book review back cover

Book Back Cover: 6 Steps to a Back Cover that Converts

Book back cover | book summary | tagline | headline, last updated on: october 10, 2022, 1. start with a strong book cover, 2. craft a compelling book tagline, 3. write a strong book summary, selling books online, 5. write a catchy author bio, book portfolio, book reviews, book barcode, target market, book back cover design templates.

An effective book back cover draws a reader in with a combination of the following five elements: tagline, book summary, teaser, author bio, and book reviews. The back cover of a book is an author’s most valuable tool for turning a browser into a buyer. It is an author's place to tell a reader what makes this book a must-read. This 5-step guide will walk author's through creating a book back cover that converts.

An author has 10 seconds to grab a reader's attention with the book's front cover. The book cover is the forward facing portion of a book. It is the first thing a reader sees, whether a book is shelved face out at a store, or is just a thumbnail online. These days, more and more books are being purchased online. That means the front cover thumbnail needs to be clean and appealing to stand out among a sea of other book covers, most likely in the same genre. An effective book cover needs to make a potential reader stop scrolling. In order to do so, authors need to ensure that the book cover has two elements: a good title and appealing cover art. A reader needs to feel a connection to the book, and needs to know at a glance what they are getting. Cover art that doesn't tell a story will make selling a fiction book challenging, if not impossible. A title written in an unreadable font is likely to turn off buyers. And above all, a book cover must look professional. One element that most successful book covers employ is the use of the top third of the book to convey the most important information. People read from top to bottom, so the top portion of the book must grab a reader's attention, whether online or in a retail store where they are in a waterfall display. Take a look at the front cover examples below from a children's, fiction, and nonfiction book.

Children's Book Cover Example

In the case of the children's book cover example, Bug Hunt by Brooke Vitale , published by Charge Mommy Books , the fact that it is a level 1 early reader with literacy activities is clearly spelled out on top. The art clearly shows what is happening in the book, and the text is easy to read. If you are in the market for early reader books, check our full line of Charge into Reading Level 1 Reading Books at Charge Mommy Books new online bookstore .

Nonfiction Book Cover Example

In the case of the nonfiction book example, Think Again by Adam Grant , published by Viking Press, the text is easy to read, and the top third of the book calls out that the author is a New York Times Bestseller. Instead of a story moment, a single piece of interesting art draws the reader in. This is paired with a tagline that tells the reader what the book is about.

Fiction Book Cover Example

In the case of the adult fiction cover example, Kill Shot by Vince Flynn , published by Atria, the biggest text is the author's name. That is because Vince Flynn is the selling point. Readers will buy the book based solely on his name. The front cover image offers a clear picture of the story, showing a reader where it is set and the story's protagonist.

The book tagline, or headline, is a line or two that goes at the top of the book back cover. It’s big and bold and calls attention to itself quickly. This is particularly important in young adult books and novels for an older audience, where the tagline is your chance to create an eye-catching, compelling tease. It is also important to remember that on a book that has a dust jacket, the longer book summary will go on an inside flap. In that instance, the tagline may be the only text about the book on the back cover. Take a look at the tagline examples from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins , Looking for Alaska by John Green and Slushy, Slurpy City Snow by Brooke Vitale.

The tagline for The Hunger Games reads Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun. With just this, a reader is immediately drawn in, eager to know what the Hunger Games are. Looking for Alaska uses the following tagline: First drink. First prank. First friend. First girl. Last words. This gives us a slight sense of the book—enough to intrigue us, but not enough to satisfy our curiosity. Our only choice? Read on!

Children's Book Back Cover Taglines

A children's book back cover—whether for picture books, early reader books, early chapter books, or chapter books—won't typically use a tagline, though a rhyming book will sometimes offer a verse to give the reader the idea that the book is written in rhyme, as in the example above from my book Slushy, Slurpy City Snow .

In general, however, children's books tend to dive straight into the . . . book summary.

A book blurb or book summary is a compelling description of what a book is about. It is intended to draw a reader in and make them want to buy or read a book. The elements of a book summary vary by genre, as each is striving to accomplish something different. So let's take a look the differences between fiction and nonfiction book summaries.

Fiction Book Summary

The purpose of a book summary for a fiction book is to make the reader curious. By offering up just enough information to intrigue a reader, but not enough to answer any questions, the reader is left with no choice but to read the book. This is true regardless of genre, from mystery or romance to YA or children's picture books.

At its core, an effective fiction book summary should do three things:

• Introduce the protagonist
• Set the stage for the story conflict

Present the challenge the protagonist faces in overcoming their problem.

All three of these are essential to drawing an audience in. And the more emotionally invested a reader is in the characters, the better.

Take a look at the fiction book summary examples below from Periwinkle Smith in Stuck Duck by Brooke Vitale , published by Charge Mommy Books and Kill Shot by Vince Flynn, published by Atria. If you are interested in seeing some additional picture book summary examples or in the market to purchase a picture book, check out my new line of picture books, available today at Charge Mommy Books online shop .

In the case of Periwinkle Smith in Stuck Duck, our protagonist is Duck. The story conflict is that he has a trumpet stuck on his head. And the challenge is finding a way to get free.

The idea of having a trumpet stuck on your head is a comical. It helps readers to see that there is humor in the book, while leaving them curious about how the duck got stuck and how he will get free.

In the case of Kill Shot , the protagonist is Mitch Rapp. The conflict is that his own handlers have declared him a liability. And the challenge is that he must now survive on his own, against his former allies.

Here, the reader is given a sense for the world Mitch Rapp lives in. We understand the stakes and are left wondering if he can survive—and what will become of his enemies.

Nonfiction Book Summary

Nonfiction book summaries work a bit differently than fiction book summaries. For plot-driven fiction, more of the story is given away. It is not uncommon even to give away some element of the ending of the book. Why? Because in nonfiction it is often the journey, not the beginning or the ending of a story that is worth reading. Take a look at the book summary examples for Alive by Piers Paul Read, published by HarperCollins and Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson , published by Simon and Schuster.

Alive is a story-based nonfiction title, and as such it follows many of the same book summary rules as fiction. We learn that the protagonists are survivors of a plane crash. We learn that the problem they have is that they are stranded and need to find a way home. But what challenges stand in their way? That the book summary doesn't tell us. Why? Because that is at the heart of the story. Here, the reader is given the beginning and the ending. The plane crashes and sixteen survivors make it home. But what happens between point A and point B? That is what will make a reader pick up the book.

Steve Jobs , on the other hand, is a biography. And it can be assumed that any reader picking the book up has some familiarity with the subject. So rather than focus on the challenges Steve Jobs faced in his life, the book focuses on making the reader feel that they will get to know who Steve Jobs was as a person. It makes them feel a connection to him, and focuses on making it clear why this book above all others on the subject is *the *book to read. Unlike fiction, where every story is unique, there are often many nonfiction books published on the same subject. Setting one book apart from another—explaining why it is the best book on the topic—is the job of the back cover summary.

How long should a book summary be?

A book summary varies in length, but ideally it shouldn’t be too long. For a children's book, try to keep it to 50 words or fewer. For chapter books, middle grade books, YA, and adult novels, try not to exceed 150-200 words. If you can’t boil your story down to something that short, chances are the story itself may be a bit too convoluted!

Do remember, a book summary and marketing materials are not the same. A book summary, especially in a picture book, speaks right to the child, while marketing materials will often speak to a parent, telling them what a child will get out of a book, or what the book teaches.

4. Hook readers with a book teaser

A book teaser is a statement or question at the end of a book summary that aims to hook the reader. In the case of Kill Shot , it is the idea that there is nothing more dangerous that Mitch Rapp. That statement leaves readers wondering what this dangerous man will do.

But the teaser isn’t always a statement. It isn’t even always part of the book summary. One great way to draw a reader in is to pose a question the reader needs the answer to. It can be as simple as asking if something will happen, such as asking in Stuck Duck whether Duck will ever find a way to get free. By asking such a question, you make the reader wonder—you set this idea in their mind that they can’t let go of until they get the answer.

Even better, set the stakes for the protagonist. Will he win in the end or will something else happen? Make a reader want to find the answer to that question, and they’re sure to open the book!

Whatever you do, don’t give away the ending of the book (unless it's nonfiction)!

A book summary is important no matter where you are selling but selling online does change the game a bit. Online book sellers like Amazon only show the first few lines of your product description, so make sure your first sentence hooks the reader, making them want to hit the “more” button to read the rest!

The book summary for Periwinkle Smith in Stuck Duck is a great example. In addition to the book blurb, Amazon features the following line at the top of the product description:

Turn a bad day good again with this rhyming picture book featuring seven pages of bonus literacy activities sure to grow your child's confidence and jumpstart their enthusiasm for reading.

Here, the addition of a headline offers additional information about the book that serves as a key selling point: the fact that it comes with literacy activities. Many publisher set this headline in bold to draw a reader's attention.

It is interesting to note that, given the online market and the inability of a reader to see the full book, the product description here doesn’t match up with the book summary. The online description reads as follows:

Duck is having a good day. A great day, even! That is, until a horn falls out of a tree and lands on his head! Just like that, Duck’s day goes from good to bad as he struggles to find someone . . . anyone . . . who can help him get free. But can help be found, or is Duck doomed to be STUCK DUCK forever? This rhyming picture book is sure to leave everyone giggling over Duck's silly antics as he learns that even a bad day can turn good again, and it's okay to ask for help when help is needed.

Here, the book summary has been enhanced, to further entice readers and play up the key selling points of the book. Remember, the goal of a book blurb isn’t to tell the story, it’s to draw readers in. So let a reader know what your book is about, then hook them and leave them wanting more!

But of course, a book back cover needs more than just a book summary. It also needs . . .

An author bio should be a sentence or two at most. The author bio tells the reader what else the author has done or if this is an author's first book. If the author has some special qualification that makes them fit to write this book over other authors, this is a good place to mention that, too. If the book is quirky or funny, use this space to try to show that off!

Look at this author bio example from Ben Clanton’s Peanut Butter and Jelly (A Narwhal and Jelly book) :

Here, the author bio not only serves to tell the reader what else the author has written and where to find his work, it also infuses humor, giving the reader an idea of what they can expect to find inside the book. Author bios should be factual, but they do not need to be dry. Spice them up with a bit of personality so that a reader feels like they are getting to know the author a bit.

Note: while the book back cover is a great place to put this if you are working on a paperback or a book without a dust jacket, a book with a dust jacket usually lists the author bio on the inside back flap, while the book summary goes on the inside front flap.

6. Choose back cover design elements

If this is an author's first book, there won’t be anything to put here. But if an author has written other books, try showing off those book covers. Kids love looking at other book covers, and will often ask parents to buy other books they see. And parents like to know that an author has put out other books. It saves them the time of looking it up. This is true for middle grade, YA, and adult novels as well. Especially in the case of series books, showing off the covers of other books in the series can make it easier for readers to know what order to read in.

Check out this example of an author's book portfolio Twilight by Stephenie Meyer .

Book reviews are endorsements of your book from reputable sources. This might be a book review from a prominent publication such as Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, or Publisher's Weekly. It might be a book review from a national or local newspaper or magazine. It could even be a testimonial from a celebrity. Of course, these kinds of book reviews aren't always easy to get. If you can't get a testimonial like this, try reaching out to fellow authors. Positive endorsements are a sign to the world that the book has been read—and enjoyed! One or two testimonials will go a long way toward making a book more appealing. Remember, book reviews for past books work well here, too, as it shows the author's previous works were good. If you have won a book award, include that on the book cover as well.

Note: If you get a starred book review, be sure to note that with the testimonial.

ISBN means International Standard Book Number . This 13-digit number is the unique identifier tied to each and every book created. The ISBN helps to identify not only a book title, but book format (paperback, hardcover, eBook).

A barcode is simply a visual representation of numbers associated with your book. A book barcode is a scannable version of the ISBN. Many large book retailers in the United States require barcodes with prices, as their price scanners cannot read barcodes without prices. While you’re at it, it’s not a bad idea to list the actual book price on your barcode so readers can easily find it. Take a look at the example below:

Unless you plan to change the book price regularly, put the suggested retail price on the book back cover. If you’re publishing in multiple countries, you may want to list the book price for each country so that you can use the same back cover across all markets.

A great added touch to a book back cover is a publishing company's colophon, or logo. Include on the book back cover and the spine of the book so the reader recognizes the book publisher.

Let the reader know who target audience is by listing an age range. This could say ages 3 and up, or it could say ages 3-7. For a chapter book, the age range may be listed as 7-10. But share this information so parents looking at the children's book have the information they need. The age range may be listed on the barcode, or may go on the top left corner of the back cover.

If you are writing an early reader book or early chapter book and you have had the book leveled, either through Lexile leveling or Guided Reader leveling, include the Lexile level or guided reading level on the book back cover so that parents will know if it is right reading level for their child. This is especially important for early reader books, which are often selected by reading level.

Include an author website here so that readers know how to find more of your books or any other material you are offering.

And finally, the back cover is a great place to list copyright for the cover design of your book.

The book back cover is a great place to show off an illustration. This could be an illustration that wraps around from the front of the book, so that when laid flat the book cover makes one full piece of art. Or it could be a spot illustration that sits on its own. If it’s an illustration that sits by itself, try grabbing an intriguing piece from the inside of the book. Repurposing an illustration will save you some money, but it will also draw the reader in because they’ll want to see what’s going on with that art. Here's a great book illustration example from Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise by Kate DiCamillo.

The back cover of a book can be designed to include any of the elements discussed above, including the tagline, the book summary, book reviews, and the author bio. The way these elements lay out can be mixed and match depending on which is most important for marketing the book. Remember, we read from the top, so the most important element should go first. Below are several book back cover design templates to get you started in choosing how to lay out your back cover.

With all those elements in place, let the book design begin. Good luck, and remember, people do judge a book by the (back) cover, so make yours shine!

Need a children's book editor?

Traditionally published books edited, self-published books edited, 5-star reviews, published books written.

This industry can be confusing and hard to navigate when its your first book. I was so incredibly lucky to find Brooke when I did. She always got back to me quickly, most times within minutes. She will be the only one I trust to edit my books in the future. She is not only professional and knowledgeable with an impressive amount of experience, but she took the time to really get to know me and ...

— Author, Via facebook

— February 27, 2021

Related Articles

Published: February 07, 2022

Updated: october 12, 2022.

A comprehensive guide to the best book fonts, including an explanation of personal use versus commercial use, how to buy fonts, and the best font websites.

Published: March 13, 2022

Updated: september 28, 2022.

A guide to what decodable books are and why more parents, teachers, and school districts are choosing decodable text and structured over balanced literacy.

Published: April 19, 2021

Updated: april 03, 2022.

If you live in the US and are shipping media products such as books, CDs, or educational materials, learn how Media Mail can save you money!

Published: December 28, 2020

Publishing uses a lot of strange words, but don't let them trip you up. This guide to publishing terms will help you understand and speak the lingo in no time.

Published: May 23, 2022

Updated: may 31, 2022.

Word counts: Why word count is important and a detailed guide to the word counts of novellas, novelettes, and short stories.

Buy My New Books Today

Decodable Reading System

Learning to read doesn’t just happen. instead, children must learn to read word by word, sound by sound. our charge into reading decodable reader sets follow a literacy-specialist–approved scope and sequence, with each set of books building on what was taught in previous sets..

