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WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

Helping writers become bestselling authors

Back Cover Copy Formula

July 12, 2022 by SUE COLETTA - Resident Writing Coach

By Sue Coletta

Let’s be honest. Writing a book description isn’t fun. It’s grueling, mind-numbing work that I detest with every inch of my being. Mastering the art of back cover copywriting is an important skill. Therefore, I’m always on the lookout for tips.

A while back, I sat through yet another webinar on the topic, and a formula emerged, a formula that finally resonated with me. So, I figured I’d share my discovery with you in the hopes that it’ll work for you, as well.

A 3-Step Formula

Back cover copy follows a simple three-step formula, but we do have wiggle room to experiment. With readers’ short attention spans these days, the advice is to keep the entire description to roughly 150-200 words. If your description runs 25 words longer than the desired range, I wouldn’t sweat it too much.

Step 1: Headline/Hook

To find our hook we need to look at the main conflict of our story. We want readers to identify with said conflict, so don’t shy away from the emotional impact it causes the hero. Don’t dwell on it, either. Every word counts.

The following books sat on Amazon’s Top 10 Bestsellers List in Psychological Thrillers for weeks after the release, and each description employs this exact formula. These authors worked hard on their hooks, and it shows.

What would it take to make you intervene? — I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll 

It begins with a phone call. It ends with a missing child. — Guilty by Laura Elliot

When family secrets are unearthed, a woman’s past can become a dangerous place to hide… — Twist of Faith by Ellen J. Green

Every time Gwen closed her eyes, she saw him in her nightmares. Now her eyes are open, and he’s not going away. — Killman Creek by Rachel Caine

They were all there the day your sister went missing. Who is lying? Who is next? — The Reunion by Samantha Hayes

She’s a daughter he didn’t know he had. Until she calls him… from death row. — 30 Days of Justis by John Ellsworth

What if you discovered your husband was a serial killer? — Tell Me I’m Wrong by Adam Croft

Side note: Adam Croft is a master at hooking readers. This next book he wrote after he created the hook. What a doozy, too!

Could you murder your wife to save your daughter? — Her Last Tomorrow by Adam Croft

Wow. Right? If that hook doesn’t grab fans of the genre, nothing will.

Step 2: Short Synopsis

The synopsis also follows a micro-formula…

  1. Introduce the protagonist by showing what defines their role in the story.
  2. What is that character up against?
  3. What’s standing in their way?
  4. Transition paragraph or as PJ Parrish calls it, “The Big But.”
  5. End with a cliffhanger.

Let’s go back to our examples to see if this micro-formula has merit. The red-bracketed numbers correspond to steps 1-5.

Her Last Tomorrow by Adam Croft

Nick and Tasha are a couple held together by their five-year-old daughter [1]. Until one ordinary morning, when Ellie vanishes amid the chaos of the school run [2].

Nick knows she can’t have gone far on her own, which can mean only one thing: she’s not on her own. Who would take his daughter, and why? With no motive and no leads, Nick is thrown into a tailspin of suspicion and guilt. Like Tasha, he doesn’t know what to think, or whom to trust… [3]

But then someone starts doing the thinking for him. Confronted with an impossible choice, Nick will have to make a decision, and both options will leave him with blood on his hands. But perhaps that’s to be expected. [4]

After all, Nick’s not quite as blameless as he seems. [5]

I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll

When Ella Longfield overhears two attractive young men flirting with teenage girls on a train, she thinks nothing of it—until she realises they are fresh out of prison and her maternal instinct is put on high alert.[1] But just as she’s decided to call for help, something stops her. The next day, she wakes up to the news that one of the girls—beautiful, green-eyed Anna Ballard—has disappeared. [2]

A year later, Anna is still missing. Ella is wracked with guilt over what she failed to do, and she’s not the only one who can’t forget. Someone is sending her threatening letters—letters that make her fear for her life. [3]

Then an anniversary appeal reveals that Anna’s friends and family might have something to hide. Anna’s best friend, Sarah, hasn’t been telling the whole truth about what really happened that night—and her parents have been keeping secrets of their own. [4]

Someone knows where Anna is—and they’re not telling. But they are watching Ella. [5]

Guilty by Laura Elliot

On a warm summer’s morning, thirteen-year-old schoolgirl Constance Lawson is reported missing. [2]

A few days later, Constance’s uncle, Karl Lawson, suddenly finds himself swept up in a media frenzy created by journalist Amanda Bowe implying that he is the prime suspect. [1]

Six years later … [4]

Karl’s life is in ruins. His marriage is over, his family destroyed. But the woman who took everything away from him is thriving. With a successful career, husband and a gorgeous baby boy, Amanda’s world is complete. Until the day she receives a phone call and in a heartbeat, she is plunged into every mother’s worst nightmare. [3]

* * *

Even though Guilty played with the order, the description works. The formula still holds. Hence why I mentioned the wiggle room at the beginning of this post. *grin* Also note: some authors put their characters’ names and/or important details in bold, and the words catch the reader’s eye.

