WRITING BACK COVER COPY with Shelley Ring

Since 2007, Shelley Ring has written back cover and marketing copy for traditional publishers, as well as for independently published authors. A former Marketing Coordinator for a Christian publisher, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Colorado Christian University, where she worked in Public Relations and wrote for the college newspaper. Her writing vices, never far during creative chaos, include chocolate, iced tea, and baked kale chips. With a passion for outstanding romantic Christian fiction, she is the author of Ransomed, a romantic suspense novel that portrays one woman’s physical and spiritual escape from human trafficking. Shelley’s novels are available on Amazon in digital and paperback. She lives in Colorado with her family, including a sweet-tempered Rottweiler named Mya.

The following article is an excerpt from Shelley’s upcoming book, How to Write Back Cover Copy that Sells: Every Writer's Guide to Creating Successful Marketing Copy.

Blink, blink, blink.

I close my eyes, praying something brilliant will magically appear on the computer screen when I look again. God answers desperate prayers, right?

Well, not this time.

My eyes open to the blinding white screen staring back at me. A flashing black cursor mocks my mental block. For several minutes, my brain draws a frustrating blank. I wrote an entire book, but writing back cover copy seems an insurmountable task.

Insurmountable until I remember the purpose, structure, and language of back cover copy. As a novelist, copywriter, and former publishing Marketing Coordinator, I’ve learned to switch hats from fiction to marketing.

My direction reset, I take a deep breath, and my fingers fly over the keyboard.

The Purpose of the Back Cover

Your back cover exists for two reasons:

1.       Introduce your story.

2.       Compel the reader to open the book.

Once he or she delves between the covers, allow your characters and voice to complete the sale.

The Structure of Fiction Back Cover Copy

Many fiction writers create a basic foundation of goal, motivation, and conflict for their novels. The same structure applies to writing copy for your fiction back cover.

First, introduce your hero/heroine. Provide a snapshot of the character so we immediately identify with him or her.

Next, bring out your character’s motivation and overall conflict in one sentence.

Finally, highlight the character’s black moment. Don’t give the ending away, but show how much the hero or heroine stands to lose. Intrigue the reader.

The Outline for Non-fiction Back Cover Copy

Non-fiction books have a different framework, though they still employ goals, motivations, and conflicts. This style of back cover copy begins by targeting a person’s felt needs. Ask yourself:

• What promise do I make the reader?
• What does he or she want to discover, accomplish, or become?
• Why does my audience desire this, and how does my book fulfill that desire?
• What roadblocks prevent the reader from his or her desire, and how does my book help them overcome those obstacles?

The following examples give you an idea of the big thought or promise in a non-fiction book:

• A proven strategy for conquering financial distress
• Write e-books that actually sell
• An outrageous true account of greed, corruption, and deceit

Follow the big idea with a short list of other reader-oriented benefits:

• Get out of debt and gain a stress-free life.
• Discover 10 secrets of highly effective e-book authors.
• One of the most gripping and bizarre real-life stories ever told.

The Language of Back Cover Copy

As the author, you know your audience better than anyone. Build a composite reader and address that person.

Sales or information-based non-fiction uses you, your, we, and our to speak to the reader. Fiction and creative non-fiction apply more abstract ways. Maximize the danger, the struggle, or the life-and-death situation with words like true account, incredible, terrifying, life-changing, outrageous, or spellbinding.

More tips

In writing the back cover of your book, a few helpful reminders create the richest set-up:

• Include 1-2 keywords about your book’s subject or theme. Keywords help readers draw a correlation between your back cover copy and blog posts, articles, headlines, or ads.
• Watch your length. Keep the word count in the range of 75-200 words, depending on the size of your printed product. A length of 125 words seems to fit the backs of most printed books, while still allowing space for your bio.
• Reflect the story tone or the voice of the non-fiction piece.
• Be tight. Be specific. Be yourself. Your writer voice might be the only truly unique part of your book, so let your style, expertise, or personality shine through and make a connection with your reader.
• Don’t introduce secondary themes or subplots in fiction.
• Don’t reveal the ending in fiction, and don’t give up every secret in non-fiction.
• Use testimonials, awards, and previous books to build credibility and earn trust. Testimonials are most valuable as headlines, while awards and other titles fit well at the end of your copywriting.

