BACK COVER COPY AND SALES HANDLE
WHAT YOU GET:
- Back cover copy and a sales handle written by staff experienced in creating compelling
book copy.
Back cover copy is one of the first interactions with your book that a potential
reader will have. Think about it for moment. While it may be the front cover that
entices a reader to select a certain book in the first place, they inevitably turn
the book over to read the back cover copy before making a decision. This is why
the back cover copy is so important. It’s not just a simple synopsis with
a few words of praise. The back cover copy is really the first line of communication
with your audience, and it may turn a book browser into a book buyer.
Sales Handle
Since you have such a short window of opportunity to catch a reader’s attention
(and the added challenge of keeping it there), you have to begin your back cover
copy with the all-important first eye-grabbing line. In the publishing industry,
we call this the sales handle. A sales handle is a very brief description that covers
what your book is, and why it's compelling and different. Here are some examples
of sales handles that our experienced staff have written for books published under
our imprints.
NON-FICTION EXAMPLES
From Cancer Sucks: A True Story by David Yates
“If lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice, what are the odds
that cancer would strike David Yates three times - and he would survive?”
From Last Laughs: A Pocketful of Wry for the Aging by
Everett Mattlin
“Last Laughs: A Pocketful of Wry for the Aging is the perfect antidote
for feeling out of place in our youth-oriented culture. Author Everett Mattlin puts
it all in true - and entertaining - perspective.”
FICTION EXAMPLES
From The Battle for Beaver Bay by Brian Schultz
“For logger Jeb Creaven, the past can be a dangerous thing — especially
since it carries an axe.”
From 85A by Kyle Smith
“What do you get when you cross Holden Caulfield with Johnny Rotten? Meet
Seamus O’Grady, the 15-year-old, punk-rock protagonist of 85A.”
Back Cover Copy
For a work of fiction, the back cover copy is where you might introduce characters,
setting, and plot, just leading up to the point of resolution. No spoilers! The
back cover copy comes after the sales handle, which has already done some of the
legwork in setting up what the book will explore. Often a comparison can be made
to a similar author (e.g., "If you like Graham Greene, you'll not be disappointed
with this book"). Here are some examples of back cover copy written by our staff
for books published under our imprints.
FICTION EXAMPLE
From Fake Perfect Me by Cari Kamm
“Isabella Reynolds seems to have it all—the former Southern belle with
big dreams is the head of her own skin care company and is the self-proclaimed queen
of all things beautiful in New York City. Then her world comes crashing down, and
she is stripped of everything she loves—her man, the Italian litigator ‘Saint’
Santo; her company, and even her beloved dog, Potato. With her penchant for binging
and purging, how can she turn her life around when she still feels the need to maintain
her ‘perfect’ façade?”
For non-fiction, the back cover copy description needs to prove why this particular
book on this subject (which, no doubt, has been written about many times over) is
different or outstanding in some way. What makes yet another book on Italian cooking
interesting? Perhaps the recipes use only vegan ingredients, or follow traditions
from a particular region. Other important selling points could include the fact
that an author has an established platform as a professor in the subject he or she
is writing on, is the author of another book, or is an award-winner. These should
also be used as selling points and will help make persuasive and engaging back cover
copy. Remember that the back cover copy may also be used on your website or in your
marketing materials, and is very likely to be heavily drawn from in any reviews
or interviews regarding your book.
NON-FICTION EXAMPLE
From The Man Who Lived in an Eggcup by John Gamel
“In the corridors of every hospital lurk tales of triumph and tragedy, lives
won and lost to the world of medicine. But the complexity of the human psyche cannot
be stripped down to mere science. Indeed, it’s in this environment - where
people remain at their most vulnerable - the human condition manifests itself the
strongest.
In these alternately heartwarming and heartbreaking memoirs - most previously published
in some of America’s best journals, such as Epoch, The Antioch Review, and
The Alaska Quarterly Review - author John Gamel shares what he’s
seen during a lifetime in medicine. These are the stories behind the stories, and
with them come the desires, failures, addictions, and fragilities that make us who
we are.”
Mill City Press offers a back cover copy and sales handle writing service to ensure
that your book stands the best chance of capturing the attention and interest of
your readers.