Picture Books

At charge mommy books, our mission is to instill in children a lifelong love of reading. and that begins with making reading fun that’s why every one of our picture books is packed full of humor, adventure, and love. so grab a book and curl up with your little one for a memorable reading experience.

Level 1 Early Reader Books

The charge into reading early reader system uses simple language, high frequency words, repetition, and humor to support literacy skills in emergent readers. these f&p leveled books each contain seven pages of added literacy activities meant to strengthen your child's reading and comprehension from page to page., don't forget to share:.

Copyright © 2023 BV BOOKS LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Children’s Book Editorial Services

Want help with your author marketing? Get our FREE ebook and cheat sheet: 6 Steps To Getting More Readers.

By subscribing, you agree to get emails from me, Matt Ziranek. I’ll respect your privacy and you can unsubscribe any time.

Back Cover of a Book: Must-Haves & Examples

Finishing your manuscript is a massive accomplishment, almost a complete victory.

But so much must be done to ensure that all your efforts weren’t for nothing. You need readers to buy your book!

And you can’t stand in the bookstore or pop out on the side of Amazon’s book page to try and convince the reader that they’ll love this book. 

Your book’s back cover is one of the tools that will do that for you.

That means a lot is riding on creating the perfect back cover. But not to worry, we’ve compiled a beginner’s guide to creating a back cover of a book that wows. And we’ve included 16 examples to show how successful ones are done. 

Importance of The Back Cover of a Book

The back of a book cover can make the difference between increasing book sales and losing the reader’s interest.

Your back book cover together with the front cover must make a convincing sales pitch to the reader.

The front cover or the spine of the book must attract the reader. Once you have their attention, they’ll flip over the book and that’s your chance to persuade them to buy it.

To get the reader to buy your book, or at least open it to chapter one, your book’s back cover needs to tell a story:

• What the book is about (using a book blurb)
• Why it’s worth reading (using book reviews)
• Why this reader in particular will want to read it (using enticing copy and targeted keywords)

This is a book promotion tool that’s as important as author newsletters , your social media posts, or book trailers .

What Goes on The Back of a Book

The back cover usually has the elements listed below. Some elements may be omitted based on what you want to convey about your book. 

Once you understand the roles each of these components plays, you’ll have a better idea of what serves the best purpose on the back cover of your book.

Book Reviews

Awards and past work, isbn and barcode.

• Publisher Details 

This is a one-liner that stands out the most on the back of a book. This appears at the top, ensuring that it’s the first thing the reader sees.

The tagline is usually written differently to make it pop. For example, it could be bolded, a different color, larger in size, or italics.

Examples of a tagline:

Descriptive

A brief descriptive sentence that teases at the main theme, conflict, or (in the case of non-fiction) problems being solved by the book.

For example:

“No one’s ever told Eleanor that life should be better than fine.” Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

A brief line that uses keywords from the genre to target ideal fans.

“Lethal. Loyal. Legendary.” Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

A quote from a professional book review that will intrigue the reader while explaining the book’s hook.

“The greatest romance story of this decade. –Entertainment Weekly” Fault in Our Stars by John Green

From a Scene

A line from the book that makes the reader feel as if they’re dropped right into the action.

“He needs my help, but he’ll be my downfall.” A Prince So Cruel by Ingrid Seymour

Note: The tagline can be between 5 to 50 words, so use them wisely!

This is a description that tells the reader what the book is about without summarizing the plot or giving away any spoilers.

It lets the reader know what to expect.

Your book blurb is kind of like the text version of a book trailer. Just like a trailer, it will highlight the compelling parts of your story.

The best way to go about writing your book blurb is to keep the target reader at the front of your mind. Consider what the reader will be excited to see from your book.

If you need tips on writing a book blurb, check out our blog: How To Write a Compelling Book Blurb (+15 Examples) .

Readers are more likely to believe that your book is good if someone noteworthy praises it.

Pick a stellar testimonial from another author (preferably from your genre) or a publication to give your book credibility.

Avoid adding reviews that say, “I loved it!”

Rather choose reviews that praise a specific part of your book like your writing capability, the characters, the premise, etc.

Take a review on the cover of All the Broken Places by John Boyne for example: 

“Exceptional, layered and compelling…This book moves like a freight train.” Review by Amy Bloom, New York Times bestselling author of In Love

The number of reviews you use will depend on what you want the back cover of your book to convey. Some back covers only use reviews, while some have it in the tagline or at the end of the blurb.

But if you don’t have a publication or notable author to turn to, you can use your best customer review.

If you want to know more about getting endorsements, check out our blog: Professional Book Review: The Ultimate Guide .

Your book’s back cover can also mention any awards and achievements you’ve received that add credibility to your book. You could even include if your books have only been nominated.

Also, add any previously published work. The reader may notice a previous title making them lean towards getting your new release.

Adding your past work will also signal that you have staying power as an author.

Sometimes the back cover of a book will include an author bio, and for some authors, this can seem like the hardest thing to write.

While you don’t need to share your favorite color or that you like long walks on the beach, you do need to let the reader get to know you a bit.

Your author bio shares the credentials, writer’s journey, other works, etc. And it is way more streamlined than something you’d find on the author’s website .

Want To Give Your Readers An Engaging Online Experience?

Get an author website that showcases your books, grows your list, and attracts publishers and promoters.

But does every author need one for their book?

Not necessarily.

If you write fiction, it won’t be the end of the world if you don’t add it. But if you write non-fiction including a bio can help build trust with the reader.

In that case, a bio will show why you are qualified or have the experience to have written your book.

Note: When adding your author photo alongside your bio, make sure it both matches your personality and your book’s genre. Be sure to use a professional photo that has been taken more recently.

Your book’s ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a number that is used to identify your book. The accompanying barcode is the scannable version of this number.

They’re created by the publishing or self-publishing company. Unless you’re using Amazon, you may have to pay for it in the case of self-publishing.

Note: When getting your book printed, the printing company will have a set requirement for where this number and barcode will go, so keep that in mind when arranging the elements on the back cover of your book.

Publisher Details

The reader won’t be eagerly flipping over your book in search of the publisher’s information, but it needs to be on the back cover of your book nonetheless.

Note: The publisher’s information and logo are low priority so make sure they’re in smaller text.

Tips For Designing Your Book’s Back Cover

Follow the below tips to level up your book back cover design:

Do some research

We recommend doing research in your genre to see what unique styles you could try for your own back cover design.

When analyzing the covers, look at the positioning of the blurbs and reviews, and take note of how a story is told from the front cover to the back. 

Keeping both covers consistent will make your book tell a complete story without the reader even reading a word.

Prioritize layout

It may sound fun to create a wacky book cover, but you could end up creating a confusing mess that’s hard to decipher.

It’s okay to color out of the lines a tad bit, but don’t go overboard! The goal is to avoid a cluttered book back cover and ensure the text is easy to read.

You can achieve this by using clear fonts, an uncomplicated color scheme, and giving the content sufficient space to breathe.

The reader should be able to grasp some information at a single glance. After that glance, if they’re interested, they’ll keep reading.

Use style to tell a story

Your front and back covers don’t need to be designed the same to be cohesive. The front and back covers are not twins, they’re sisters.

For starters, you could use similar borders or related elements. For example, if you’ve written a mystery novel you could have one big puddle of blood on the front and smaller splatters on the back.

Consider the atmosphere and tone that you want the reader to feel and use the appropriate fonts, colors, and design elements to communicate that.

Use copy to sell the book

What you can’t say through design, you’ll say through words.

There’s an art to writing copy that compels a reader to open your book. You have to say a lot in as few words as possible.

Make sure each piece (your blurb, reviews, and bio) serves a purpose that discusses something different from the last. The reader should come away with an understanding of the premise and excitement to keep reading.

DIY – Doing It Yourself

When self-publishing, you can get templates from book cover printers to insert your designs into or you can use software like Canva or Adobe Creative Suite to design the back cover of your book.

Hire somebody

If you lack the time or design prowess to create a back cover for your book, you can simply hire a professional.

It will save you a lot of time and effort, just be sure to research which designer meets your budget and needs.

Don’t forget the book’s spine

When a reader is browsing a bookstore or library, they’ll most likely see the spine of your book first.

Therefore, the spine of your book needs to continue the same story as the rest of your book cover.

Your spine should include the same color scheme, fonts, and design elements as your cover. Everything will be minimized and sideways, so make sure it is easy to read from an angle.

Here’s the information that could be found on your book spine:

• Title of the book.
• Full Author name (If the book is long enough, the author’s first and last name), or
• Shortened Author name (If the author’s name is too long, the spine will have an initial and the last name).
• Publisher’s logo.
• Book series number.

Back Cover Of A Book Examples

As promised, below are 16 examples you can use as reference when designing the back cover of your own book. 

We’ve included the front cover too so you can see the full design story!

1. Romance Genre

Icebreaker by hannah grace.

Curvy fonts and cool colors create the right atmosphere in this Romance example. 

Text is given plenty of room to tell its story with the use of adequate spacing, plus the artwork of the main characters breaks up the pattern of the text too.

With a few pops of orange and bolder text, the back cover draws the reader’s eyes from one point to the next. The author bio is the last thing the reader will notice, as intended by the designer of this book’s back cover.

2. Non-Fiction Genre

Stop overthinking by nick trenton.

This book’s back cover follows the theme of this book, practicing what it preaches. It avoids clutter and uses text that is super clear to read.

It’s easy to start skimming through the content because of this, and only one point is highlighted on the back cover, “Stop Overthinking,” which reiterates the topic of the book.

3. Thriller Genre

The new couple by alison james.

We love this back book cover because the blurb is written from the main character’s perspective. It immediately pulls the reader into the story.

The tagline appears on both the front and back cover of the book, but it serves to cement the premise of the book making sure the reader won’t forget it.

Lastly, the yellow text at the bottom continues speaking directly to the target reader, mentioning other popular books in the sub-genre similar to this one. If a reader has loved those books, they will be more likely to buy this one.

4. Sci-Fi Genre

Recruitment by k. a. riley.

Streamlined is the name of the game for the back cover of this book.

Targeting Sci-Fi lovers is the main aim here, so the tagline just states the year the book is set in.

Although it doesn’t tease the story, it’s still effective in attracting the reader because the blurb is short and discusses the premise in enough detail.

5. All in one (Fantasy Genre)

A court of thorns and roses by sarah j. maas.

This fantasy example has it all: the accolade in the tagline, the well-written blurb, the decorated author bio, and the enthusiastic endorsements.

The back cover of this book is stacked with information yet it all feels easy to skim read because the content is sectioned off.

The back cover cleverly mentioned the author’s name and credibility multiple times. It clearly aims to promote the book using the author’s name. It’s trying to say: 

“If you’ve heard of her, you should definitely check this book out!”

6. Children’s Genre

Children who dance in the rain by susan justice .

We love the design of this example. Since it’s a children’s book, it sells the art style first and foremost and gets creative with the design of the text.

Although the reviews are on top of white backgrounds, the text doesn’t look out of place and rather just adds to the innovative nature of the cover.

Endorsements are highlighted from the front to the back cover, showing parents that this book is worth reading since it is worthy of awards!

7. Consider the Reader

The clockmaker’s daughter by kate morton.

The layout of this cover considers the target readers in every decision made.

Equal importance is given to each component, enticing the reader to read all of it from top to bottom.

The tagline reveals the setting and genre efficiently, and the praises for the author solidify it.

Although the front and back covers don’t share a similar background, the font and leaf design elements are used to connect the experience.

8. Use endorsements

None of this is true by lisa jewell .

Lisa Jewell’s back cover aims to convince readers to buy the book through reviews by respected authors.

It leaves the reader thinking, “Well if they couldn’t put this book down, then maybe I wouldn’t be able to either.”

The names of the authors are contrasted to the reviews using a slightly different font and yellow text. 

And it also has the largest review near the top, with varying sizes as the reader’s eyes go down the cover. This keeps the cover from being dull and hard to skim through.

9. Taglines

The only woman in the room by marie benedict .

In the above example, the tagline is split up and integrated into the blurb but if it’s all read together, it tells the story briefly for anyone skimming the back cover of the book.

The taglines are capped by reviews to complete the experience.

Not to forget the addition of Marie Benedict’s past works at the bottom left of the book’s back cover. It reminds readers of her other popular novels.

10. Past works

November 9 by colleen hoover.

A total of 3 font colors are used for the back cover of this book, yet it doesn’t look busy or cluttered.

The lighter colors surround the blurb, keeping it the center focus. This encourages the reader to read the taglines and still be interested in reading the blurb and author bio.

Speaking of Colleen Hoover’s author bio. It lists so many popular past books for fans and newcomers to be impressed by.

We love this addition because if a fan forgot that you’re the one who wrote a book they loved, they’ll be reminded. This will increase your chances of selling your new release. 

11. Continue the Style Story

Lightlark by alex aster.

With an entertaining front cover, it can be hard to decide what to do with the back cover.

Lightlark shows us that with the same font, colors, and a recurring design element, it can be done!

This book’s back cover continues the story by using the same border, but flipping it so it doesn’t look exactly the same as the front.

The fades from tinged-orange to yellow-gold on top of a sleek black background keep the front and back covers connected.

The cover has 2 taglines large and in charge of drawing the reader in. What seals the deal is the mention of the second book in the series, making the reader aware that there’s more to come.

12. About The Author Example

Self-love workbook for women by megan logan .

We love how fun and colorful this cover is – and it fits the book’s theme so well!

Highlighter-like taglines and bullet points give this back cover even more spunk. This highlighting style makes it feel like it’s the reader’s notebook, emphasizing that the book is about working on one’s self.

But what gives this book an extra edge is the authority the author has in her field. The author bio showcases the author’s expertise, letting the reader know that if there was anyone they should listen to about self-love, it’s this author.

13. Author Branding

The gifts of imperfection: 10th anniversary edition by brené brown.

This is the 10th-anniversary edition of this book, so that means it was pretty well received.

But there are 8 billion people in the world, so not everyone would’ve heard of this book – and the covers try to make up that ground.

The back cover of this book uses the author’s branding to sell the book. Even though the author bio is at the bottom, it feels as if we’re being told about Brene Brown’s efforts for this book at every turn.

But the author’s bio reveals more about her decorated past than the blurb, discussing her achievements, past works in other industries, and experiences.

14. Minimalism

The food lab by j. kenji lópez-alt.

Plain doesn’t have to mean boring. 

There’s a lot of content on this page which would otherwise be overwhelming. But with the use of bronze borders, content is neatly sectioned and given space. 

Instead of a tagline, at the top lies the blurb in a newspaper or magazine type of column. The main selling point is centered within a box: the reviews. This is a great way for the author to build trust with the reader.

15. Artwork

The zen monkey and the lotus flower by tenpa yeshe.

Text is simple, big, and bold on this back cover. But the main attraction is the art.

The artwork of this book reiterates the title, reinforcing it in the reader’s mind.

The balance of artwork and text upholds the book’s theme too. And the art is a great feature of the book, making it hard for a reader to look away.

16. Creative Layout

The science of spice by dr. stuart farrimond .

You can use your book’s genre and theme to come up with unique ideas for the back cover of your book. 

Above is a fantastic example of how to do this.

Ingredients sit within boxes labeled by chemistry-like symbols. The text on the back cover of the book uses copywriting techniques to call out to the reader and persuade them that this book is for them.

Back Cover Of A Book Template

Follow any one of these templates below to craft your dream back cover for your book.

Promotion Doesn’t Stop There

Creating the perfect back cover of a book doesn’t mean it’s all smooth sailing from there.