Following these simple tips empowers every author to write compelling copy for any book category. No more blinding white screen and mocking cursors. I can write back cover copy.

So can you.

After a heated argument with her boyfriend, sixteen-year-old Rebecca Siersha vanishes into the afternoon sun. Eight years later, her family still finds no trace of her. Until former Marine and modern-day prophet Micah Stone receives a disturbing vision.

Years ago, Micah knew his future. He would marry Rebecca and live in service to God forever. Her disappearance devastated him. Now haunted by the image of her running through the night, darkness chasing her, Micah hears an edict from the Lord: Save her.

Micah determines to uncover the truth behind Rebecca’s disappearance, but just when victory seems near, they meet evil face to face. This time it will take everything within Micah to obey God.

But exactly who will do the saving?

Secretaries of Praise

In a devotional about Acts 20:35, J. Hudson Taylor said - “Oh that our pen may be anointed as with fresh oil, while we seek to bring our own soul, and the soul of our readers more fully under the influence of this truth!”

As we search for truth in the world around us, as we strive to depict it, in whatever form, we glorify the One who is truth, the One who lives in us.

But there is a danger, the trap of arrogance, the sin of pride. There is danger in loving our words too much, danger in thinking ourselves wise. William Saroyan has said - "If you practice an art faithfully, it will make you wise, and most writers can use a little wising up." We must never assume the words belong to us, neither to keep nor to distribute. The words, especially those that come from the depth of our spirit, belong to our Father. We can never claim Divine inspiration, but we must take seriously the calling, the vocation, of a writer who is Christian.

Nor can we claim that we have all the answers. Frans Kafka has said - “One reads in order to ask questions.” Perhaps one should also write from that perspective, not to provide, but to seek the answers, those answers that will resonate deep and long as they touch that central part of our being where God resides; those answers that will lead us and our readers to more questions and to a deeper knowledge of God.

The trap of pride also lurks, ready to ensnare us. It is in arrogance that we write believing we possess the complete unadulterated truth. Jesus is the only One who lives in that place. Jesus is truth. We are merely those, as J. Hudson Taylor says, who are seeking to bring our own souls under its influence.

Oswald Chambers, who has written one of the most popular devotional books ever written, has said - "The author who benefits you most is not the one who tells you something you did not know before, but the one who gives expression to the truth that has been dumbly struggling in you for utterance."

I think the author who is most true to himself, and his readers, is the one who admits that truth has been dumbly struggling in him, as well. It is when we as writers struggle to give utterance, struggle toward that wholeness, that holiness, that we succeed, no matter whether the result is published in the New Yorker or in a local newspaper. For, as E.B. white has said, “Writing is an act of faith, not a trick of grammar.”

This is our calling, our privilege, to walk forward in that faith, for, as George Herbert's wonderful little poem says -

 “Of all the creatures in the sea and land

Only to Man thou has made known thy ways,

and put the pen alone into his hand,

and made him Secretary of thy praise.”  

 

 **** 

Marcia Lee Laycock writes from central Alberta Canada where she is a pastor's wife and mother of three adult daughters. She was the winner of The Best New Canadian Christian Author Award for her novel, One Smooth Stone and also has two devotional books in print. Her work has been endorsed by Sigmund Brouwer, Janette Oke, Phil Callaway and Mark Buchanan. Marcia's second novel, A Tumbled Stone has just been short listed in the contemporary fiction category of The Word Awards. 

