Gladwell has written a book that keeps the reader engaged in the story while teaching interesting and often astounding facts. Authors use their back matter to offer readers further context or information about the story, though back matter can also be extremely simple. Here are six rules to be mindful of before you put pen to paper on your back book cover blurb. The back of a novel has a brief description of the story usually, what is. Summary and synopsis are also used but, in my experience, are used only in formal. The cover page of a book is not the same thing as the actual cover. A leaf is a sheet of paper with two pages able to be printed on it. This is an update of a previous post by sharon rickson. Copyright page example of copyright pages free copyright. Ive just finished reading a book called countess daphne by rita which i picked up in a charity shop in ripon, north yorkshire. Jul 07, 2017 any one page element, such as the title page, reverse title page, dedication page. What are the things on the back of the book called. Asked in books and literature what do you call book cover art that goes on the front and back.
Its not every day you run into someone whose specialty is back cover copy for your book. Ive just finished reading a book called countess daphne by. Immerse yourself in a story, get to know new characters, read about your favorite historical period or learn a new skill by picking up a book. The parts of a book for self published authors bookstand. As already noted, writing a back book blurb is a marketing exercise. A muchcited text, its influence has been visible and broad both in academia and among activists. The body matter is numbered with arabic numerals beginning with the number 1 on the first page of. The two opposite pages themselves are called folium rectum and folium versum in latin, and the ablative recto, verso already imply that the text on the page and not the physical page itself are referred to. Page numbering is the process of applying a sequence of numbers or letters, or roman numerals to the pages of a book or other document. Walmart has a huge selection of reading material, including classics, new releases and nonfiction. Before we get into why most authors hate writing their back book cover blurb, lets clarify what it actually is. What is the proper name for the text on the back cover.
The back matter also known as the end matter is you guessed it material found at the back of a book. The hard front and back covers of a book are called the boards. Book promotion expert ben cameron always says writing the blurb is the hardest 100 words youll ever write, and many authors are also stumped when it comes to writing the front and back matter another task that usually falls just when youre feeling least like writing another word, after completing your books final edit. Publishing and book design basics elements of page design search this guide search. The back cover is the usual place for the books isbn and maybe a photograph of the authors editors, perhaps with a short introduction to them. Textblock spine is the back or folded edges of a group of sewn sections or the glued back edge of a block of leaves of an adhesvie binding. Nov 22, 2017 finding a book when youve forgotten its title by gwen glazer, communications november 22, 2017.
Ive just finished reading a book called countess daphne. In a nutshell, its the 200 odd words on the back cover of your book that describes the book to the reader. Instead, it is one of the first pages you encounter after you open the book. The typical parts of a books front matter include the following. I also found out why my teachers book was so mangled. Paris had me racing through the pages and finishing this in just two sittings which i havent done in quite some time. The pages at the beginning and end of a book are called the endpapers or the.
A synopsis sums up the plot of a written work, providing a brief description of the main events of the storyline. The constant features are the title, author name, and publisher. This means all the focus needs to be on the reader their needs and expectations. These pages are traditionally numbered with lowercase roman numerals. The inside of your book, which we call the book block, is divided into three main sections.
The design of each individual page, on the other hand, is governed by the canons of page construction. May 27, 2015 book promotion expert ben cameron always says writing the blurb is the hardest 100 words youll ever write, and many authors are also stumped when it comes to writing the front and back matter another task that usually falls just when youre feeling least like writing another word, after completing your books final edit. What is the summary written on the cover at the back of a. Borrowed from star trek anyway, the book your looking for is called too hot to handle the publisher permabook.
Nov 23, 2015 but when it comes to the back cover of their printed book, many new authors skimp or are unconcerned with what goes on the back cover. Writers use the term blurb to describe the text on the back of the book. Check out our guide to writing a book description for more information. Whether flat backed or rounded and backed, its usually glued and lined with cloth and paper super and paper linings. Called back was a classic in its day, although the author died young before he could achieve the fame he probably deserved.
Back cover copy includes the book summary and author bio. Running heads are used on the second and following page of any section of your book that runs two or more pages. To produce perfect books these rules have to be brought back to life and applied. Its so tempting to think if everyone is doing x and i. This generally means the copy on your online book sales page. The 150 to 200 words youll choose to place on your books back cover might just be the most important words in your entire book project. The back of a book cover is called different things, but the back matter on the cover is really important no matter what you call it. Thats a flyleaf, more specifically, one of the endpapers of a book. Nov 22, 2017 borrowed from star trek anyway, the book your looking for is called too hot to handle the publisher permabook. While there are many different layouts that publishers use for the title page of a book, below is a simple book title page example. This information usually falls into one of three parts.
What specifically is listed on the title page will depend on the type of book written and if its a part of a series. It tells the tale of a blind man who witnesses a murder and then becomes curiously involved with one of the characters. Copyright page also called a colophon, this includes technical information about. I really upped my kindle time left in book reading average with this book. The back cover is the usual place for the book s isbn and maybe a photograph of the authors editors, perhaps with a short introduction to them. Check out selected results from nypl title quest 2019, held august 2, 2019, as well as title quest 2018. Some books also have a dedication page, foreword, preface, introduction and acknowledgements. Reading is a wonderful way to relax or to learn new things. But when it comes to the back cover of their printed book, many new authors skimp or are unconcerned with what goes on the back cover. Nov 18, 2016 im a published novelist, and i participate in several writing groups and online communities.