If only it was as simple as publishing your book and watching the sales come in. That’s the dream, right?

Life isn’t that simple, so book promotion isn’t that simple. 

You need everyone and their mothers to hear about your book, and in today’s digital world, the best way to do that is by spreading the word online.

If you’re looking to improve your online presence you need an author website. An author website helps readers, publishers, and other industry professionals find you easily online.

We love working with authors, so fill in this inquiry form and we’ll see how we can help you.

Similar Posts

How To Write A Book Synopsis To Attract Publishers & Agents

The Best Book Cover Ideas For 2024

Book Cover Art Showcase (77 Inspiring Designs)

Speaker Bio: Secure More Speaking Gigs (6 Examples)

Amazon Author Central, Setting Up for Book Sales

The Content Marketing Plan To Stay In Business

Table of Contents

How to Design Your Back Cover

How to write back cover copy that sells, examples of great book back covers, how to make the back cover for your book & why it matters (with examples).

The front cover is a reader’s first impression of your book.

“Is this a book I might want to read?”

If a reader is hooked by your book title, intrigued by the subtitle, and impressed by the front cover design , then the back cover of your non-fiction book has 3 jobs at once:

• The description tells the reader what they’ll get out of reading the book.
• The short bio tells them why you’re the right person to write that book .
• The overall design of the cover (and the quality of the copywriting) tells them if the book is professional and valuable.

Basically, the cover gets them interested; then the back cover helps the reader decide whether or not they want to go any further.

Because it has 3 jobs—visual, informative, and persuasive—the back of your book is really a combination of marketing copy and design.

This post will walk you through both aspects of the back cover, as well as how to choose the right designer for your book and how to write back cover copy that will grab a buyer’s attention.

One of the first things to understand about book cover design is that the back cover of a book is an integral part of the whole. You can’t design the back without designing the entire thing.

When books are printed, the cover is created as one whole image on a special sheet of thick paper called cover stock. The image includes the front, spine, and back. Then that cover is cut to the right size and folded to form the book’s binding.

So you never want to design the back of the book by itself. The whole cover of your book needs to be sent to the printer as a single pdf file, and it should be created that way.

Your book’s printer will also have specific requirements for the back book cover or book jacket, like where the ISBN barcode goes, and the correct color profile and settings for your pdf file.

And, if you’re including an Author photo , it needs to look just as professional as your book and work well with the rest of the design.

But even beyond the technical aspects of a good book cover, there’s an art to laying out the text of the back cover copy. It isn’t anything like just typing up a letter and printing it.

Designing a back cover that will hold a reader’s attention is a combination of artistic design principles and a print specialty known as typography.

Typography: words as design

Typography is the art of arranging type to be easy and appealing to read, especially when it’s printed. Modern book designers have to know how to do that for both digital and print formats.

Since book covers today are created on computers, digital book covers have the advantage of looking the same way on Amazon as they do on the designer’s screen.

But print is a whole different story.

Digital images are made of light—light literally forms the picture, which is why your computer screen is dark when it isn’t on. There’s no light to make any images.

Print images are made by ink that’s printed onto a physical page. That’s why printed images aren’t as bright as digital ones—they’re only reflecting light, not made of it.

So the type on your back cover has to be easy to read either way, and the colors have to look good in both media. If you hold a printed book up to an image of the same book on Amazon, you’ll see that the colors aren’t exactly the same.

Printing gets even more complicated because printed ink bleeds, if only a little. So, type that looks great on a computer screen can be too thick or too thin in print, depending on what other colors are next to it.

Here’s the deal: the typography of book design isn’t just art. It’s also technological know-how and a lot of math.

Typographers choose a professional font and manipulate it by making it thicker or thinner, spacing the letters closer together or farther apart, and even hand-tooling the individual letters to make your back cover copy look clean and professional.

If you don’t know how to do those things, or even if you have experience doing it digitally but not in print, that lack of experience is going to be obvious to the reader.

They won’t know what’s wrong with it exactly, but their overall impression will be: “Hey, there’s something cheap looking about this.”

If you want your book to look professional, you should hire a professional.

Other back cover design elements

Hopefully, I’ve already convinced you to hire a professional to design your book. But when you do, you’ll need to know a couple more things about back cover design to make the right choice for your book.

A great book design will make your book feel like one coherent, professionally designed package. The look and feel of the front will continue across the spine and onto the back, often by subtly echoing the book’s core colors and design elements across the 3 faces of the book.

So you really need a cover designer who isn’t just a typographical specialist within the self-publishing context, but also one with a great eye for overall layout and composition.

It’s best to look for one person who can design the front, spine, and back cover together—and I’d personally be wary of a cover designer who doesn’t provide the complete pdf you need.

The only exception would be if you want custom artwork for the cover. In that case, you’re really hiring 2 different artists:

• The illustrator, who creates the original art for the cover
• The typographer/designer, who lays out the cover as a whole, placing the art into the overall design along with the title, subtitle, author name, and any other design elements

Ideally, your cover designer should specialize in your book’s genre.

If you’re publishing a business book , look for a portfolio of bold, modern titles with color that really pops, and imagery that’s minimal but full of energy.

If you’re publishing a memoir, look for a portfolio with elegant, meaningful type, as well as expert use of photo manipulation to set an emotional tone.

And, most of all, follow your gut! Always. Because your prospective readers will too.

Last but not least, your cover designer will need you to provide them with the back cover copy.

The back cover copy of your book consists of 2 parts (sometimes 3):

• Your book’s description (about 150 words)
• Information about you, the Author (about 100 words)
• One or two great testimonials (sometimes called a book blurb or cover blurb), if you have any (optional)

Writing your back cover description

The first thing to remember about your book description is that it’s a design element of your book, so it has to fit naturally and easily on the back cover.

If it’s too short, it won’t give readers enough information to make them open the book and start reading.

If it’s too long, it won’t fit well on your book. No designer, no matter how professional, can make a 500-word description look good on the back of a standard trade paperback.

So, what’s the best length to shoot for?

A 150-word description strikes a great balance.

It gives you enough room to sell the reader on the book while giving your cover designer enough space to lay it out comfortably.

But here’s the most important thing to remember in writing your nonfiction book description:

It should not explain your book. Instead, it should create interest and connection with the reader.

Think about your target audience , and ask what those people need to know about your book to help them understand how much they’ll get out of reading it.

Writing a great book description isn’t about making everyone want your book—that’s impossible, and trying to do that is counterproductive. You’ll end up with mediocre cover copy that doesn’t appeal strongly to anyone.

Instead, try to make your specific target audience want your book. Believe it or not, by targeting your back cover copy at a narrow audience, you’ll end up making your book sound a lot more interesting to a lot more people.

For more help doing that, read my full post on writing a great book description .

Writing your back cover Author bio

The back cover Author bio usually comes after your description and should be around 100 words (fewer is fine, but I wouldn’t go below 60 or 70).

If the description is about selling the book, the bio is about showing the reader why you’re the right person to write that book.

A lot of Authors have trouble writing the bio, so read my full post on Author bios if you’d like more guidance on how to do that.

The most important thing to remember about all your back cover copy is that readers need to know why they should read the book.

If you’ve solved a problem they’re currently facing—or if you have special information that most people don’t have, making you the perfect person to write this particular book—you should share that with your readers.

1. You End Up Where You’re Heading: The Hidden Dangers of Living a Safe Life , by Jimmy Rex and Cameron Carling

“You settled for the first job that came along, the okay apartment, and the steady but unfulfilling partner. You thought you were playing it safe.”

These authors do a great job of appealing to the people who need this book by describing, in just a few words, what that reader’s life looks like.

A lot of first-time Authors get hung up on the idea that they’ll “turn off” potential readers by targeting their readership too narrowly. But that’s just not how people work.

If you don’t like your job but you have an amazing spouse, you won’t think, “This book doesn’t describe me.” Instead, you’ll focus on the problem you do have: “Maybe this book can help me find a job I’ll like more.”

Don’t worry about targeting your readers too narrowly. People will resonate with the parts that fit them. If they’re interested in the book for any part of their life, they’ll check it out.

2. Boot Straps & Bra Straps: The Formula to Go from Rock Bottom Back into Action in Any Situation , by Sheila Mac

Notice that the title is catchy but doesn’t tell you anything about the book on its own. It’s the subtitle that makes you want to keep reading.

If you’d like some guidelines about how to create this kind of rockstar title/subtitle pair, read my posts on crafting great titles and subtitles .

Everything about the cover design, from the typography to the colors and layout, says “positive, feminine fun.”

The description copy sets the exact same tone, with a first-line that speaks directly to the readers this book was written for:

“If life has knocked you down, get ready to pick yourself back up and give your problems the boot!”

3. Income Bliss: Create a Retirement Income That You Can’t Outlive , by Bob Gardner, CLU, ChFC, RFC

Between the title, subtitle, and cover art, this cover design sets up the description perfectly.

The idea of creating a retirement income that you can’t outlive addresses a pain point for a lot of people, and the description backs up this theme with more detail: it doesn’t have to be frightening; anyone can do it.

But the closer is the Author bio, which in this case is nested in the middle of the book description.

“Financial advisor and wealth management expert Bob Gardner has spent his career helping his clients build successful portfolios that have the stability to last through their retirement, and that give them the liquidity to enjoy it.”

It’s easy to promise that you can help people make money, but this Author has the credentials and experience to back it up.

The Scribe Crew

Read this next.

Choosing Between Narrating Your Own Audiobook or Hiring a Professional

9 Essential Tips for Audiobook Editing

12 Most Important Pieces of Audiobook Recording Equipment

Kindlepreneur

Book Marketing for Self-Publishing Authors

Home / Cover Design / How to Create a Back-Cover Blurb that Sells

How to Create a Back-Cover Blurb that Sells

We all know how important our book’s title and cover  are when it comes to grabbing a reader’s attention and drawing them in. But, very few readers will ever make a buying decision based on those two elements alone.

What’s usually the deciding factor?

The back of the book cover and blurb of course.

Something, ironically, every author I know hates writing.

• What a back book cover blurb is and what it isn't
• Explanations and back book cover Examples for both fiction and nonfiction
• Steps to writing your own back book blurb and back cover copy

This is a guest post by the talented author and editor, Kelly Exeter of  Swish Publishing .

Table of Contents

Podcast episode – crafting a winning book description.

• Why Do Self-Publishers on Amazon Care?
• 1. Give the reader what they expect
• 2. Put yourself in the reader’s shoes
• 3. Keep it short
• 4. Make it scannable
• 5. Don’t tell the reader everything
• 6. Nail that first line (or two)
• A base template for FICTION blurb writing
• A base template for NON-FICTION blurb writing

What Is a Back Book Cover Blurb?

Before we get into why most authors hate writing their back book cover blurb, let’s clarify what it actually is.

In a nutshell, it’s the 200 odd words on the back cover of your book that describes the book to the reader. These words, if written well, will hook the reader and convince them they need to buy your book.

Which means, they’re effectively a sales pitch.

Now you’re seeing why most authors find them so hard to write.  Never fear, we will help with that today.

Side note: Another element on the back of the book is your bar code. Go here to get one custom made for you.

But first, I want to quickly clarify some terms you might equate with a back book blurb (but shouldn’t because they represent different parts of a book ).

• Synopsis – this is a detailed outline of the book that covers all the major points. It’s usually geared towards selling the book idea to an editor or publisher (not a reader).
• Blurb – distinct from the ‘back-cover blurb’ is this 1-2 line endorsement of a book by a celebrity or another author that sits on the book’s front cover. When you hear about authors being asked to ‘blurb’ a book, it’s this endorsement they’ve been asked to provide.
• Reviews – these are effectively longer versions of author endorsement blurbs, or short excerpts of book reviews by significant publications (like the New York Times ). These are often placed on the back cover of a book along with the back book blurb. They act like testimonials for the book.
• Book Description – these are the words that accompany your book’s listing on online sites like Amazon and Book Depository. The book description will often include the back book blurb text plus endorsements and reviews (much like the entire back cover of a book). If you don’t have a print version of your book and it’s only sold online, everything in this article about back book blurbs can be applied to your book description in online listings.

For two simple reasons, Self publishers on Amazon should care about their back book cover blurb because:

• If you publish on KDP Print or IngramSpark, you're going to need a back book cover design
• Because now, Amazon allows people to see the back of books on the book sales page

That last one is pretty big!

Book Marketing Made Simple

Over 47,000+ authors, NYT bestsellers, and publishing companies use Publisher Rocket to gain key insight to the market.  Help your book now

How to Create a Back of the Book Cover Blurb that Sells

As already noted, writing a back book blurb is a marketing exercise . This means all the focus needs to be on the potential reader – their needs and expectations. Here are six rules to be mindful of before you put pen to paper on your back book cover blurb.

It’s so tempting to think “If everyone is doing x and I do y, then I’ll stand out from the crowd.” And sure, this works for a lot of things. Not with back book cover blurbs though. If you’ve written a non-fiction business book and your back blurb reads like a thriller novel, the reader is going to be very confused.

Do you know what confused readers do?

They put books back on the shelf or click on to the next Amazon book.

Before writing your back book blurb, choose 3-5 of the bestselling books in your genre and make a note of stylistic similarities. Then ensure you incorporate them into your back book jacket blurb.

This can be really hard for authors. We get so caught up in delivering an enthralling story or a big idea, we forget who we’re writing for. And we forget why someone would actually want to read our book. Remember:

Fiction readers are looking for entertainment and escapism.

Here’s the book blurb for Stephanie Myers’ Twilight :

“About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him – and I didn't know how dominant that part might be – that thirsted for my blood. Third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.”

Regardless of whether or not you're a Twilight fan or not, that is a CAPTIVATING back cover blurb.

Non-fiction readers have a problem that needs to be solved.

Tony Robbins’ Unshakeable book blurb makes it very clear that if financial instability is a problem for you, his book can solve it.  Plus, in an ever crowded publishing world, Tony's blurb also proves why he's the writer to do just that:

“From the man who brought you one of the bestselling investment books of the decade comes a playbook to help millions of people achieve financial freedom.

After interviewing fifty of the world's greatest financial minds, and penning the #1 New York Times bestseller Money: Master the Game, Tony Robbins returns with a step-by-step playbook, taking you on a journey to transform your financial life and accelerate your path to financial freedom.”

250 words is a good ceiling for a good blurb. If you need more words than that to ‘sell’ your book, fiction or non-fiction, you might be in a bit of trouble!

Remember that a book description is not a summary of your book, it's a form of sales copy. The goal is to get people to want to find out more, not explain everything that happens.

For fiction, use short paragraphs. Note how Twilight  has its sentences laid out:

For non-fiction, bullet points are great. Here's a back book cover example for Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad, Poor Dad:

Remember, a book blurb is not a synopsis. You need to make a strong promise to the reader (“I can help you,” “I will entertain you”), but don’t give away the whole story or big idea otherwise the reader has no reason to … read!

Oh boy. If the first few lines of a book’s blurb don't grab you, that doesn’t bode well for the rest of the book, does it? Here are some great ‘first line’ techniques:

Ask a question

Despite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles? (Marie Kondo, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up .)

Set a scene

At first sight, Ove is almost certainly the grumpiest man you will ever meet, a curmudgeon with staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People think him bitter, and he thinks himself surrounded by idiots. (Fredrik Backman,  A Man Called Ove .)