Abundant Rain, an ebook devotional for writers can be downloaded here. Visit Marcia's website

Queen of the Slush Pile: Rachel Allord

Rachel Allord’s debut novel, Mother of My Son, won Novel Journey’s Out of the Slush Pile contest in the contemporary women’s category in 2010 and is now available for pre-order through Pelican Book Group (release date May 24). Rachel grew up as a pastor’s kid, vowed never to marry a pastor, and has been contentedly married to her husband, a worship pastor, for seventeen years. Privileged to be both a biological and adoptive mother, Rachel resides in Wisconsin where she avidly consumes coffee, sushi, and novels– preferably at the same time.

Sometimes it’s a long journey from idea to publication. What was your winding road like?

Writing a novel began on somewhat of a whim. As much as I loved being a stay at home mom, I felt like my creativity was drying up and I couldn’t shake this story brewing inside of me. So in a rather feverish way, I began to write. 

I soon realized, however, that even though I could write, (didn’t my English degree prove it?) I had no idea how to write a novel.  After attending a couple of conferences and establishing myself as a freelance writer (Chicken Soup for the Soul books, MomSense and other publications) I kept writing, kept improving the story. Then ironically, providentially, I began experiencing some of the themes compelling me to write—namely infertility and adoption. 

After adopting our precious baby girl from China, and after not looking at my manuscript for almost three years, I brushed it off and read it with fresh eyes. Did it need work? Oh yes. Was it redeemable? I thought so. So I rolled up my sleeves and dove back in, equipped with clarity that comes from shelving a project for so long, and experience. 

From first draft to publication the process took twelve years, with lots of starts and stops and rejections. But I guess that’s how much time I needed to find my voice and get the story right.

Tell about your new release Mother of My Son.

College student Amber Swansen gives birth alone. In desperation, she abandons the newborn, buries her secret, and attempts to get on with her life. No matter how far she runs, she can’t escape the guilt. Years later and still haunted by her past, Amber meets Beth Dilinger. Friendship blossoms between the two women, but Beth’s son is a constant, painful reminder to Amber of the child she abandoned. When heartache hits, causing Amber to grapple with the answers to life’s deeper questions, Beth stands by her side. Yet just when peace seems to be within Amber’s grasp, the truth of her past and the parentage of Beth’s son comes to light and threatens to shatter not only their worlds, but the life of the teenager they both love.

Where did you get the idea for the story?

One evening I caught a news story on TV about a high school girl who gave birth in the bathroom during prom, put the baby somewhere, (I don’t remember where) and went out to dance again. Being a new mom myself, the birth experience was still pretty fresh in my mind and I thought how in the world does someone do such a thing? What kind of home life does she come from? What was her mindset? What would become of her? I also began to grapple with questions like: Is God’s grace sufficient to cover all sins? How do we rid ourselves of the guilt from the past? This story haunted me and prompted a lot of questions—a great place to start for a writer.

Where do you find time to write? How do you juggle everything in your schedule?

 My son was a baby when I wrote the first draft so naptime equaled writing time. Now he’s thirteen and no longer naps, (nor does my eight-year-old daughter or my husband for that matter) but I still tend to write in bursts. This isn’t advice really, just my reality. My goal is 1000 words a day, a mediocre goal for many writers, but I can’t stop myself from editing along the way. Truthfully, some days I write for eight hours other days, ten minutes. The key is, I love to write, and we somehow manage to find time for what we love. 

What’s one word of advice you’d give to someone just starting out on the writing road?

 Listen. Listen to writers who’ve gone before you and listen to their stories. Listen to conference instructors and agents and editors. Listen to the news. Listen to conversations around you. Listen to what’s stirring in your heart. Listen to the whispers of the Holy Spirit. Listen to the word of God. Should you listen and heed every voice? Of course not, but still, listen, listen, listen.

Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest…what’s your favorite social media and why?

Pinterest leaves me feeling like an ADD homemaking disaster, Facebook has definite perks but also plenty of drama, so I guess that leaves Twitter. Short, simple, direct, Twitter. Does face-to-face over a cup of coffee count? If so, I’ll take that.  

Where can readers keep up with your writerly exploits?

At my website: Rachel Allord

Facebook

Twitter

And be sure to check out the Mother of My Son book trailer HERE or purchase a copy at Amazon.