Book Promotion: The Descriptive Paragraph at the Back of a Book Cover

[cacian]

How important is the promotive/descriptive paragraph at the back of a book?
How often do you read it when you want to buy a book to?
I just wonder whether it would be different or similar if written by the writers themselves.

[EstherAlexandra]

I find that very often the back cover doesn't do the book itself justice. A good example of this would be 'children's' books such as Harry Potter, because on the outside that's what it seems like but it has grown to be known and loved by children and adults alike. I normally read the first couple of pages as well, just to get a feel of the author's writing style.

[Bluehound]

I always read them and can easily be put off books by them - reading the back of 50 Shades of Grey was the best laugh I have had in ages ( and all I needed to convince me never to read that tripe).

[Emil Miller]

I always read the blurb on the rear cover if only to get an idea of what the story is about. I'm currently proofreading my last novel which is destined for worldwide on-line distribution in paper and Ebook format. I have paid particular attention to the rear cover as it's important to ensure that the synopsis gives a clear description of the salient features of the story while at the same time encouraging a potential reader to open the book and start reading.
Obviously, if a book is a piece of nonsense like Fifty Shades of Grey, the blurb is likely to reflect the contents by having a similar tone, but people who take their reading with some seriousness are usually quite well served by the the rear cover summary.

[kelby_lake]

I always read blurb and look out for 'buzz' words- things I know I like reading about and will sound like a good read. 'Obsession' for example.

[PeterL]

I used to read cover blurbs, but then I found out that, like cover art, they may have been created by people who didn't read the book. I like to find out what the book is generally about, and the blurbs seldom help. More recently I have taken to opening the book at random and reading a little bit; that gives more information.

[Bibliophile79]

Read them all the time. It helps whet my appetite

[Emil Miller]

Read them all the time. It helps whet my appetite

That's what they are intended for.

[cacian]

That's what they are intended for.

Emil what is your novel/story about? and could you post the synopsis here to show us how you did it?:)

[cacian]

I find that very often the back cover doesn't do the book itself justice. A good example of this would be 'children's' books such as Harry Potter, because on the outside that's what it seems like but it has grown to be known and loved by children and adults alike. I normally read the first couple of pages as well, just to get a feel of the author's writing style.

I am usually tempted to read the last lines first just to get the feel of it haha. I have done that a couple of times.

[cacian]

I always read blurb and look out for 'buzz' words- things I know I like reading about and will sound like a good read. 'Obsession' for example.

What about' Obssession'?

[Emil Miller]

Emil what is your novel/story about? and could you post the synopsis here to show us how you did it?:)

Pleased to oblige but if you decide to read it, when it's available in a few weeks time, please don't read the ending first as you have stated that you normally to do. As with my previous novels, the last sentence is key to all that has gone before.


The town of Amalfi on Italy’s beautiful Costiera Amalfitana becomes a place of fear and betrayal for Jerome Wakefield who has been living a sybaritic lifestyle as the author of two highly acclaimed but plagiarised novels.
His attempt to avoid discovery of his imposture by moving to the town is rudely shattered by a chance occurrence that leads to blackmail and murder, but others are also out to expose him and he finds his life in great danger.
Jake Melrose, who heads the giant American consortium Supascope Entertainments, and Lord Redstone, an English promoter of pop music, mirror Wakefield’s own duplicity, while even his wife proves unfaithful as his life of ease begins to unravel towards its inevitable dénouement.

Set in the 1970s, this novel may be as much about its readers as the characters in the story, for a large part of humanity was sold mechanically processed sub-musical rubbish both before and after the decade. How it was done is at the heart of this satire on the psychology of deceit and mass manipulation.

[cacian]

Pleased to oblige but if you decide to read it, when it's available in a few weeks time, please don't read the ending first as you have stated that you normally to do. As with my previous novels, the last sentence is key to all that has gone before.

lol no I won't this time. :p

The town of Amalfi on Italy’s beautiful Costiera Amalfitana becomes a place of fear and betrayal for Jerome Wakefield who has been living a sybaritic lifestyle as the author of two highly acclaimed but plagiarised novels.
His attempt to avoid discovery of his imposture by moving to the town is rudely shattered by a chance occurrence that leads to blackmail and murder, but others are also out to expose him and he finds his life in great danger.
Jake Melrose, who heads the giant American consortium Supascope Entertainments, and Lord Redstone, an English promoter of pop music, mirror Wakefield’s own duplicity, while even his wife proves unfaithful as his life of ease begins to unravel towards its inevitable dénouement.