Step 3: Selling Paragraph

The selling paragraph answers two variations of the same question that readers ask themselves:

It sounds good, but how do I know it’s for me?
Sounds good, but will I like it?

There’s two ways we can go here, by showing similar books — if you enjoyed X, you will love Y — or by simply mentioning the genre.

A psychological thriller that keeps you guessing till the last chilling page.

If you like heart-hammering suspense, this book is for you!

A third option is to use clips of reader reviews or blurbs from authors in your genre.

Do you enjoy writing back cover copy?
Do you follow a similar formula?


SUE COLETTA - Resident Writing Coach

Sue Coletta is an award-winning crime writer. Feedspot and Expertido.org named her Murder Blog as “Best 100 Crime Blogs on the Net” (2018-2021). She also blogs at the popular Kill Zone, writes two psychological thriller series (Tirgearr Publishing), and true crime/narrative nonfiction (Rowman & Littlefield Group, Inc.).

Sue teaches a virtual course about serial killers for EdAdvance in CT and a condensed version for her fellow Sisters in Crime. She’s appeared on the Emmy award-winning true crime series, Storm of Suspicion. In the fall she’s slated to appear on another true crime show for CineFlix. Learn more about Sue and her books at www.suecoletta.com.

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Filed Under: Book Covers, Marketing, Publishing and Self Publishing, Resident Writing Coach, Synopsis

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Noelle A. Granger says

    September 2, 2022 at 4:09 pm

    Great advice since I am struggling with this now.

  2. Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt says

    July 26, 2022 at 9:38 pm

    Thanks! Your advice worked VERY well for the second book in my mainstream trilogy – something I was almost dreading writing.

    I hope it is clear to readers who have read the first – and those who choose to start at the second.

    It was almost easy.

  3. John Howell says

    July 21, 2022 at 5:13 pm

    Thank you, Sue. This is something that just clicked with me as well. I’m preparing back cover copy now for my next book and this is very helpful. Thanks.

  4. N. Christine Samuelson says

    July 18, 2022 at 5:42 pm

    This information is WONDERFUL, and so helpful! Thanks so much, Sue, for sharing your time & knowledge. I’ll keep you, and this website in mind for future.

  5. Deborah Makarios says

    July 12, 2022 at 9:03 pm

    Very helpful – and very timely! My WIP is out with beta readers and it won’t be long before I have to start putting one of these together. Or, as I usually do, three different ones which I then road-test on readers.

    • Sue Coletta says

      July 13, 2022 at 8:11 am

      Road-testing on readers is a great idea, Deborah! I need to write one today. Ugh.

      Best of luck with your new book baby!

  6. Kay DiBianca says

    July 12, 2022 at 8:37 pm

    This is so helpful. Thank you, Sue!

    • Sue Coletta says

      July 13, 2022 at 8:10 am

      My pleasure, Kay! Glad it resonated with you.

  7. ANGELA ACKERMAN says

    July 12, 2022 at 7:33 pm

    SOOOO helpful! You rock, Sue!

    • Sue Coletta says

      July 13, 2022 at 8:09 am

      Haha. Right back atcha, Angela!

  8. Saraina says

    July 12, 2022 at 2:44 pm

    Super helpful!!

    • Sue Coletta says

      July 12, 2022 at 2:52 pm

      Yay! Glad it resonated with you, Saraina!

  9. Marcia Meara says

    July 12, 2022 at 11:27 am

    I’m still not able to comment on all of my favorite blogs yet, Sue, BUT … no WAY I could resist thanking you for this excellent (and super easy to understand) post on a topic that’s always been tricky for me. I am saving every word!!

    Wonderful stuff, and thanks again!

    • Sue Coletta says

      July 12, 2022 at 12:03 pm

      My pleasure, Marcia. No worries. I’ve been MIA recently, too. Hope you feel better soon! {{{hugs}}}

  10. BECCA PUGLISI says

    July 12, 2022 at 9:36 am

    Ooooo, this is good stuff. Blurbs, back copy, the synopsis—all the summaries are a bugaboo to get right. This is a great formula!

    • Sue Coletta says

      July 12, 2022 at 9:45 am

      You’re not kidding, Becca. They’re no fun at all. I’d rather write another full novel than a book description. 😉 Glad the formula worked for you!

  11. Jan Sikes says

    July 12, 2022 at 7:35 am

    Thanks for sharing this, Sue. It is SO good and I am pinning it for future reference. This is a great formula and one I will employ. One of the perks of being self-published is the ability to go in and change the book blurb. Great stuff!

    • Sue Coletta says

      July 12, 2022 at 8:38 am

      Thanks, Jan! This formula resonated with me, too. I *wish* I could go back and rewrite all my back covers. Lucky!

  12. Mindy Alyse Weiss says

    July 12, 2022 at 6:15 am

    Thanks for sharing your 3-step formula, Sue. I love all the killer examples of how well it works in published books!

    • Sue Coletta says

      July 12, 2022 at 8:39 am

      My pleasure, Mindy! Glad it resonated with you. 🙂

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