novel, you must include the storys most engaging plot points. In todays guest post, editor jessi rita hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling backcover copy. Amanda ripley is an investigative journalist for time, the atlantic and other magazines. Book jacket definition, a removable paper cover, usually illustrated, for protecting the binding of a book and usually giving information about the book and the author. Explain that he will be designing a new book jacket.
It works with almost any fiction or nonfiction book, and can be used individually or as a whole class. Resist that urge you can do that with book blurbs, which are a different thing. Who survives when disaster strikesand why, was published in 15 countries and turned into a pbs documentary. Now you have to decide what goes on the back cover. Its your job to create a book jacketl this project will be creative and funl the purpose of a book jacket is to entice the reader by showing them highlights of the book in words and pictures. Date artwork created, title of book, author or editor name, publisher, year, front cover. A geographical description of pennsylvania, philadelphia, cochran, 1806. Write a complete sentence describing the main idea for each chapter in your book. The cover must include the title of the book, the authors name, and a sentence describing the action of the scene. Generally, 150200 words are more than enough for a full blurb. How do i cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book cover or jacket in the text and in the workscited list. This article will cover both what you need to include in your author bio and some examples of tight professional bios.
In 2009, the bodleian library, oxford discovered what is often cited as the earliest known example of a dust jacket. Here are some reallife author bios that combine most or all of the tips above. Dec 21, 2006 a blurb is usually written on the inside of the dust jacket of the book. How to write a terrific author bio rachelle gardner. Not only is it useful to know what you need to include in an author bio, it is also useful to see examples of how your vital information should look. Jul 28, 2017 how do i cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book cover or jacket in the text and in the workscited list. Here is a great blog post from rachelle gardner about how to write a terrific author bio. The interactive character scrapbook is a great way to engage students and help them form a deeper understanding of a books characters. How important is the illustration and the book jacket description to you when choosing the book. On either the back cover or the inside flap, tells what the book is about. The left inside cover will give a brief summary of the book including examples from the text. Discuss with your child how the book jacket is used to entice the reader and give information about what the book is about.
Traditionally, it would be found on the inside back cover of a hardback. Wild was chosen by oprah winfrey as her first selection for oprahs book club 2. It was a paper wrapper for a gift book, bound in silk, entitled friendships offering 1829. So many authors want to put everything about their book in this section. While your books are a great way to introduce yourself, an author bio can set. Jul 08, 2019 how to write good jacket copy july 8, 2019 by nathan bransford 7 comments one of the most important tasks youll tackle when youre selfpublishing is coming up with a good description that will make someone want to buy your book. It may be an impossible task, as author josh cook suggests in his blog article linked below, but giddyup, because your book is going to need some jacket copy, so it might as well. Design a cover for the outside of your book jacket that includes the title of the book, the authors name, and your name. How to write jacket copy that will help sell your book. Michael siemsen is the usa today bestselling author of 6 novels, including the dig, a warm place to call home a demons story, and exigency.
So youve written your book, youve chosen your title and cover design, and youre breathing a sigh of relief. Describing an old book state library of pennsylvania. Reminiscent of the finest work of michael ondaatje and michael cunningham, transatlantic is colum mccanns most penetrating novel yet. Using a book from your home as an example, talk about what is included on the front cover, such as an image, the title of the book, the author and illustrators name. Publishers and publishing pennsylvania philadelphia 20th century. What you say on your back cover about yourself will not take the place of your formal author bio, which should appear on a page inside the book. Jun 22, 2011 explain that he will be designing a new book jacket. One copy in a near mint jacket was listed for sale in 2009 for half a million dollars. He lives in northern california with the wife, the kids, the dog, that cat, and he occasionally wears pants. Bookjackets or dustjackets, as they are often called, along with other detachable book coverings such as slipcases, have been regularly used by publishers in the englishspeaking world and some countries of the european continent since the early part of the nineteenth century. For a nonfiction book, authors should make a bullet point list of the books main features and actually put that list on the back cover. Be careful not to give away the entire plotl o o rear flap authors name summary of authors life illustration of author back cover spine. It was first published in 2001 as a serialized story that ran in the boston globe and was later published in book format on august 1, 2003 through atheneum books. Using construction paper of whatever color you wish, design a book jacket that will be folded like the picture above.
