The back cover blurb is by far the most stressful thing I’ve had to work on for the book launch. When it comes down to it, there are three things potential buyers look for when choosing a new book. The cover, the back cover blurb, and reviews. I have a solid cover. It gets across everything I need to get across — it’s a Christmastime book, there are two brothers, and it’s silly. Check. The back cover blurb, well, it’s not as simple.
The back cover blurb is so, so important. I believe it’s the thing that will get someone to purchase the book. The cover draws the readers in, but the back cover blurb needs to really hook them. And this refers to books the buyers are discovering, not books that come as recommendations. A recommendation, word of mouth, is the best way to sell. When I was selling solar door to door, the number one reason someone bought solar or signed up for the program is that they had a neighbor do it. It’s social proof. If you have social proof, then the back cover blurb doesn’t necessarily matter as much. If someone tells me, “You HAVE to read this book,” then I’ll probably check it out. That’s why reviews are so important, too.
In November, I need to market the hell out of this book. I essentially have two months a year to push it out there. November and December. I plan to use AMS ads, and I’m sure there will be a lot of interest out there. It’s a holiday book, it looks like a fun little romp, it’s something that’s good for storytime. All of those things will get a potential reader to the book’s product page. But then it’s my job to keep them interested, so the back cover blurb needs to be great. Here’s what I have right now:
December 26, 2012. When Harrison Fulwell discovers a travel itinerary belonging to Nicholas Claus of the North Pole, he proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Naughty Week is real. What is Naughty Week? It’s that time between Christmas and New Year’s when Santa goes on vacation and kids are allowed to be as naughty as they want to be. When one of Santa’s misfit elves arrives to collect the itinerary, she further fuels Harrison’s naughty adventures with the aid of a tiny sack of Christmas dust. Three snowmobiles? No problem. An industrial snowmaker to cover the neighborhood in snow? Easy-peasy. An Invisible All-Terrain Super Power Jet Mobile? Piece’a cake. But over the highs and lows of “Naughty Week,” Harrison learns there are always consequences for his actions. Exploring such themes as family, change, choices, and loss, NAUGHTY WEEK is a fun-filled Christmastime novel that captures the earnest spirit of a 10-year-old boy.
I have no idea if it’s any good. It’s probably too long. I got a good note on it yesterday to add something specific about what naughty things Harrison gets into, so I added the bit about the snowmobiles and the Jet Mobile. And just now I hear the echo in snowmobile and Jet Mobile, so I’ll need to rework it. It’s changed a dozen times in the last month as I’ve prepared for the launch. It’ll probably change a dozen more times. I reached out to my copy editor, Taylor, to see if I could pay her to write me something. She turned down the gig because she knows how hard it is to write something good. Ug.
