When someone is contemplating purchasing a book, the front cover grabs their attention, so it must be eye-catching. But think about something else for a moment. What is the NEXT thing a potential buyer does with a book before they buy it? Yep, you guessed it. They turn it over and read the back! Your story is remarkable, but how you display it is equally important and can impact your sales!
An author’s bio and book blurb are extremely valuable during the writing process! If you can write a good book, this should be no problem. One of the essential things I want you to keep in mind is that every word counts!
Book Blurbs
Your book’s blurb matters! You get approximately 250 words or less to convince a reader to either dive in or avoid your book! Choose your words wisely. A few ways you can do this are:
· Get straight to the point. Your first sentence should pique the reader’s interest immediately. Use evocative words, emotions, and words that gravitate to the reader. There’s nothing wrong with putting yourself in the reader’s shoes.
· Show the reader what they can expect. Do not go over the top, but give snippets of details that are valuable to the message you are conveying in your book.
· Don’t try to oversell using the blurb. You will turn readers off, especially if the content in your book doesn’t live up to the burb.
I will also add that this is a way for the reader to learn more about the author’s tone and whether the author is going to be writing short summarized paragraphs or page-long descriptions about the love interest.
Blurbs can seriously make or break your book! Now on to the author’s bio…
Author Bio
Do not overcomplicate this process or spend days or hours trying to come up with something creative or catchy. The purpose of this content is to give readers some insight into the author as well as share ways the reader can learn more about you! That’s it. In short, 100 words or less is sufficient. If you start rambling, most readers will not look past the second paragraph. So keep it quick and straightforward. Your bio is just a glimpse, not a life story.
The author bio should include:
· A brief note about who you are, which could consist of where you’re from, and your career.
· A mention of any awards, contests, or honors you’ve won. Stick to significant accolades here. You don’t need to mention that you were an employee of the month, but you should say if you were a general manager or CEO.
· A shortlists of your published novels or collections.
· A very brief list of any other publications where your work has appeared. Keep it to only 3 or 4 venues and always focus on your best publication credits. If you have never had anything published before, then you can skip this.
· A link to either your website and/or social media profiles. After reading your book, people may want to connect with you! Make sure you give them access to you!
· Optional: a fun fact about you. If you do include this, make sure it is a fun fact.
If you can write a book, creating an author bio should be a walk in the park.
The back cover is just as important as the front cover! Font style, color, and size matters. You want to choose a color that is easy to read. It’s great to have a unique book, but you want to make sure that the words are easy on the eyes! It makes a massive difference in the overall look and feel of the book. Do not overcrowd the back cover! Make sure that the spacing is aesthetically pleasing, and if you choose a personal image, make sure it is high-resolution.
These are just a few tips on the importance of the back cover! I hope this was helpful. Enough reading, get to writing!