1 For Amazon, being in the “Search Inside” feature is a must do. The text and graphics on the back cover of your book should ALWAYS be viewed as prime advertising and marketing space. This is expensive “real estate” to give up to anything that could be considered or viewed as “fluff”.
2 The front cover of your book is the shout out and “Hey–look me over” hook for anyone online. It better be competitive with anything that your book (and the title of it) on Amazon (and in bookstores as well). The back cover is your holy grail … it’s where the sale is made. Or trashed. Within seconds, a bookstore shopper will turn a book to learn more about what’s inside the book and what the benefit is to him or her. Remember, books relieve “PAIN” –even fiction … they pain may be the need to drop out for pure entertainment for a few hours.
3 Buyers also want to know about WHO the author is. Make sure you include that you are an expert in the topic if you are a nonfiction author; for fiction, elaborate on what brought you to the genre–just a little insight.
4 When your back cover is written with the HOOK of a headline, touches on the benefits to the reader, they look quickly side. Does the inside support what was promised on the back? If yes … the sale is yours.
Online, the “Search Inside” feature found on books at Amazon.com and the “Look Inside” feature found on many books at BarnesandNoble.com permits you to “turn the book over” and examine the contents of the back cover.
How cool is that?
Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. She empowers authors and is the Founder of Author U, a membership organization created for the serious author who wants to be seriously successful. She’s been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. Judith is the author of 34 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms (ForeWord IndieFab Book of the Year), Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences. Book #34 will be published in August: The CrowdFunding Guide for Authors and Writers.
Become part of her inner circle by joining the Author’s Ark and exclusive monthly webinar and coaching event. Each summer, she holds Judith Briles Book Publishing Unplugged, a three day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. In 2015, the dates are August 27-29th. Her audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform is now available. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing on the Toginet Network at bit.ly/PublishingShow .
Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and Judith Briles – TheBookShepherd on Facebook. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact Judith at Judith@Briles.com.
Author U is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the author who wants to be seriously successful. Monthly education programs delivered face-to-face and online, The Author Resource ezine, BookCamps and the annual Author U Extravaganza are tools designed for authors pre, during and post publishing of their books. Join AuthorU.org today.
If you are looking for FREE author and book coaching … call in to Judith’s Author Monday Mornings at NOON Eastern each Monday. The number is 218-632-9854; Access Code 1239874444 … have your questions ready–there’s a full hour to ask and listen.
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