Speak directly to the reader’s problems

Entrepreneurs often suffer from the misconception that to be successful, they must do everything themselves. (Chris Ducker,  Virtual Freedom .)

Make a promise

Fitness, money and wisdom – here are the tools. (Tim Ferriss,  Tools of Titans .)

7. Include an Author Bio (Optional)

Many books have author bios and a profile picture attached. These are just a few short words that capture the readers attention. It's a great place for nonfiction authors to show off their credentials. But they aren't required, especially for fiction authors.

Steps to writing your back book blurb

Once you’ve taken in all of the above and gotten a feel for the promise you want to make to the reader, use the outlines below to write your book cover blurb.

Need Help with Your Keywords?

Take my full featured video course on how to select the best keywords and categories for your book.

Beth Bacon, an award-winning author and marketer, suggests this formula for writing a fiction book blurb:

• Situation .  Briefly, describe the circumstances of the story.
• Problem . Next write about the situation or hitch that makes change inevitable.
• Hopeful Possibility .  Here you provide the hope of overcoming the crisis. This is the cool main character or long shot possibility that gives hope that the difficult problem can be overcome.
• Mood .  This part describes the emotional state that readers will have from reading your story.  Example phrases include: “dark, dystopian tragedy”, “humorous chick lit cotton candy”, or “suspenseful, romantic and awash in…magic”.

Here’s a back book blurb example for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ticking all the boxes above:

“Till now there's been no magic for Harry Potter. He lives with the miserable Dursleys and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry's room is a tiny closet beneath the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.

But then a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And there he finds not only friends, flying sports on broomsticks, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him … if Harry can survive the encounter.”

This is a formula I’ve developed over the course of three non-fiction books of my own, and it’s served me well:

• Introduce the problem
• Outline how you propose to solve it (bullet points are good)
• Tell the reader how their lives will be better after reading your book

Here's a back book cover copy example of Jen Sincero’s You Are a Badass follows this formula:

“You Are a Badass is the self-help book for people who desperately want to improve their lives but don't want to get busted doing it.

In a refreshingly entertaining how-to guide … Jen Sincero serves up 27 bite-sized chapters … helping you to:

• Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want.
• Create a life you totally love. And create it NOW.
• Make some damn money already. The kind you've never made before.

By the end of You Are a Badass , you'll understand why you are how you are, how to love what you can't change, how to change what you don't love, and how to use The Force to kick some serious ass.”

Over to You Now

Remember, the words you use on your back book cover is one of its most important book marketing tools and often the reason a reader will decide to buy your book. While it’s understandable that it’s the last thing you want to write after finalizing your book, it’s worth setting aside a good amount of time to give it the attention it deserves and needs. And while the words are the most important part of your back book blurb, you'll also want to make sure the layout looks nice too so if you use book mockups that show the back of your book, you'll have a front and back book cover that looks seamless, professional, and eye-catching.

Additionally, see this all-inclusive post about writing your book description.

About the Author: Kelly Exeter

Kelly Exeter is the author of three non-fiction books and a passionate editor. Via her Swish Publishing services she works with bloggers, writers and authors to sharpen their message and ensure their big ideas are delivered to the world in a way that best resonates with their target audience.

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

• Podcast Episode - Crafting a Winning Book Description

Related Posts

21 best children’s book covers and what makes them great, best book cover software, designers and services, an author’s guide to stock photos for book covers, sell more books on amazon, amazon kindle rankings e-book.

Learn how to rank your Kindle book #1 on Amazon with our collection of time-tested tips and tricks.

Join the community

Join 111,585 other authors who receive weekly emails from us to help them make more money selling books.

• Fiction Cover Design
• Non-Fiction Cover Design
• Illustrated Cover Design
• Premium Cover Design
• Book Covers Redesign
• Audiobook Cover Design
• Kindle Vella Cover Design
• Logo & Branding
• Marketing Materials
• Formatting and Layout
• Author Swag Design

Back Book Cover Design: Everything You Need to Know

There’s a widespread belief that a person spends only 8 seconds looking at the front book cover design.  Moreover, the same goes for the back cover: you have only a few seconds to grab a reader’s attention. This means you need to beat the clock, so let’s get to it. In this blog post, you’ll learn how to compose a killer back book cover design so that a reader ends up being immediately hooked on it. 

Why back book cover design matters

The back cover of a book is an important marketing tool . Think of it as of your sales pitch. 

The information you include there is a primary ad for your book . It should provide a catching description of the book, squeezed in a couple of hundreds words to get the reader’s attention and keep them intrigued.

It’s also a place where you can say a couple of words about yourself. Make it simple, there’s no need to place a whole autobiography here, just a few phrases to summarize your professional work.

Last but not least, you can mention the endorsements and reviews of your book to add some value and credibility to the whole deal. 

However, the back cover of a book is not a place where you should use fancy words or long content. Don’t forget, you should keep it short, clear and focused.   Pretty tricky task and a huge responsibility for the book back cover design, isn’t it?

There’s also a popular misconception that in the online e-book world, there’s no need for a back book cover since nobody will ever see it. 

Not really.

• Amazon now has the so-called “look inside” feature, which allows potential readers to take a sneak peek at the back cover. 
• Kindle posts back covers for paperback editions, and this feature has been receiving a lot of positive reviews from customers. 
• In order to upload your work to KDP Print, IngramSpark or BookBaby you have to include a front cover, spine, and back cover. 

Now when you know about the importance of a back cover in your book cover design , let’s talk about the best practices of its layout. 

We have a lot of amazing examples, so get yourself comfortable and keep reading.

FREE RESOURCE

Everything an indie author should know about book cover design, anatomy of a back book cover .

Take a look at the graph, which explains the back book cover layout.

As you can see the back book cover consists of the following elements:

• Author bio 

Testimonials

Now let’s take a closer look at these items.

In general, the tagline feature gained wide popularity from film ads. Does this sound familiar? 

When you can live forever what do you live for? (Spoiler alert, The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer )

As you might have guessed, tagline is a short, catchy phrase that can be used as an advertising slogan . 

Here are the main characteristics of a tagline:

• reveals the main plot premise or main idea ;
• shows the uniqueness of your book;
• arouses interest or intrigues the reader (for example, asks a provocative question) ;
• should not sound too generalized or use cliches ;
• sounds good, has a beautiful rhythmic structure ;
• contains witty, funny and easy to remember phrase ;
• uses a quote from your book that later on readers can easily recognize;

When coming up with a tagline, you’d better avoid using the title of the book, mentioning character names and composing a phrase longer than 10 words .

Tagline best practices 

Check out some examples of a good tagline with useful tips and explanations.

Blurb is a brief description of a book that should immediately attract the attention of your readers. 

By the way, for e-books, it’s important to optimize the blurb for Amazon and other online retailers, since this book description will be posted on a purchasing page. Also,take into consideration that Amazon displays only the first few lines of the book description.

How can you come up with a catchy blurb that sells ? First of all, aim at your target audience . A secret to a successful blurb is a proper research of the genre and readers’ expectations. That’s the reason why nonfiction and fiction books use different ingredients for their blurb cocktail. 

For non-fiction books a well-done blurb should:

• present a problematic situation that needs to be solved;
• include an immediate solution to that problem (a good trick is to use bullet points here);
• explain what value the reader gets out of it;

For fiction books on the other hand, a blurb might:

• briefly describe the situation , give some hints without revealing the whole story
• start with a hook , one of the most existing plot points or twists
• set up the mood , describe the emotional state the readers might enter
• finish with an intrigue point (might be a rhetorical question or a tense unfinished sentence)

Take a look at these examples of fiction book cover design:

Both nonfiction and fiction books should:

• concentrate on a target audience ;
• be short, aim for 100-200 words;
• avoid cliche phrases;
• be readable ( clear paragraphs for fiction; bullet points for non-fiction);
• use present tense to create a feeling that the reader is getting involved in what is taking place at this very moment;
• avoid superlative tone (never should you ever use all capital letters);

The author bio is a great chance to to talk a bit about yourself and connect with the readers .

Keep in mind that most of the readers will see your biography before they read the book itself, so it can affect their ideas about the contents of your book. It is also recommended to go with the third person when writing the author bio, it sets a more neutral environment for the potential reader rather than a clear self-promotion guide. 

The same target audience rule applies to the author bio as well. Pretty obvious, isn’t it?

Let’s say your book is a science fiction novel set in a galaxy far far away. In this scenario, your author bio should be different from when you’re writing about the best ways to improve your communication skills.

For non-fiction, it is extremely important to demonstrate the author’s competence in the subject. It is one thing if Mr. Nobody or Mrs. Newbie made the collection of recipes, and another thing if the author of the book is an award-winning professional chef.

Highlight what is worth mentioning and hide non-essential details that might affect credibility. 

Oh, and of course…keep it short, approximately 75 words . 

Author bio best practices

Here are some examples of an excellent author bio layout.

Testimonials are positive reviews on your book that come from well-known experts, publications, fellow authors or sometimes readers. 

You should take care of testimonials even before your book is ready to be published. It takes some time to reach your target expert and get them to write a review on your piece of work. So be sure to plan everything .

Having a testimonial on your back book cover is extremely important to establish a so-called “social proof” , which means that the target audience trusts the opinion of someone who vouched for your book. 

Bonus point: A review of the book written by an opinion leader can increase your book sales. 

A great balance would be to gather two or three testimonials . 

Testimonials best practices

We know that this falls into the category of setting the bar too high, but use it as an inspiration for the testimonials.

Let’s Review

As you might have noticed in all of the above examples, it’s perfectly fine to omit some parts when coming up with a back book cover. There are different variations of things you might want to include when writing your back cover copy.

It’s safe to say that unless you have 100 testimonials and are planning to use them, as your key selling point, you’ll definitely want to keep the blurb . Some self-publishing authors prefer to concentrate just on the blurb , and it looks great!

If you have a killer tagline that will make a particularly awesome hook, go for it! There are so many cases when the tagline entered a popular culture easily and became a business card of the book itself.

If your author bio is particularly relevant to this type of book and can serve as a selling point, we highly recommend building your back book cover design around it.

If you have a few good testimonials from well-known people in the industry , then nothing will go wrong if you put them all over the back book cover. Include only testimonials from highly recognized people in the field. If for any reason, you couldn’t reach them, it’s fine to omit this part altogether.

As you can see, there’s a lot of “ifs” when it comes to book back cover design and layout. Just think about it, look through your resources and decide on the excellent back cover for your book!

What do you include in your back book cover design ? Share your ideas in the comment section below.

Related Blog Posts

How to A/B Test Your Book Cover Design?

Honestly, your book cover has one job – to turn curious potential readers into buyers,...

Access is denied.

Love our blog post?

Check out our book covers for more inspiration.

Back cover design: A guide to creating an effective book cover

1 February 2024

Magda Wojcik

The back cover of a book is the outer surface on the opposite side of the front cover. Its primary function is to provide a brief summary of the book, author information, endorsements and other relevant details to attract potential readers and give them a glimpse of the content before they decide to purchase or read the book.

But it is not just about including these elements; it is about creating an informative and engaging back cover that stands out. In this blog post, we’ll explore the components of a back cover with examples from bestselling fiction and non-fiction books, design and accessibility considerations, free back cover templates, and the role of editing services.

So whether you are an author looking to design your back cover or a reader interested in understanding the elements of a back cover, read on to learn all you need to know.

What does a book back cover consist of?

The back cover usually consists of the following elements:

• endorsements and reviews
• ISBN, barcode and publisher’s details .

They may not necessarily all appear on the back cover. For instance, the cover may not include the author’s bio if they are famous because readers may already be familiar with their name, publications and achievements. Later in this article, you can see back cover templates , which illustrate this point.

Now, let’s delve into the elements of the book back cover in more detail.

A tagline on the back cover is a catchy and memorable phrase that encapsulates the book’s essence. It often reinforces the main theme or draws attention to a key aspect.

To write a compelling book back cover tagline:

• Capture essence : Distil your book’s core theme or message into a few words.
• Invoke curiosity : Create intrigue by posing a question, using wordplay or hinting at a mystery.
• Be concise : Keep it extremely brief, typically one to two sentences.
• Continue in the blurb : create a sense of mystery, urgency and engagement that will be further explored in the blurb.

A  book blurb  on the back cover is a concise and engaging summary of the book’s content. It is usually written to capture the reader’s interest and provide a sneak peek into the storyline.

To write an effective book back cover blurb:

• Hook the reader : Start with a compelling hook or question to capture immediate interest.
• Introduce the core : Briefly introduce the main character and the central conflict to establish the story’s core elements of the fiction book. For a non-fiction book, explain the main discoveries and arguments.
• Highlight importance : Convey what is at stake to create a sense of urgency. This may include what the protagonist stands to lose/experience or how the discoveries enclosed in the book can improve the reader’s life.
• Avoid spoilers : Provide enough information to generate curiosity without giving away crucial plot twists or spoilers.
• End with a call-to-action : Conclude with a call-to-action that encourages readers to delve into the book to uncover the full narrative or findings.
• Be brief : Aim for around 150 to 250 words.
• Create continuity : Develop further the sense of mystery started in the tagline.

An effective fiction book blurb example

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

EVERY DAY THE SAME Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost. UNTIL TODAY And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel goes to the police. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

This blurb is effective because it:

• creates an intriguing routine
• introduces key characters and their seemingly perfect lives
• promises a significant and shocking event (‘UNTIL TODAY’)
• raises questions about the protagonist’s reliability
• implies complications and consequences, building suspense and interest.

An effective non-fiction book blurb example

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

FIRE gave us power

FARMING made us hungry for more

MONEY gave us purpose

SCIENCE made us deadly

This is the thrilling account of our extraordinary history — from insignificant apes to rulers of the world.

This book blurb is effective because it:

• distils complex historical themes into four concise elements
• uses impactful words (FIRE, FARMING, MONEY, SCIENCE) to symbolise key developments
• creates a dynamic narrative flow of human history
• concludes with a bold statement.

Endorsements and reviews

Back covers often include endorsements from notable individuals or excerpts from reviews that highlight positive feedback about the book. Any awards or accolades received may also be mentioned.

Good reviews or endorsements on a book’s back cover should contain the following elements to be effective:

• Specific praise : Highlight specific aspects of the book that stood out, such as writing style, character development, plot twists or thematic depth.
• Relevance to target audience : Express how the book will resonate with the target audience, indicating the genre or themes that make it compelling for certain readers.
• Credibility of the reviewer : If the reviewer is well-known or has expertise in a relevant field, mention their credentials to enhance credibility.
• Brief and impactful : Keep the review concise, focusing on the most compelling points to capture attention quickly.
• Call to action : Encourage the readers to buy and read the book by creating a sense of urgency or importance.

Examples of impactful endorsements and reviews

‘You don’t know how much you need this book. It will change your life.’ — Melissa Hartwig Urban about  Quit Like a Woman  by Holly Whitaker

‘Interesting and provocative … It gives you a sense of perspective on how briefly we’ve been on this Earth.’ — Barack Obama about  Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind  by Yuval Noah Harari

‘A fantasy like you’ve never read before.’ — #1NYT bestselling author Jennifer Armentrout about  Iron Flame  by Rebecca Yarros

‘Smart and sharp. Fast-paced and twisty.’ — Megan Miranda, author of  The Only Survivors  about  First Lie Wins  by Ashley Elston

The author bio found on the back cover includes information about the author, including a brief biography, a photo, and details about other books they have written. This helps readers understand the author’s background and explore additional works. Moreover, it illustrates the author’s credibility and authority in the topic of the book.