Interesting read. Amalfi caught my eyes. I use to have an Italian English born who use to go to Amalfi all the time for her holidays. She had family there.
I remember her talking about it. Is Costiera Amalfitan italian expression?
Can I ask why chose Amalfi?
The plot looks very tense indeed.


Set in the 1970s, this novel may be as much about its readers as the characters in the story, for a large part of humanity was sold mechanically processed sub-musical rubbish both before and after the decade. How it was done is at the heart of this satire on the psychology of deceit and mass manipulation.
You mention ''mechanically processed sub-musical rubbish''. Do you mean to say the music in the 70s was bad taste or untalented as is mechanised and robotic?

[Emil Miller]

lol no I won't this time. :p


[QUOTE]Interesting read. Amalfi caught my eyes. I use to have an Italian English born who use to go to Amalfi all the time for her holidays. She had family there.
I remember her talking about it. Is Costiera Amalfitan italian expression?
Can I ask why chose Amalfi?
The plot looks very tense indeed.

Amalfi is well known as a tourist location and it's a very select place to live due to its position on the Costiera Amalfitana which translates as 'Amalfi Coast'. I chose it because it's an interesting location and, unlike the French Riviera, relatively discreet and ideal for the story of someone who sought both luxurious surroundings and a certain anonymity. The story definitely has its tense moments but also some comic ones in its send up of the silliness of the pop music scene and those who are a part of it.


You mention ''mechanically processed sub-musical rubbish''. Do you mean to say the music in the 70s was bad taste or untalented as is mechanised and robotic?

Yes, but please note the synopsis refers to 'music' produced before and after that particular decade.

[kelby_lake]

To show you my buzz words theory, I've bolded the words that create buzz for me.



The town of Amalfi on Italy’s beautiful Costiera Amalfitana becomes a place of fear and betrayal for Jerome Wakefield who has been living a sybaritic lifestyle as the author of two highly acclaimed but plagiarised novels.
His attempt to avoid discovery of his imposture by moving to the town is rudely shattered by a chance occurrence that leads to blackmail and murder, but others are also out to expose him and he finds his life in great danger.
Jake Melrose, who heads the giant American consortium Supascope Entertainments, and Lord Redstone, an English promoter of pop music, mirror Wakefield’s own duplicity, while even his wife proves unfaithful as his life of ease begins to unravel towards its inevitable dénouement.

Set in the 1970s, this novel may be as much about its readers as the characters in the story, for a large part of humanity was sold mechanically processed sub-musical rubbish both before and after the decade. How it was done is at the heart of this satire on the psychology of deceit and mass manipulation.

[Emil Miller]

To show you my buzz words theory, I've bolded the words that create buzz for me.

That's very percipient because those are the words I intended to arouse the interest of potential readers.

[mal4mac]

I often encounter authors I haven't read before on the "library new shelf", and the back cover synopsis is essential for deciding what I take home. I also take note of the one-liners from famous people, as I might have heard of some of them, and might even trust a few of them.

Emil's plot sounds interesting, but I'd be worried that Wakefield isn't a character I could root for. From that synopsis I'd be rooting for the people trying to kill him. Without knowing some other facts I'd probably leave it on the library shelf. Has Wakefield *really* plagiarised the novels? Or has he "borrowed", in the sense that Shakespeare borrowed from Holinshead? If so, Wakefield becomes much more attractive, and I'd probably borrow the book. You could portray this plagiarism/borrowing controversy, and introduce an attractive note of mystery by saying "two highly acclaimed but *seemingly* plagiarised novels." But if, after all, he did plagiarise them, he deserves to be shot.

[Volya]

I find reading the first page of two of a book is a far better way of judging it's quality than the blurb. As a recent example, when I read the blurb of Fiesta by Hemingway I thought it would not be the kind of book for me, but upon reading I found a quite enjoyed it.

I think blurbs can all too easily give off the wrong impression for a book, especially if they're not actually written by the author.

[Vota]

I typically Read the title of the book, flip open the front cover and then read the information on the dusk jacket, as this usually givesa reasonable synopsis of the book, then if I have even a little interest I will read the table of contents. At this point I might flip to a random page to see what the writing style is like. By now I know whether I will by it or not, but this is pretty much how I evaluate books that I have no first hand knowledge of.

P.S. Too many books lack a Table of Contents nowadays, and it pisses me off. It is an extremely useful thing to have in a book.