The history of book printing goes back to the first bibles pulled sheet by. Body matter is the core contents of the bookor what is called the story. Wondering what the back of a book cover is called and why its so important, then. The core content is most often divided into discrete segments, most commonly chapters. Endpapers, contrary to the name, occur at the beginning and end of a book. Nowadays, books are always provided with a book cover. The free half of the end paper is called a flyleaf. The frontmatter are the pages at the beginning of a book before the body of the book.
Chapters may be part of larger divided chunks, called parts or sections. The left hand page in a book, as well as the back side of a single sheet, is called the verso. What is the summary that is found on the back cover of a book called. Front matter is the material at the front of a book that usually offers information about the book. Thats because almost everything about the anatomy of a book cover is controlled by the final, edited version of the book. The half title page is the first page of your book and contains your title only. He uses a wide range of examples and studies some scientific and some anecdotal to.
The dedication page is where the author honors an individual. After youve written your back cover copy, it should have a beat and pulse to. The terms are shortened from latin recto folio and verso folio, translating to on the right side of the leaf and on the back side of the leaf. Back matter is the final pages of a book, where endnotes, the appendix, the bibliography, the index, and. The leaf bearing the title page is commonly called the. A title page is the important first page with the name of the book and author. In his wildly influential book, foundations of economic analysis, published in 1947, fixed time in the future, at a predetermined price called the strike price. The summary on the back of a book is called a synopsis. And now, if youve stopped rolling on the floor laughing the colophon, describing the typeface and other details of design and printing, can appear at the end of carefully produced books. Each book is a little different, but most books have a title page, page, table of contents, body and index. Finding a book when youve forgotten its title the new york.
From front matter to back matter, book content is arranged in a traditional. An unabridged list of the parts of a book by joel friedlander on september 29, 2009 57 comments the history of book printing goes back to the first bibles pulled sheet by sheet off johannes gutenbergs presses in mainz, germany in the late fifteenth century. Comprehensive list of synonyms for parts of books, by macmillan dictionary and thesaurus thesaurus. Including all of the necessary parts of a book and putting them in the right order is the first step to making your book credible and professional. Joint the joint of a book is the small groove which runs vertically down the book itself between the book boards book cover and the spine. Finding a book when youve forgotten its title the new. Youve got one page to motivate people to read your entire book. The appendices of a book, which appear at the end of it, can include an index, a bibliography or list of references, and other appended material. Book cover or book board the front and back covers of books are often referred to as book covers or book boards as they are often made of bookbinding board and cover the book. Summary and synopsis are also used but, in my experience, are used only in. Nov, 2019 the back matter also known as the end matter is you guessed it material found at the back of a book. Nov 17, 2019 body matter is the core contents of the bookor what is called the story. Use the second page of your book to list any of your previously published books by title.
Aug 07, 2008 the hard front and back covers of a book are called the boards. The body of the book is called body matter and the end of the book is called end matter. If the information is lengthy, you may choose to put the section in the back matter. What is the summary or quotes that are found on the back cover of a book called. The number itself, which may appear in various places on the page, can be referred to as a page number or as a folio. As noted in other answers, the last chapter in a novel, describing events after the last scene and wrapping up unresolved plot lines, can be called the epilogue. Once you wow your potential readers with an excellent front cover, the next part of your book thatll hook them is your back cover copy, which is publishing speak for the information that appears on the back cover. How to build the back of a book cover with template.
Page 2 is the back of page 1 and remains blank too. He uses a wide range of examples and studies some scientific and some anecdotal to portray the theory behind thinking without thinking. What is the summary that is found on the back cover of a. Punctuation or grammar goofs in this highly visible spot broadcast the message that your book was not professionally written. The inside back cover page, like that inside the front cover, is usually blank. Blurbs are what sell your book when your front cover has attracted prospective readers enough to click on the novel from a huge list of options. Originally, this piece of paper was used to protect your book. It can be tough to remember the title and author of a book you read a long time ago. Back cover copy includes the book summary and author bio once you wow your potential readers with an excellent front cover, the next part of your book thatll hook them is your back cover copy, which is publishing speak for the information that appears on the back cover. Im a published novelist, and i participate in several writing groups and online communities. Keep your blurb concise and compelling around 150200 words. Cover creation is the very last creative step when publishing a book. In publishing terms, the items located at the front of the book are called front matter. This guide is designed to help selfpublishers with common questions about.
Masthead page a statement of title, ownership, editors, etc. Half titlealso called the bastard title, this page contains only the title. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Turns out she got the book when she was a kid and back then unlike society today, anything remotely adultsexual was highly mojo. Academic writing book reports book and chapter summaries what is the summary at the back page of a book called. The end of the book may have a glossary, index and bibliography if the author chooses to include them. This bridge called my back has served as a significant rallying call for women of color for a generation, and this new edition keeps that call alive at a time when divisions prove ever more stubborn and dangerous.
This is the piece of artwork on the left otherwise known as verso side of the page opposite the title page on the right otherwise known as recto. The left page called verso and right page called recto are of the same size and aspect ratio, and are centered on the gutter where they are bound together at the spine. What is the summary written on the cover at the back of a book called. Aug, 2015 if all of this sounds daunting, consider hiring an editor or marketing writer to help you craft your books backcover copy in the most compelling way possible. If all of this sounds daunting, consider hiring an editor or marketing writer to help you craft your books backcover copy in the most compelling way possible.