Examples of effective author bios

Fairy Tale  by Stephen King

Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes Silly Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, The Outsider, and Sleeping Beauties (cowritten with his son Owen King). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by the New York Times Book Review. He is the recipient of the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist, Tabitha King .

This author bio is effective because it:

• highlights King’s extensive bibliography and success as a worldwide bestselling author, establishing credibility
• mentions recent publications, showcasing the author’s continued work and relevance
• includes prestigious awards and honours
• adds a personal touch by mentioning his residence and family, providing readers with a glimpse into the author’s life.

The Psychology of Money  by Morgan Housel

Morgan Housel is a partner at The Collaborative Fund and a former columnist at The Motley Fool and The Wall Street Journal. He is a two-time winner of the Best in Business Award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, winner of the New York Times Sidney Award, and a two-time finalist for the Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism.

• showcases multiple awards, emphasising the Housel’s excellence in business and financial journalism
• established professional credibility by highlighting author’s background as a writer for reputable and relevant magazines.

ISBN, barcode and publisher’s details

Finally, the back cover contains the three important elements associated with retail. First, the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) uniquely identifies the book, which is helpful for bookstores, warehouses and libraries storing the book. Next, the barcode is scannable for retail purposes. Last, publisher details provide information about the entity responsible for publishing the book, including the name and logo of the publisher or press.

International Standard Book Number (ISBN)

ISBN is a unique thirteen-digit book identifier assigned to each edition of the book. In other words, an eBook, audiobook, hardcover and paperback edition of the same book will have different ISBNs.

How to obtain an ISBN?

Each country has a different ISBN issuer, but they are all overseen by the  International ISBN Agency , which introduced ISBN in 1970. You can contact the ISBN provider from your country online. Some offer ISBNs for free, and others sell ISBNs in packs of one, ten, hundred, or a thousand. For instance, in the UK, USA and Australia, ISBN providers sell with prices decreasing the larger the package. On the other hand, in New Zealand, South Africa and Canada, self-publishing writers and publishers can obtain ISBNs for free.

Note that print-on-demand (POD) platforms like  Amazon KDP ,  Ingram Sparks  and  Lulu  provide their free versions of ISBNs but with a caveat. If you choose their identifiers instead of the officially recognised ISBNs often, they will limit where you can sell your book.

Like ISBN, a barcode is necessary for books that will be sold. Barcodes can be obtained for free. For instance, you can try the Online Barcode Generator to get a free barcode for your back cover. POD platforms like Amazon KDP , IngramSpark and Lulu also provide them for free with their cover templates.

How to design a back cover?

Here are some key considerations when designing a back cover of a book.

• Function over flair : Prioritise conveying essential information like the blurb, author details, and ISBN over excessive design elements. Avoid clutter, and leave ample white space for a clean and organised look.
• Look at other books in the same genre : Analyse successful books in your genre to understand design trends and audience expectations. This helps your book fit in while also standing out.
• Use style to tell a story : Align the back cover design with the book’s tone and content. The design should offer a glimpse into the narrative or themes, creating a cohesive visual experience.
• Match the front cover : Ensure consistency between the front and back covers. The design elements, colour scheme and typography should complement each other, presenting a unified visual identity.
• DIY vs hiring somebody : Consider your design skills and the complexity of your vision. If confident, DIY may be cost-effective. However, hiring a professional designer can ensure a polished and effective result. To DIY a book cover, try one of the automated tools, such as  Canva’s Magic Studio ,  Midjourney AI ,  Adobe Firefly  or  Microsoft Design .

How to incorporate accessibility into a back cover design?

Accessibility in the context of  book cover design  refers to creating covers that are inclusive and can be easily understood, navigated, and appreciated by individuals with diverse abilities. This includes considerations for people with visual, cognitive, or motor impairments. Designing with accessibility in mind ensures that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can access and engage with the book cover content.

Key aspects of accessibility in book cover design may involve:

• Contrast and legibility : Ensure there is sufficient contrast between text and background colours to aid readability. High contrast is especially important for readers with visual impairments.
• Font size and style : Choose a clear and legible font with a size that is easily readable, even for those with visual impairments. For instance, Arial, Comic Sans, Verdana, Tahoma, Century Gothic, Trebuchet, Calibri and Open Sans typefaces are more accessible.
• Alternative text for images : If your back cover includes images, provide alternative text (alt text) for each image. Alt text is crucial for individuals using screen readers to understand the visual elements.
• Readability in various formats : Ensure that the back cover is readable in different formats, including print and digital. Digital versions should maintain readability when viewed on various devices and screen sizes.
• Consider readers with colour blindness : Be mindful of colour choices, as some readers may have colour vision deficiencies. Avoid relying solely on colour to convey important information. Also, avoid combining red and green and instead try blue and red (or orange and yellow combination). Finally, use highly contrasting colours and play with the dark/light saturation to make the contrast more pronounced.
• Readable layout : Organising information in a clear and logical manner, allowing easy navigation for individuals with cognitive or attention-related challenges.

How can editing services help elevate a back cover?

There are several benefits of using professional editing services when designing a book back cover. For instance, thorough proofreading can catch any typos, spelling errors or formatting issues, maintaining a polished and error-free appearance. Likewise, copyediting can help ensure consistency with the front cover, the book’s content and other books in the series. Here are some other examples of how editing services can help in a back cover design:

• Clarity and conciseness : Editors ensure the back cover text is clear, concise and effectively communicates the book’s essence, helping readers quickly understand the content.
• Grammar and language : Editing services correct grammar, syntax and language issues to present a polished and professional back cover, enhancing the overall impression of the book.
• Target audience appeal : Editors assess the language and tone to ensure it resonates with the target audience, maximising the back cover’s impact on potential readers.
• Consistency with content : Editors help align the back cover text with the book’s content, ensuring accuracy and coherence in presenting the narrative, genre or themes.
• Feedback on blurb effectiveness : Professionals can provide feedback on the effectiveness of the blurb, suggesting improvements to make it more engaging, intriguing and aligned with market expectations.

Back cover templates

Here are four free back cover templates for your inspiration.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, creating an impactful back cover is essential to presenting a book to potential readers. This comprehensive guide has explored the crucial elements of an engaging back cover, ranging from taglines and blurbs to endorsements, author bios and technical details like ISBN and barcode. Remember, the back cover serves as a gateway to the world within the book, enticing readers with a glimpse of the content. By carefully considering design and accessibility and utilising editing services, authors can elevate their back covers to effectively connect with their target audience and make a lasting impression. 

I am an  experienced editor  working with non-fiction, academic and business books. If you need a second pair of eyes,  proofreading  and  editing  the text selected for the back cover or preparing your manuscript for publication, contact me for a  free sample edit  (and remember to use my  early bird discount ).

I'm a freelance editor and indexer with a PhD in literary history. I work with non-fiction, academic and business texts.

Memberships

Incorporated in England and Wales. Company number: 10809565. Registered office: Kemp House 152-160 City Road, London, England, EC1V 2NX

© MWEditing 2023

Looking to publish? Meet your dream editor, designer and marketer on Reedsy.

Find the perfect editor for your next book

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Last updated on Jan 21, 2022

The Elements of a Book Cover: A Deeper Dive

Ever wondered what makes a successful book cover ? While authors and designers obviously want their covers to stand out on the shelves, there are many standard features that you'll find on pretty much any book cover.

In this post, we'll dive into the elements that make up a cover design to better understand the crucial role they play in contributing to a book's appeal.

Front cover: the moneymaker 

Let's be honest; we all judge books by their covers, and for a good reason! The front cover should be designed to reflect its genre and hint at what it's actually about. It's the first thing a reader will see, making it your number one marketing tool. 

The crucial elements of a front cover are the title and the author's name, but those alone would hardly jump out at you from the shelves. Cover art, color scheme, and typography are just a few other elements that will make your book stand out to potential readers. 

Your cover art will be one of the most critical aspects of your book cover design — different styles and trends are closely associated with specific genres, so it's important to get it right. This is why it's essential to hire a professional cover designer who knows what's fit for the market you want to sell to. 

Adding photos or illustrations to the cover of a book can help offer some insight into what the book is about and signal to a reader whether or not they'd like it. The designs for the two books below do a great job of communicating genre, tone, and content.

The log cabin set in the moody, moon-lit forest for Hidden Beneath the Pines (above) simply screams " mystery-thriller " and tells the reader where the story will be set. On the other hand, the catalog-perfect room on the cover of Messy Bed, Messy Head immediately connects to the book's content — and offers a glimpse of what the reader might aspire to.

However, some covers are more abstract and give an idea of their concept, rather than plot or specific locations and characters. Reedsy designer George Stevens's cover for The Pain Habit takes author Drew Coverdale's metaphor of a 'journey to recovery' and represents it as a trail map up a mountain. 

Through George's use of color and playful graphics, he's able to represent a topic that's tied up in trauma and present it in a hopeful light.  

The cover below (by Reedsy designer Patrick Knowles ) uses bespoke illustrations to capture the unique story in Goran Baba Ali's The Glass Wall.

This design bridges the gap between literal and abstract cover art by depicting the book's characters and settings and the book's complex theme. The book deals with the vast inequalities and challenges facing immigrants escaping conflict in the Middle East. To offset the challenging subject matter, Knowles and Ali ensured that the cover remained accessible, rather than too abstract or metaphorical.

While you can just use stock images to create your cover, illustrations tailored to your book will convey your message much better and help it stand out more, especially if you're publishing as an ebook that could so easily be scrolled past.

Type hierarchy 

The title of the book and the author's name aren't carelessly slapped onto the book's cover without any thought. The font, size, and placement of any text are key elements of book cover design — not only can it be used to catch a reader's eye and guide them to the most essential information. That's why the names of well-known authors are often more prominent than the title of their book, while debut authors will put more focus on an intriguing title.

Taking the reader's eye on a journey across the cover is especially important on nonfiction covers. More often than not, they'll have a subtitle to clarify what the book is specifically about. The title 'Our Road to Damascus' , for example, could be for almost any kind of book — anything from adventure or fantasy to religion and memoir would fit. It's the subtitle, '7 Lessons for a Life of Purpose and Meaning,' that tells us it's a self-help book. 

Testimonial 

If you've already got some reviews for your book you might want to include a short testimonial on the front cover, too — especially if they're from a recognizable or reputable source. The cover above omits photos or illustrations in favor of a striking background, bold title, and a short recommendation from another author.

Spine: I bet you look good on the bookshelf

The spine is the center of the book's cover, where all pages are bound. It holds your book together and, if done well, will make your book stand out on the bookshelf. 

The essentials for a book's spine are the book's title and the author's name — these should be in the same font as the main text on the front cover. In the example below from Patrick Knowles, the spine continues the front cover and re-utilizes one of the graphical elements. 

Back cover: the (not-so) boring bits 

Once a front cover has caught the reader’s attention, it's up to the back cover to convince them to actually buy and read your book. To anyone sighing because "no one ever looks at the back cover," we ask: how many times have you bought a book without reading its description?

Practical elements

Let's get all of the less glamorous practicalities out of the way first, starting with the ISBN . An ISBN is a unique, 13-digit code used to identify a book, usually found just above the barcode at the bottom of the back cover.

Traditionally published books will also display the publisher's logo towards the bottom of the book's back cover. 

Marketing materials 

The most important feature of a book's back cover is the blurb — a short description to tell readers what it's all about. It shouldn't be a lengthy synopsis, and nor should it contain any spoilers, but it should make your readers curious about the pages between the covers.

Another great way to draw in new readers is a positive review from another author in your genre, especially if you've not already got a testimonial on your front cover or if this is your first book. Many authors also add a personal touch. A short author biography and headshot is standard — especially in nonfiction. 

Flaps: the hardback's special feature

Your book's cover will look a little different if you're publishing a hardback. Hardbacks usually have dust jackets — a removable cover printed on thick, heavyweight paper. Some features usually found on the back cover may be relocated to the dust jacket's back panels (or flaps). 

There aren't really any hard and fast rules — the author's photo and bio are the most common choices for the flaps, but they can also house a book's blurb or some testimonials. 

The exterior design of a book is one of its most important features so getting it right can feel a little daunting at first. But, now that you’ve got a solid grasp of its various elements — you know what it takes for a cover to truly work . If you want a professional cover for your next book, be sure to check out Reedsy's network of experienced book designers.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

Create a cover that ticks all of the boxes

Use this checklist to design a cover that belongs on the bestsellers shelf.

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

Write a Book Back Cover They Can’t Ignore: Tips & Examples

by Gatekeeper Press | Dec 1, 2021 | Blog

Think about your book’s cover as its packaging, the outer wrapping used to help market and sell a product like any other. The package — your book cover — not only contains the content within but must also be attractive and enticing to the consumer. Authors may mistakenly assume that the front cover is all that really matters in cover design, but that negates how book marketing actually works.

A book’s back cover functions as an important marketing tool that helps persuade a prospective customer to buy your book. When authors craft a carefully worded blurb for the back of their book, they can pique just enough interest to compel the shopper to hit the ‘Add to Cart’ button. Continue reading to learn the ins and outs of writing amazing back cover copy.

Elements of a Good Book Back Cover

When designing your book’s back cover you should plan to provide real estate for the following featured elements:

• Headline. A headline is a one-line snippet that is designed to grab the reader’s attention. It is usually italicized or bolded and can ask a provocative question or be a riveting line from the book.
• Blurb. The blurb should be written in third person, not exceed 200 words, and should include short, finely-honed paragraphs that convey what the consumer can look forward to experiencing while reading your book. For non-fiction, this can include bullet points of how the reader will benefit from reading the book.
• Hook. At the end of the blurb, adding a hook will motivate the reader to discover the treasures your book has to offer. It could be a challenge, a promise, a quote, or a question.
• Words of Praise . If you have received a review or endorsement for the book, go ahead and include that in the back cover design.
• Author Bio. A brief bio citing the author’s credentials, with or without a photo, is often added to the back cover. If it is a cover jacket design, the author bio appears inside the back cover flap.
• Barcode. The book’s ISBN and price appear in the lower portion of the back cover design.

How to Write Back Cover Copy

Writing a compelling blurb for the back cover is more challenging than one might initially think. Authors are wired to tell stories or disseminate information but are not necessarily adept at pitching their book to consumers. Consider these tips to aid you in the process of writing back cover copy:

• Start with a punch . Begin the blurb with a strong headline or opening sentence, as it is essential to grab the reader’s attention right from the start. Remember that the back cover copy is a marketing tool, so give that first sentence the time and effort it deserves.
• Introduce only one or two characters in your blurb. Remember that you only have about 200 words to provide an enticing nugget that includes a bit about the setting, the period, the premise, and the conflict. Introducing too many characters in this short blurb only muddies the waters.
• Write short paragraphs. Write the summary in short, digestible chunks versus long-form paragraphs. This helps the blurb be quickly and easily scanned.
• Hold back a bit. Remember that the blurb is not the same as a synopsis of the book. Keeping this in mind, give the reader just enough intriguing information to rouse their curiosity, but do not provide any reveals.
• It’s all about the reader experience . Never forget that your back book cover content is designed to engage the reader’s emotions and prepare them for the experience they can expect while reading your story.