This could be the description for a book that has been lost in a warehouse for years, never shelved, thumbed or even opened yet may still be some years old. Writing an author bio examples of professional bios. Do you ever think about the book jacket summary after you have read a book. The oprah magazine what distinguishes transatlantic from colum mccanns earlier work isnt the stunning language or the psychological acuity or the humor and imagination on. The book may have been opened and read, but there are no defects to the book, jacket or pages. A fine book approaches the condition of as new, but without being crisp. Nov 23, 2015 write a short summary of what your book is about.
Book jacket picture of the hoffa wars author, dan e. What began as a grad school hobby is now a top food blog, with millions of readers coming to her site for easy. The title of the book 3 the authors name 2 a creative illustration. Advertising text 5 words on a jacket 5 promotional statement 5 advertising copy 5 bookjacket paragraph 5 promotional description. Book jacket project description page grading rubric halfpage design example photos of a completed book jacket book jacket template. Before writing your back book blurb, choose 35 of the bestselling books in your genre and make a note of stylistic similarities. How to write good jacket copy july 8, 2019 by nathan bransford 7 comments one of the most important tasks youll tackle when youre selfpublishing is coming up with a good description that will make someone want to buy your book. Book jacket cover page toc author about book title. Your books author bio tells potential readers who you are, and why they should trust you and buy your book.
How do i cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book. Book summary and author bio on the back of the book. Because the intention is still to capture your readers attention, this summary should sound a little different from a book report summary and give less of the plot away. How to write an amazing author bio book marketing for self. The rise and fall of jimmy hoffa book jacket authordan moldea date1978 permissioncontacted author and he agreed to release this imag. My students typically complete their book jacket in in three. Cuyahoga county public librarys speaker series takes readers beyond the book jacket to meet their favorite authors and go behindthescenes of their favorite books. Find the book you want to change the description for and click edit details.
For some types of books and authors, this is harder to do. The book that inspired the film the imitation game updated edition paperback november 10, 2014. How to write an amazing author bio book marketing for. Description despite the fact that dust jackets often include useful information about a book and its author, including biographical notes and often a portrait, it has long been research libraries practice to remove the jackets from new books during processing for their permanent place in the stacks. Learn how to write an author bio that gets readers attentions. Description despite the fact that dust jackets often include useful information about a book and its author, including biographical notes and often a portrait, it has long.
Visit amazon author central, click on your book, and add it in the about the author section or if you published a paperback version of your book on createspace, you can enter the bio in the author biography section for your book. How to write a book description that sells with examples. If your book is a contemporary romance novel with a middleaged female protagonist, the personality and content of your author bio will be markedly different from if youre writing about taxdeduction strategies for real estate investors. As paperback publishing developed, readers began seeing the blurb appearing on the back cover. 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. The front panel of your book jacket will be an illustration of a scene from the book. New authors sometimes rush this decision, writing the first. Collection of book jackets nypl digital collections. The illustration is creatively designed and relates to the books theme. What is the information about a book located on its jacket called. She is the author, most recently, of the smartest kids in the worldand how they got that way.
What is the information about a book located on its jacket. Make a book jacket for either your favorite book or one that you read and thought could be represented better. Chungah rhee is the founder, recipe developer, and photographer of damn delicious. Over 300,000 authors trust the professionals on reedsy, come meet them. On one side of the scrapbook, students will create an image of the character. Book jacket report directions panel 1 outside cover. Tucker has sold over 5 million books as a 4x nyt bestselling author and is the cofounder of scribe. How to change your book s description in amazons dashboard. The book is in the same immaculate condition as when it was published. Apr 12, 2018 find the perfect marketer for your book.
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