Researchers compile their academic life’s work into scholarly publications, but many may not fully understand each of the components needed to create a viable reference book project. eContent Pro presents a blog series, “Understanding the Inner Workings of a Reference Book” to explain the importance of each part of a reference book and to give some tips on how to effectively secure them. The blog series will include pieces on: Titles, Front Matter, Keywords, Abstracts, Citations, Figures, Indices, and Back Cover Text. To discover the importance of properly utilizing the back cover in your scholarly book, read the following article.
They say that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but you can certainly judge a book by its back cover. Fiction novels and reference books alike take advantage of this important marketing tool, but not all know how to properly utilize it. So how can you make the most of your back cover?
What Goes on the Back Cover?
The back cover of a book always contains a summary of the contents. In addition, the publisher’s logo is almost always on the back cover along with the ISBN. But a back cover has a lot of room to make an impression, and authors are allowed to get a little creative with what else they add. Short author biographies are a popular choice and gives researchers a chance to show off their credentials to potential readers. The back cover is also a great spot to show off positive reviews, which could be a power tool to use when swaying a reader to choose their book over the next. Some authors have even chosen to take their book to the Internet, including websites, social media pages, and QR codes on the back cover to engage their readers in even more ways.
Writing a Summary
Like an abstract, the back cover is a brief description of the text. The average summary ranges from 100-200 words and provides readers a glimpse into the book’s contents. It’s important to strike the balance between keeping it brief, while also making sure the reader is well informed. Some publishers list each book’s topics on the back cover to ensure that there is no mistaking what the book contains. Reference books and academic work might not seem like the right place to get creative and catchy, but that’s not necessarily true. Making sure the description properly represents the book is important, but remember that any book needs a hook to generate interest. Use plenty of descriptors, be catchy, and above all, be true to your content.
The Importance of a Back Cover
Ask the average reader and they probably won’t remember what is on the back cover, but they will remember whether it was interesting enough to check out the rest of the book. The back cover might not seem important, especially in comparison to the contents of the book, but to gain that readership, you need to pull in the readers. Marketing your work will help get it in a reader’s hands, but the back cover is what truly sells the book. Letting the readers know what to expect when they crack open a copy of your hard work is key in not only getting readers, but getting the right readers. Properly using a back cover to describe and market your book ensures that your book will fall into the right hands, and for a researcher, this is especially important.
A back cover is key in advertising your work and making sure it’s successful. eContent Pro’s typesetting and publishing service can elevate your book by providing cover design, typesetting, and printing. But what about the contents? Publishers have high standards for submissions, especially when it comes to spelling, grammar, consistency, and flow. eContent Pro’s professional English language copy editors are here to get your document up to snuff, and prepare you for publication!