Non-fiction

• A strong headline. The headline should provide a concise one-line statement defining the main selling point of the book — the problem to be solved.
• Demonstrate the solution . Frame the problem that the book promises to solve, and then provide a list of the benefits the reader will gain from your book.
• Explain the reward. Close the blurb with a strong statement, assuring the reader about how the book can improve some aspect of their life.

Awesome Book Back Cover Examples

When attempting to grasp exactly what a great book back cover involves, sometimes pictures are worth a thousand words. Consider these back cover examples:

Interesting Book Back Covers

Vince Flynn’s Enemy at the Gates makes interesting use of the back cover by splitting the space between a self-portrait and reviews for the new thriller.

John Grisham’s latest, The Judge’s List , boasts a clean, simple back cover that uses the space for just one thing — an interesting excerpt from the book.

Funny Book Back Covers

The back cover of For Once in My Life by Colleen Coleman paints a comical picture of her life as a columnist at her local newspaper.

Brain Farts EWW Edition! by Murphy Sawyer is a book for kids that any parent can see by its back cover will be greatly enjoyed by their prodigy.

Compelling Book Back Covers

The back book cover for When the Apricots Bloom by Gina Wilkinson stirs a sense of curiosity about this story based in Baghdad.

Devoted by Dean Koontz has an intriguing back cover. He introduces a dog named Kipp, and his instincts to thwart evil and protect a boy and his mother.

Non-Fiction Book Back Covers

Napoleon Hill’s How to Think and Grow Rich was first published in 1937. The current back cover conveys in clear, concise language exactly what the book offers the reader.

The back cover space of Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant is filled with quotes of praise by notable people.

Get Your Book in Perfect Shape from Cover to Cover

When embarking on the self-publishing journey, authors can benefit immensely by enlisting the professional help of a self-publishing partner like Gatekeeper Press . Reach out to us today for all the support you need to shape and polish your manuscript and get your book ready for publication. Give us a call at (866) 535-0913 or contact us online .

Free Consultation

• Kathi Kotchi Publishing Q&A
• Paperback vs. Hardcover: Best Option for Your Book?
• William Sutton Publishing Q&A
• How To Write Young Adult Romance Books
• Samuel Harrison Author Q&A
• Author Q&A (23)
• Editing (18)
• Making Money (7)
• Marketing (12)
• Publishing (61)
• Publishing Journey Q&A (3)
• Uncategorized (2)
• Writing (57)

• Expert Publishing Services
• 917-922-1339
• [email protected]
• Book Design

How to Design a Back Book Cover

How to Design a Book Spine

How to Design a Book Jacket

• book cover design tips
• cover design
• tips and tricks

Your book’s back cover is an overview of your masterpiece. And although it might seem like a small component of your overall work, it’s an extremely important one. Read on to learn more about how to design a back book cover.

Why the back cover of a book is important

The back cover of a book is a key component of your book marketing strategy . It draws attention to your book by giving your potential reader an idea of what the book is about. So as you plan your book cover design, think about what will make your readers want to dive right into your story.

What should be on the book spine?

A book spine is small and simple, but important. It’s basically a quick snapshot of your book: the title, author name, and—if applicable—the publisher. Your potential readers might find your book at their local library or bookstore, and the spine is the first thing they’ll see.

Make sure the book spine accurately reflects the cover design and the theme of your book. The background of your cover art should also be the background of the spine. Additionally, use a font that represents your book’s theme. Just make sure the font is clear and legible so your potential readers can easily read it.

What makes a good author photo?

Your author photo is often the first time your readers will see an image of their next favorite writer. As you sit in front of the camera, try to take a picture that represents your personality and your book’s themes.

For instance, if your author photo is going on the back cover of a children’s fiction book, your picture should be colorful and lighthearted. So smile for the camera! Conversely, if you’ve written a nonfiction book about a serious topic, your picture should be more solemn.

Readers often want to see the face behind the masterpiece so they can see the storyteller. So give the people what they want with a nice author photo on your back cover. In fact, your photo is just one of the reasons that the back cover of a book is so important.

Why is the back cover of a book so important?

The back cover of a book provides the reader with some great information. However, it’s more than a quick book description and a nice picture of the author. It gives the reader an enticing summary of your story and a taste of your writing.

Think of it this way: the book spine and front cover make the reader want to learn more about the book. The back cover makes the reader want to enjoy every word that’s inside the book.

Because the back cover of your book is so important, make sure you allocate some resources to perfecting it. Spend some time editing it and consider hiring a professional cover designer. After all, your book and your readers deserve a stellar cover!

Elements that should be on a book’s back cover

You might not realize it, but your book’s back cover is a powerful marketing tool. When the back cover is designed well and includes the right elements, it’ll make readers want to buy your book.

What software is used to design book covers?

There are various software programs available to design book covers. A professional graphic or cover designer will likely have high-end design software like the Adobe Creative Suite. If you’re trying to create your own book cover design, you might start with a less expensive—but therefore less powerful—software. Online programs like Canva are a great place to start.

If you’re self-publishing, your printer or e-book publisher might send you a cover template. The template will show you the size of the front cover, back cover, and spine. Some templates even guide you on ideal image resolution and font size. If you have a cover template to work with, choose the best software to accommodate the template. Your self-publishing company might be able to provide some guidance here.

What will make readers want to buy your book?

Your book only gets a few seconds to make a first impression on a potential reader. In order to make readers want to buy your book, your entire cover design needs to draw them in.

Your book’s back cover is a built-in marketing tool. A great back cover can itself make readers want to buy the book. Find a great cover photo and get creative when writing your book blurb and author bio. Leave that reader wanting more!

What elements should be on a book’s back cover?

Your book’s back cover should include basic information about you and your book’s story—along with a few other pieces of information. Here’s a list of the elements you should include on your book’s back cover:

• Book blurb, also known as a book description . This summary lets your reader know what to expect about the plot as well as your writing style.
• Author bio and author photo . Give your readers a glimpse into who is telling them the story!
• Publisher information . Most publishers require that their name and logo are printed on your back cover and book spine.
• Short book review or testimonial . Consumers often check reviews before buying anything—including a book. Print a couple of short testimonials raving about the book on your back cover if you can.
• ISBN barcode . Your publisher or self-publishing company can usually create this barcode for you. This is important information, and is standard for all fiction and nonfiction book covers.

If you have any trouble getting started with your back book cover design, check out some resources for authors online. The writing world is a vast and supportive community, so use others’ experience to help design a great back cover.

How to design a back cover that tells a story

From the cover blurb to the author bio and cover art, your back cover should tell two stories:

• Your story as the author.
• Your book’s story as a literary work.

Since the back cover is an important element of your book marketing, check out some cover design tips that have worked for other authors. Use their advice as a springboard to begin writing your back cover copy so your cover can tell a great story.

How much information about the author should be included on the back cover?

Your readers want to know a bit about you as the author. So it’s a good idea to include a quick author bio and a small photo of yourself on your back cover.

However, don’t monopolize your cover. Give your readers a glimpse into who you are, but keep in mind that the main reason that a potential reader picks up your book is for the literature. Keep your author bio under three hundred words and make sure your picture doesn’t take up more than 20 percent of the back cover.

In other words, let your masterpiece—and not yourself—be the star of the back cover.

Who writes the summary on the back of books?

Have you ever read a book cover blurb and wondered who wrote it?

The answer generally depends on the author’s preference and how they published their book. Some authors like to write their own cover copy so the tone and voice stay true to the way the rest of the book is written. In other cases, literary agents hire professional blurb writers to craft the summary. And if you’ve created a picture book, the back summary might be best left to the cover designer.

Regardless of who writes the summary on the back of your book, remember: your back cover needs to tell a story.

How can you design a back cover that tells a story?

Your back cover will tell a story as long as you include a well-written book description and author bio. Testimonials and an author photo are a bonus! However, sometimes writing these elements is easier said than done.

As a writer, you’re a talented storyteller. However, writing a manuscript with a well-developed main character and a complex plot is a lot different than squeezing the entire storyline into a paragraph-long book description.

Try to separate yourself from your book’s story in order to create an effective book description. After all, it’s difficult to boil your entire manuscript down to a small paragraph. If you’re self-publishing and don’t have access to professional writers or cover designers, consider asking a friend or a colleague to help write your book description.

How to present testimonials on the back of your book cover

Testimonials are fantastic additions to a book’s back cover. These are short reviews from well-known sources that will entice prospective readers to pick up your book. The more testimonials you have from renowned sources, the more readers will respect your book—and want to read it!

Why should you include testimonials on your back cover?

People love to read reviews. And that includes your potential reader . Testimonials lend credibility to your book. They show that other readers—oftentimes book reviewers, publishers, or other book industry professionals—enjoyed your book so much that they took the time to write a positive review.

Additionally, large bookstores love to see testimonials. If you have a review or blurb from a credible source on your book’s back cover, retail stores will take note. This might lead them to purchase copies of your book. And for an author, what feeling is greater than seeing your masterpiece on a large retailer’s shelf?

How should you present testimonials on your back cover?

Incorporating testimonials into your back cover design can be a challenge. You want to include all the great things reviewers have said about your work, but you also need to save room for the other back cover elements.

First, pick the two or three strongest testimonials. They should be one or two sentences each, preferably from renowned and credible sources. Then, find the best place for them on your back cover. Since you want to distinguish the testimonials from your book description and author bio, you might want to change the font size or color.

How can you get testimonials for your book?

Indie authors tend to have a lot of publishing questions —including how to get testimonials for their books. Getting testimonials for your book can be difficult, but here are a few ways you can do it:

• Write letters to book reviewers or established authors within your genre. Ask them for a testimonial you can include on your back cover. Since you’ll directly quote them on the cover, they’ll get some publicity too!
• Ask your family and friends to write online reviews of your book. The more positive reviews you have, the more likely it is that a professional book reviewer or publisher will notice—and the easier it’ll be for you to ask them for a cover-worthy testimonial.
• Even if you haven’t had success with literary agents and publishing companies in the past, keep contacting them. You never know when the timing might be right to get a testimonial or a book contract from an industry professional.

Requesting testimonials can be a frustrating process. Just be patient and stick with it. You’ll get a great testimonial eventually!

A great book deserves a great back cover

Your book’s back cover needs to reflect the story within. Regardless of whether you’re looking for a simple or complex book cover design, Elite Authors can create an amazing book cover for you.

Visit our website to learn more about our award-winning cover designers!

Related posts

Using Color Psychology in Book Cover Design to Attract Readers

Navigating Typography Choices for Your Self-Published Book

Cover Design Trends for Self-Published Authors in 2023

Need help moving your files from createspace to kdp, let us help you move your book for free..

Writing Your Book’s Back-Cover Copy

In today’s guest post, editor Jessi Rita Hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling back-cover copy.

So you’ve written your book, you’ve chosen your title and cover design, and you’re breathing a sigh of relief. Now you have to decide what goes on the back cover. New authors sometimes rush this decision, writing the first thing that comes to mind. After all, it’s the back of the book. How important can it be?

A lot more important than a person might think. The hundred-and-fifty words you’ll place on your back cover are arguably the most important words in your entire book.

Here’s why. After the book title and front cover, the back cover is the next thing readers look at when deciding whether to make a purchase. The back-cover copy also functions as the primary ad for your book. Not only will it appear on the book itself, but you’ll probably use it as your Amazon description.

You have—at best—150 to 200 words to work with, because that’s all that will attractively fit on the back cover of most volumes. If the content is longer than that, you’ll have to make the font size so small that people will need a magnifying glass to read it. And that, of course, would not promote the sale.

Before sitting down to the task of writing your back-cover copy, examine the backs of other books in your genre for examples of how the copy should read. The examples you find will make everything you read in this article clearer.

What Novelists Should Say

If you are a novelist, your back cover should provide a short summary of what your book is about. Write only a paragraph or two, and include the hooks—the story’s most engaging plot points. If you queried agents or editors at any point, you might be able to start with the hook from your query letter.

Here is an example of back-cover copy for Loving Legit , a novel by my client Serena King:

Black businesswoman Monica Walker knows all about success. She’s transformed herself from broken-home victim to New York–magazine super-editor, and she’s only thirty at that. What she doesn’t know about is how to get a good man, a legit man who’ll put that ring on her finger. Her love life has been a series of romantic train wrecks. What disaster will her too-trusting heart lure her into next? Monica wants to find just one good guy who will respect and love her the way she deserves—but is he out there? What’s she doing wrong, she constantly wonders. Finally, it looks like wedded bliss is just around the corner. But has Monica found true love at last or just made another mistake?

It often works well if the description ends on an intriguing question or a point of tension—something that will hook the reader on the book’s premise or the character’s central dilemma. The back cover isn’t the place to get bogged down in arcane plot details; rather, you want to sell readers on the big-picture narrative arc.

What Nonfiction Authors Should Say

Unlike novelists, nonfiction authors should make a list of bullet points about the book’s main features and actually put that list on the back cover. Use three to five bullet points only (an odd number is best, marketing research shows). With the bullets, tell  what the book will do for the reader  or what the reader is going to learn from your book.

Keep the syntax (style) of the bullet points consistent. This is important, or the list won’t read right. If you start out with participles, stick with participles; if you start with clauses, stick with clauses.

Example of inconsistent bullet points:

In this book you’ll learn that: A rabbit can be litterbox-trained in a day Feeding the right kind of diet How to stop behavior problems

Example of consistent bullet points:

In this book, you’ll learn how to: Litterbox-train your rabbit in a day Feed a proper diet that extends your bunny’s life Stop behavior problems in their tracks

See the difference? The second list sounds polished. The first one sounds like an amateur wrote it.

Put the bulleted list in the middle of the copy you write for your back cover. Above the list, speak directly to the readers, and give them the primary reason why they should read your book. This should be broader in scope than the reasons you put in your bulleted list. One way to write this primary reason is to present it as a question.

Here’s an example from It’s Your Party—Make It Epic! —a book by my client Robyn Scates:

Do you feel stuck in your own life? Are you just going through the motions and calling it living? Does chaos seem to follow you, and even know your address? In It’s Your Party—Make it Epic! motivational speaker Robyn Scates talks straight about why our lives spiral out of control and how to get back in the driver’s seat. An attorney twice-honored as one of Maryland’s Top-100 Women, Robyn tells how she went from starring in other people’s mini-dramas to living authentically and regaining inner peace. Through stories, humor, and dozens of practical tips, she shows the way to anyone who has lost their joy and is trying to figure out why. In these pages you’ll discover: How to identify and end your toxic relationships How to stop saying “yes” when you mean “no” How to get free from situations that own you Why most people work at jobs that bore them How to find and protect your inner peace Your life is your party, but only if you control the invitation list. If you are a people-pleaser who wants to stop but doesn’t know how, this book is for you.

In this example, the back-cover copy ends with another appeal to the reader’s need, and with the personal and inviting statement, “This book is for you.”

Make sure that you aren’t the focus of the back cover. Make the focus your readers and why they should trust what you have to say. Unless you get in touch with your readers’ need for the book, and strike a chord with that, they will walk away and never open the pages, however excellent the writing and content might be.

Your Picture and a Bit about You

Besides those carefully chosen few words, your back cover should include a professional-looking photograph of you, the author. This should be a clear close-up photo of your face, and no one but you should be in the picture. You may have a cute spouse, kid, or pet, but this is not the place to show them off unless they are actually a part of the book.

Then, write a brief bio. For nonfiction authors, you should include two or three points to establish that you are an expert, with the training and/or experience that qualifies you to write about your topic.

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 near the back. You can go into some detail about your background there—but don’t do it on your back cover. (See my article “ Writing Your Author Bio Page .”)

What Not to Say

What shouldn’t you say on your back cover? Essentially, anything not discussed above. Remember you have only 150 to 200 words in which to deliver your message. Keep it short, sweet, and focused. Cut out every bit of repetition so you can stuff lots of information into those few words.

Also, make sure the tone is understated. People know you wrote this ad for the book, and if you write about it in superlatives, it makes you look bad—either arrogant or desperate or exaggerating, depending on people’s perception. Write confidently but humbly, stating facts about the book and telling its benefits, rather than writing adjectives and adverbs of self-praise. This will win you trust rather than reap you derision.

Endorsements—or Not

The back cover is also where you can place endorsements, if you have any. If you have several, they can take the place of the book description. If you have just one or two, the endorsements can appear along with the description. An endorsement is a short, pithy statement—by someone well-known in your genre (if you’re a novelist) or your field (if you write nonfiction)—who recommends your book to prospective readers. (See my article “ How to Get Endorsements for Your Book .”)

Don’t make the mistake of reeling in just anyone to write an endorsement for you. It truly does need to be a recognized name in your genre or field. Better to forego endorsements than to look like you tried to find someone important to recommend your book and no one would.

For Additional Help

If all of this sounds daunting, consider hiring an editor or marketing writer to help you craft your book’s back-cover copy in the most compelling way possible. And closely proofread the final version. Punctuation or grammar goofs in this highly visible spot broadcast the message that your book was not professionally written.

The words you place on your back cover are crucial to your book’s success. If they hook the reader, you’ve got a sale. If they don’t, then no matter how great the content is, the book will get passed over. Give your back-cover copy the time and attention required to make it the small gem it needs to be. The payoff you get will be worth it.

Jessi Rita Hoffman is a developmental book editor (content editor) who specializes in helping first-time authors. She can be reached through her website at www.JessiRitaHoffman.com or found on Twitter .

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

[…] Editor Jessi Rita Hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling back-cover copy for your book.  […]

Your timing is amazing, Jessi. JUST LAST NIGHT, I took a draft of my back cover copy to my writing group. It was a good first try, but they gave me so much great feedback. Thanks to your post, I’m even better equipped to do it right. Many thanks.

A very organized and easy to understand article with great tips! Thank you very much, Jessi!

Many writers I know use the query for the back cover. I think this is wrong, as the query is full of minute details to prove to an agent why the ms is different from thousands of others they receive, and questions are considered a gimmick. But I think a back cover copy benefits from generalities and questions that make it resemble other bestsellers in the genre and will hook more browsers that way. I must admit I can’t find professional articles to back this up though…

Glad my article was helpful, Marcy. And good luck with your book! You may like to visit my blog for more articles on how to create the components of your book, and writing secrets for both novelists and nonfiction authors. A good place to start reading is with my post: “Branding Your Book with Your Book Title and Cover,” which you’ll find at: http://bookeditor-jessihoffman.com/branding-book-book-title-cover/

Thanks for your comment, Lexicain. I agree it would be a mistake to cut-and-paste one’s back-cover content into an agent query letter. The audiences are different. In a query, you’re trying to persuade agents that what you wrote is marketable. In the back-cover copy, you’re trying to persuade readers that what you wrote is valuable to their life. The points you pitch may overlap in your query and back-cover content, but they won’t be identical.

You might like to subscribe to my blog at http://www.JessiRitaHoffman.com , where soon I’ll be posting an article with my tips for constructing a winning query letter. The queries I’ve written for my book editing clients have yielded nice results, including agents and book deals.

Your article came at the perfect time, Jessi! I am doing the last edits in my book and then sending to an editor.

Wonderful advice! Thank you!

[…] Jessi Rita Hoffman posted at JaneFriedman.com: Writing Your Book’s Back-Cover Copy […]

[…] To: Writing Your Book’s Back-Cover Copy, by Jessi Rita Hoffman – “So you’ve written your book, you’ve chosen your title and […]

[…] a book? You need back-cover copy and a good author photo. Jessi Rita Hoffman tells us how to write back-cover copy for any type of fiction or non-fiction book, and Bill Ferris shows us how to get the perfect author […]

Hey, Jessi, I wrote to @janefriedman to tell her how much I appreciated your article and her timing! Book-sales elements — back cover, synopsis, fly copy, etc. — are the brick and mortar of publishing, but minefields for Indies. At the Big Five, as you surely know, each element has its own talented copywriter. It’s tough for the rest of us to compete, maybe like trying a little legerdemain without know that distraction and language figure into the tricks. Thanks for baring the nitty gritty-necessities that even the most talented copywriter must handle. The rest is magic, I guess. 🙂

What to Include on Your Back Cover and How to Write it

Imagine a potential reader selecting your book. Maybe the reader recognizes the title because you’ve employed some good book marketing. Or maybe your book cover design is attractive. What’s likely next is the quick twist of the wrist that allows your reader to check out the back cover of your book. The reader will briefly review what they find there and decide whether or not your book makes the cut to be next in line on their reading list.

This is a make-or-break moment for your book, which is why it’s so important that your book design includes a stellar back cover. We’ll review the most important elements for a back cover and how to write these elements in ways that connect to your audience and your work.

Get Started On Your Publishing Journey Today!

Or call us 888 408 8965

Book Description

Your book description serves as a window into your book. When writing your book description, you’re providing your reader an opportunity to see themselves reading your book. You’ll want to create a description that’s engaging, and that also looks nice when incorporated into the whole book layout.

Define your audience

Keep in mind that your book is not for everyone. A reader looking for a light summer fiction is not likely to identify with a book in the business genre, and that’s OK! You’ll write your book description for a specific audience, just as you wrote your book with a particular reader in mind.

If your description is aimed at too broad an audience, you risk that your future readers will not connect with your book. Though it might seem counterintuitive, writing your description for a select reader will allow you to reach more people with your work. Start by considering your genre and demographics and build your description from there.

Engage your reader

Your description should be more than a summary or overview of your book. With fiction and nonfiction, you’ll want to write a hook at the beginning of your description to draw your reader in. Bring the reader into the plot line of your fiction book or give them guidance for a problem if writing nonfiction.

You’re trying to match readers with your book when writing your description, so keep it accessible. Write your description in the third person regardless of what perspective you’ve used throughout your book. Don’t try to show off your creative writing skills by using overly flowery language. You want to be able to showcase your plot here in a quick and alluring manner.

Your book description might be the most important element included on your back cover, but it’s not the only element. To ensure a clean and attractive design, limit your book description to under 200 words. A word limit close to this will also hold you accountable in your mission to keep your book description succinct.

Including blurbs or testimonials on your back cover is a way to build credibility for your book and you as an author. Without sounding over enthusiastic, blurbs can convey why a reader should read your book.

Who can write a blurb?

If self-publishing, there are many ways to find the contact info of other writers in your genre or experts in your field. Craft a short letter that details how meaningful it would be to have your book reviewed by the addressee.

If you’ve been fortunate enough to have your work reviewed by a media source, that media source can be quoted to serve as a blurb as well. You’ll want to choose a positive statement or two from the review. Even if the media source didn’t give you an outstanding review, there are bound to be some positive words in the review somewhere. Even being able to reference a media source will add credibility to your writing.

If you’ve built a launch team in addition to your book editing and book publishing teams, you may already have compiled a list of reader testimonials. These can be used as blurbs as well and can be particularly effective if you’re able to include a job title or position with your reader’s name that brings some credible weight with it.

How many blurbs?

Blurbs are not a complete necessity, but they can help you reach a wider audience. Blurbs can sometimes be included on the front cover, if coming from a source of high notoriety, on an inside cover fold, or on the back cover. Since we’re talking about your back cover layout, it’s important to consider once again the variety of elements you are including. To allow ample room for your book description and author bio, it would be best to limit the number of blurbs to three maximum.

Your bio should include the basics, like where you live and a short mention of your family life. Readers like to feel connected with their favorite authors, and the basics show you as someone to whom they can relate. But what else should an author bio include beyond that? Let us show you how to write an author bio in ways that connect to your audience and your work and establish you in the industry for years to come.

The importance of a writer’s bio

Striking a balance between providing the context of your life in which your book came to be without it is essential to understand the material reflects the importance of a book writer’s bio. In other words, your biography shouldn’t appear so large that it diminishes your work, but at the same time, the result is also informed by your bio.

The book you’ve just written was probably informed by the life you’ve led, making them interconnected. An author’s biography is critical because, after all, everything the author writes is filtered through their life experiences. However, some say an author’s bio should never factor into understanding and interpreting their work. So, how to achieve that balance?

What to include on the back cover of a book

It’s more important for your author bio to be interesting than accurate. The author’s hobbies aren’t mentioned explicitly, but you get a livelier and more exciting picture of their active language. And when their genre is action-packed crime fiction, including their love of museums, birding and baseball seem too slow-paced. Leaving out some hobbies and interests can also give you content for revising your author bio for the next book or for using in other online marketing efforts (like on social media!).

Your bio needs to be (mostly) relevant to your book’s genre or subject matter. Rather than saying which prestigious places of employment are in your past, why not say how a particular aspect of them inspired your writing? On the flip side, if you’re a fantasy author with a Ph.D. in mythology or folklore or a history professor who writes alternative historical fiction, that’s relevant and should be highlighted—just not too much. Only enough to lend credibility.

Author bio template

Again, write in the third person. Keep to about 250 words. You can use this bio to give to people introducing you in public speaking and signing events, so make sure it’s lively and will sound good read aloud. You’re aiming for a style similar to a book jacket copy. The purpose is to make yourself sound professional as well as attractive. A bio is all about making yourself stand out. Follow this template:

• Whatever Might Make You Newsworthy
• Work History
• Where You Live
• Life Experience and Hobbies
• Travel/Exotic Residences
• Writing Credentials/Prizes
• Family: Use Discretion Here
• Performing History
• Your Online Presence

Author Photo

There is debate about how necessary it is to include an author photo on the back cover of your book. But one thing is for sure that, like all the other elements of your back cover, your author photo is an opportunity to attract and connect with your readers. If you decide to include an author photo, ensure that it follows these guidelines:

Your photo should be taken by a professional

It would be best to include a professional headshot as your author photo. Don’t take the photo yourself unless you are confident you can make it look professional. Including a professional photo gives your back cover a polished and organized appearance that will only add to your credibility as a writer.

Your photo should be of the current you (and only you)

Don’t use a headshot from 20 years ago. It will be evident if you’re using an old photograph and you want to show up as your authentic self in order to establish a connection and a relationship with your readers. Also, you may have beautiful family photos or a picture of you and your dog that you love, but leave everyone but yourself out of your author photo.

Your photo should complement your message

No, your photo doesn’t have to look scary if you’ve written a gory thriller. But it’s worth considering your audience, message, and genre when taking and selecting your author photo. Personal development authors will want a photo that seems optimistic and energetic. An author of financial advocacy books may want to be wearing a suit or professional attire in their author photo. Would it feel best to include your photo in color or black and white?

There are a lot of moving pieces when it comes to what to include on the back cover of soft- and hardcover books. The back cover is an opportunity for you to engage and connect with your readers and to extend your message to a deeper audience. In addition to services like hardcover book printing and book editing, a book editor from Palmetto Publishing can help you with your book cover design and layout. Palmetto is a top-tier publishing company that can help you bring all of your hard work to light with an abundance of publishing services.

Start Your Publishing Journey

• Do you have a manuscript ready?* * Do you have a manuscript ready?* Yes, I'm ready to publish today Yes, I'll be ready to publish in 1 to 3 months Yes, I'll be ready to publish in 3 to 6 months Yes, I’ll be ready to publish in 6 to 12 months No, I do not have a book or manuscript ready
• What type of book do you plan on publishing? * What type of book do you plan on publishing? Business Biography Inspirational Non-Fiction How-To Autobiography/Memoir Self-Help Children's Spiritual/Religious Fiction Art/Photography Cookbook Other
• Name * First Last
• Zip Code * Please enter a number from 00000 to 99999 .

Submitting your information indicates that you have read our privacy policy and give us permission to call, email, and send text messages.

• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to secondary navigation
• Skip to footer

Joanna Campbell Slan

Thanks for visiting the official website for New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author and Winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, Joanna Campbell Slan.

What's the Difference? Blurb, Review, and Back Cover Copy?

February 26, 2015 by Joanna Slan

CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Joanna is represented by JABberwocky Literary Agency 917-388-3010 https://awfulagent.com

LOVE AUDIOBOOKS?

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC?

Thanks for visiting my site.

I hope you find it interesting! Your privacy is important to me. Read the  privacy policy here . Read the  Cookie policy here . I hope you find the site useful! Thanks – Joanna

• Writing Tips
• 500+ Free Fiction Writing Prompts For Adults By Genre
• Self Publishing 101
• Best Writing Books
• Dragon Dictation Software Review
• Editing Software
• Email Marketing
• Formatting Software
• Gifts for Writers
• MasterClass Reviews
• Online Courses
• Scrivener 3 Review
• Website Hosting
• YouTube Channels

Select Page

What the Back Cover of a Book is Called & Why It’s Important

Self Publishing 101 |

Disclosure: The content on this site is free. Some of the links below are affiliate links from companies like Amazon.com and if you click the links and make a purchase we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you in advance if you decide to support our site by using our affiliate links!

We all know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I’m going to be very real with all of you in a world that is growing more and more competitive in terms of media options and the number of books someone can pick up and consume, your cover counts big time. I hope you will forgive the self-promotion above since the cover is from the first book in my “Omega Conspiracy Series”, but I thought it illustrated the point of the article just fine.

Let’s answer a question that comes up a lot- What is the back of a book cover called? The back of a book cover has a few different names.

• The physical outer layer of book that can sometimes be removed from the actual bound cover is called a “Dust Jacket”
• The writing on a back of the cover or “dust jacket” is sometimes referred to as the book “Synopsis or Blurb”

As much as I know you’d love to read an article about dust jackets, in this article, we will dive deeper into the written matter on the back of the book cover more than the actual physical makeup of the cover itself. This is something that it really important for self-published authors and traditional authors for that matter.

Article Topics

Why is the Back of Your Book Cover so Important

As a self-published author, you have the blessing and curse that comes with having more say about every step in your book’s launch and marketing plan. This is something traditional publishers don’t always afford new writers.

With that being said you have to make sure that you set yourself up for success at each step in the process. The first window most prospective readers will have when deciding whether or not buy your novel is the book cover.

Put yourself in your reader’s shoes, they are browsing Amazon or their platform of choice looking for their next good read, and as they scroll they will have lists and lists of options. The front book cover normally gets all the accolades and importance when talking to new authors, and I understand why. It’s the lead singer of the band, everyone focuses on it.

Your front cover will help catch the eye of a prospective reader when they are searching a litany of options. A good front cover will get more prospective readers to stop and click on your book. It will buy you 15-20 more seconds that you otherwise wouldn’t get if your front cover was lacking and the potential reader just kept scrolling. Your back cover or blurb  will make them buy. The blurb or synopsis is meant to take those additional precious few seconds that your front cover earned you and hook the reader with intrigue and interest enough to click download or purchase. This is your chance to sell your reader on why they should dedicate time and money reading your story or why they shouldn’t. I want you to think about that for a second and see if you disagree with the premise of this article as to why the back cover is so important in your self-publishing journey.

So How Long Should The Blurb/Synopsis Be

If you are still reading this, then you probably agree that the blurb space of your back cover is a very important real estate, but the next question you might be asking is just how long should the Blurb be.

A Blurb should be anywhere between 150-200 well-crafted scintillating words. This is a good length to fit on most sized books, anything much longer than that you run the risk of the font getting so small it will be hard to read.

Readers aren’t naive, they know that you wrote this blurb to sell the book so your job is that much harder. You need to sell them even though in the back of their minds they know their being sold.

What should I include in the Blurb

BIG BLURB HINT-  The first thing you should do when sitting down to write the blurb to your book is make sure that you read and analyze other books in your genre to see current examples of selling authors. You can do this by Googling: Amazon Best Sellers and then find a list of best sellers in each category. Do your homework it will pay off and give you peace of mind.

Now that you’ve done your homework you probably have a much better idea on what a good blurb sounds like. But ask yourself these questions to really help analyze the blurbs you read and pick out what made them better than some of the others.

Ask yourself these questions when reading sample blurbs:

• What were the hooks that this Blurb Shared with me that made me want to read more?
• Did the blurb leave you asking questions?
• How did the blurb set up intrigue?
• How would those hooks appeal to a potential reader

Fiction Authors should include the following on their back covers

On the back cover your fiction book you want to remember the lessons and questions you answered above when doing your Blurb research. You should be thinking about these 200 words as 1 to 2 paragraphs to sell your book.

Make sure you aren’t using a lot of extra words, give a high-level 1000 foot view of what your novel is about. Make sure you are hitting main plot points but don’t worry about minutia. You want to lay out what makes your book intriguing to a potential reader and what they can expect from the story inside. Try to construct your synopsis so it tells your reader what the book is about, includes the major hooks but leaves them wanting more by also opening up other questions they need answering.

Here is a quick blurb best practice Checklist

• Keep your synopsis to 150 to 200 words so it fits on your cover at a decent font.
• Give your reader the biggest plot points at a 1000 foot view, avoid minute details
• Set up intrigue by structuring your blurb so it gets the reader asking more questions
• If you can end it with a big piece of suspense that the reader just needs to be answered then you have a great chance of them hitting purchase.

Also, Include Endorsements on Your Book’s Back Cover

If you have endorsements from another author in your Genre the back cover is a great place to put them. It gives the reader some social proof from another authority in the genre which can be great for unknown authors.

Amazon uses this concept all over their site with: Readers who purchased this also purchased these books.  

If you have an endorsement, use it.

Nonfiction Book Back Covers are a little different.

For a nonfiction, author credibility becomes the utmost importance for a potential buyer. You want to include a few sentences about you as an Author to establish your credibility.

Think about it, if you were buying a book on real estate sales you would want to know the author’s past experience and success in selling real estate.

If you wanted to read a book on dog training, then you would want the back cover blurb to explain how the author has bred and trained champion dogs for more than 20 years.

If you want to get a book on writing a best seller, you would want to go to a best seller like Steven King. Nonfiction books serve a very specific need in the reader’s mind. They want to read the book to help them solve a problem or learn something new.  Make sure you remember this.

You should focus your nonfiction back book cover on what the book will do for the reader, what it can help them learn, how those skills will solve a problem or make their situation better moving forward.

As a nonfiction reader you want the information to be:

• Clear and Concise
• Come from a credible source
• Be Actionable
• Help You reach your desired outcome moving forward

It’s a good idea to put the top 3 to 5 bullets highlighting the biggest benefits the reader will get from the book or what the reader will learn from the book.

It’s a good idea to include a professional headshot of the Author on Nonfiction book covers as well.

Endorsements work great for nonfiction covers as well

I know authors feel weird about marketing themselves but if you have an endorsement from a respected member of the topic you are writing about, then it behooves you to include those endorsements on the back cover as well.

Remember the back cover is prime real estate and if your book description/blurb doesn’t convince the reader that your book will help answer their questions, or improve their outcome moving forward, they are most likely going to keep searching until they find one that does.

So let’s Review

• The back of a book cover is called different things, but the back matter on the cover is really important no matter what you call it.
• Blurbs are what sell your book when your front cover has attracted prospective readers enough to click on the novel from a huge list of options.
• Keep your blurb concise and compelling- around 150-200 words.
• Endorsements are gold, they help give you social proof in the eyes of a new reader.
• Make sure you add your biggest plot hooks for fiction books
• Keep the level of detail at a 10k foot view
• Leave your readers intrigued and wanting more
• Try to end your blurb with a big question that set’s your reader’s insides on fire with desire needing to have it answered.
• Make sure you establish your credibility with a couple of sentences – no one wants to buy a book on how to swim the 100-meter breaststroke from someone who is afraid of the baby pool
• Make sure you clearly outline how your book will help your readers
• Use bullet points to outline your books biggest benefits
• Remember the reader isn’t reading for enjoyment, they are reading nonfiction to learn something or help them solve a problem.

I hope this article on what the back cover of your book is actually called helped, and more importantly, I hope it helped you understand just how important book blurbs are in the overall success of your book.

Don’t overlook that precious real estate that faces the world for everyone to see. It can make the difference between a reader clicking check inside for a preview or buying your book straight away. Amazon and all other platforms like to show consumers or in this case book readers products/books that convert. So if you get someone to click on your title, you want to really hook them with your back cover!

Hope this helps, thanks for reading and writing!

Related Posts

How Many Books Should Authors Publish in a Year to Be Successful

August 27, 2018

What is Self-Publishing and Why You Should Consider It

July 6, 2018

How to Create an Author Website that Sells More Books- Complete Guide

September 22, 2018

How to Write a Book & Publish It in 90 Days – The Ultimate Guide

October 3, 2018

“This site is owned and operated by FB Global Value LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in New Jersey, USA.  FB Global Value is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from Qualifying Purchases . FB Global Value LLC also participates in affiliate programs with Bluehost, Clickbank, CJ, ShareASale, and other sites. Sites like Self Publishing Hub which are owned and operated by FB Global Value LLC are compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.”

• Crowdfunding Discount
• How it Works
• Types of Books We Print
• Our Book Projects
• Get a Quote

Tips for Writing the Best Children’s Book Back Cover

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise — people absolutely judge a book by its cover. 

When it comes to book cover design, you likely immediately think of the front cover. While this is a very important part of drawing a reader in, we’re actually talking about the back!

An effective book back cover intrigues readers and can be the force that inspires them to buy your book. It’s your opportunity to hook the reader’s attention with a short summary of the best parts of the book and why they’re going to love it. 

As a children’s book writer, you know that the design of your back cover is an important part of the self-publishing process. But just like anything else you’ve done, this takes some time and planning.

Learn how to make your children’s book stand out in the busy marketplace by writing a back cover that’s compelling and doesn’t let go of your reader’s attention. Explore the different elements you can work into your cover and see how other authors have done it with book back cover examples.

What Makes a Book Back Cover Stand Out?

You’ve captured the reader’s attention with your outstanding book cover design, now what? Chances are they’re going to flip over your book to learn more about what your story is all about before they decide to buy. 

When done well, your back cover can motivate the reader to not only open your book and start reading but also make the purchase. You need:

• Compelling copy: How does the blurb (more on this in a moment) help convince the reader they want to read your story? You have only a moment to convince them that they can’t get enough of what you’re offering — it’s this small piece of copy that can make or break your sale.
• Stellar aesthetics: Think of this as visual marketing. The overall look of the front of your cover caught their attention, but you need to keep it with the finished design of the back. You want the style to come off as professional and refined.

Since your cover will be examined (more often than not) by parents, be sure you’re letting them know the lessons their children will walk away with after engaging with your book.

Back Cover of a Book Template to Follow

There are 4 elements that typically come together to create the back cover of a children’s book. Keep in mind that some of these parts can also appear on your dust jacket. 

Be sure to check out the children’s book back cover examples that use these key components exceptionally.

1. Tagline 

This may also be referred to as a “headline” — it’s big, bold, and calls attention to itself. A tagline may feel or read like a slogan, but the goal here is to express the spirit of the book instantly. 

These can often be a quote from the book, a character’s catchphrase, or a snippet of a book review. 

Things to keep in mind:

• One-liners work best — they’re quick and neat. 
• Be a tease — this isn’t a summary!
• It should complement the rest of the copy and imagery on the cover. 
• Don’t mislead the reader — keep the tone and voice in line with the story.

Photo courtesy of Amazon

The back cover of Eric Carle’s classic “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” utilizes a short but effective quote beneath the blurb as the tagline.  

2. The Summary

Think of the summary like it’s your 10-second elevator pitch to the reader. You want to give just enough information to attract the reader, but not spoil anything. 

Keep things short, punchy, and interesting — usually around 120-150 words. Be sure you’re speaking to your audience and demonstrating to them what they’ll get out of your book. 

An effective summary should include:

• Introduction of the main character(s)
• Presentation of the conflict or challenge
• Explanation of the lesson that will be learned by the reader

Photo courtesy of Brooke Vitale

Looking at the back cover of “Periwinkle Smith in Duck Stuck,” notice how Brooke Vitale succinctly introduces the main character, Duck, then proceeds to present the challenge he has to overcome. She then provides what the reading experience will be for the child.

3. Author Bio

For some writers, the author bio is the most stressful part of the writing process! As you create yours, one thing to remember is that simplicity is the name of the game here. 

This isn’t your “About the Author” section — which would typically be found on the back inside jacket or on your author’s website —  this is much more compact. But you can still work in important details within a short amount of time.

There are a few main objectives to follow while you craft your bio:

• Be interesting and relevant — how do you personally connect to what you’ve written about?
• Be informative — how are you credible or an “expert” on what your story covers?
• Connect with your audience — how do you relate to them?

  Photo courtesy of Toby Mikle

Cunningham checks off all objectives here: he explains how he’s personally connected to his story, he provides his credentials, and he connects with his audience — all in 4 sentences!

4. Testimonials

The back of a book cover is the perfect place to showcase positive endorsements (also referred to as “blurbs”) of your children’s book. A positive review can lead to an almost 63% increase in sales .

Don’t overload your book back cover with these reviews. Two to three reviews should suffice —  use reputable publications or well-known authors first.

There are 3 solid ways to gather testimonials and reviews for your book:

• Publication reviews: Take a snippet from a magazine or publication that has reviewed your book. 
• Fellow authors: Contact authors who are relevant to your genre and ask if they’re willing to provide a review.
• Customer reviews: If you’re selling your book on platforms like Amazon, you’re sure to have a pool of reviews you can pull from.

  Photo courtesy of MiblArt 

While “The Fault in Our Stars” is a YA novel, this is an excellent example of maximizing credible and reputable outlets for testimonials.

How Should Your Book Back Cover Design Look?

Now that you have your copy sorted, it’s time to consider the design of your back cover. If you don’t have a book cover designer, you’ll be tackling this on your own. 

Here are some things to consider as you create your children’s book back cover:

• Continue the visual story — enhance your copy with illustrations. This can be a continuation of the front cover or an important image from the book.
• Don’t overcrowd — let your copy breathe.
• Design with a hierarchy — use different colors or font sizes to call out the most important information.

Ultimately, your back cover should be the perfect bookend to the story you’ve written. While it’s a place to capture your potential reader’s attention, it’s also the final thing they’ll see when they’re done reading.

Market Your Children’s Book Like a Pro

As you create your back cover, take time to find the right balance between elements that work for your book. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution here — it all comes down to your genre, your audience, and your voice.

Back book covers are an important part of your marketing strategy, but there are other things to keep in mind as well. Like email marketing, social media, getting reviews (for your back cover!), and more. 

You know that successful books don’t happen by accident. Every step of the self-publishing process is carefully strategized and executed. Are you taking the right steps in marketing your story?

Learn more about how to effectively market your children’s book >

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Trump’s Newest Venture? A $60 Bible.

His Bible sales pitch comes as he appears to be confronting a significant financial squeeze, with his legal fees growing while he fights a number of criminal cases and lawsuits.

• Share full article

By Michael Gold and Maggie Haberman

• March 26, 2024

Before he turned to politics, former President Donald J. Trump lent his star power and celebrity endorsement to a slew of consumer products — steaks, vodka and even for-profit education, to name just a few.

On Tuesday, Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, added a new item to the list: a $60 Bible.

Days before Easter, Mr. Trump posted a video on his social media platform in which he encouraged his supporters to buy the “God Bless the USA Bible,” named after the ballad by the country singer Lee Greenwood, which Mr. Trump plays as he takes the stage at his rallies.

“All Americans need a Bible in their home, and I have many. It’s my favorite book,” said Mr. Trump, who before entering politics was not overtly religious and who notably stumbled while referencing a book of the Bible during his 2016 campaign. “It’s a lot of people’s favorite book.”

Though Mr. Trump is not selling the Bible, he is getting royalties from purchases, according to a person familiar with the details of the business arrangement.

Priced at $59.99, plus shipping and tax, the “God Bless the USA Bible” includes a King James Bible and a handwritten version of the chorus of Mr. Greenwood’s song, and copies of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of Allegiance.

In his video, Mr. Trump expressed his approval of the book’s blend of theology with foundational American political documents, framing that mix as central to the political call that has been his longtime campaign slogan, Make America Great Again.

“Religion and Christianity are the biggest things missing from this country,” Mr. Trump said. Later, he added, “We must make America pray again.”

As he runs for president this year, Mr. Trump has framed his campaign as a crusade to defend Christian values from the left. He often makes false or misleading claims that Democrats are persecuting Christians. Last month, he told a religious media convention that Democrats wanted to “tear down crosses.”

His Bible sales pitch comes as he appears to be confronting a significant financial squeeze. With his legal fees growing while he fights four criminal cases and a number of civil lawsuits, Mr. Trump is also being required to post a $175 million bond while he appeals his New York civil fraud case — a hefty amount, though one that is significantly smaller than the $454 million penalty imposed in the case.

According to the Bible’s website, Mr. Trump’s “name, likeness and image” are being used “under paid license from CIC Ventures LLC.”

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to questions about the business arrangement. But CIC Ventures is also connected to another product Mr. Trump has hawked while campaigning: $399 “Never Surrender” sneakers that he announced at a sneaker convention in Philadelphia last month.

Michael Gold is a political correspondent for The Times covering the campaigns of Donald J. Trump and other candidates in the 2024 presidential elections. More about Michael Gold

Maggie Haberman is a senior political correspondent reporting on the 2024 presidential campaign, down ballot races across the country and the investigations into former President Donald J. Trump. More about Maggie Haberman

Our Coverage of the 2024 Elections

Presidential Race

President Biden raised $25 million  campaigning alongside Barack Obama and Bill Clinton  at a Radio City Music Hall event , adding to his huge cash edge, after Donald Trump pushed his law-and-order message  at a wake for a police officer killed on duty.

Trump Media, now publicly traded, could present new conflicts of interest  in a second Trump term.

Donald Trump cast Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  as a liberal democrat  in disguise  while also seeming to back the independent presidential candidate as a spoiler for the Biden campaign.

Other Key Races

Tammy Murphy, New Jersey’s first lady, abruptly ended her bid for U.S. Senate, a campaign flop that reflected intense national frustration with politics as usual .

Kari Lake, a Trump acolyte running for Senate in Arizona, is struggling to walk away from the controversial positions  that have turned off independents and alienated establishment Republicans.

Ohio will almost certainly go for Trump this November. Senator Sherrod Brown, the last Democrat holding statewide office, will need to defy the gravity of the presidential contest  to win a fourth term.