Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: Thanks for linking up to my blog! I really appreciate it. Don’t forget to check this posting out, too. It’s All About the Book Jacket, Stupido! From No-Seller to Best-Seller

Enjoyed your piece, when is the to be continued part going to come. I’m interested in your take on the cover art.

I only found #2 and #6 really compelling. But I, like another commenter, always sample a little of the writing to see if its any good. The 1st paragraph at least.

A senior editor has had my novel on her desk for nearly 5 months and so I’m contemplating the possibility of what I’d want on the cover if she decides to publish it. (Strangely enough I’ve had dreams the book has been published twice and both times I was horrified by the cover and look of the finished product.) An omen?

I’ve written enough queries and so many short versions of synopses I think I’ve got some pretty good stuff for the jacket flap.

Let me know when you plan to publish the next installment…

And MANY designers (jacket and interior) read big chunks of the book in mss form. Maybe I’ve been lucky and just worked with a great, dedicated group of designers who genuinely love books. Why else would a designer choose to work in book publishing if not because they love books? They would make more $$ in advertising or web design.

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: The reason writing jacket and flap copy is considered an onerous task is because the person asked to write it doesn’t “get” sales copy, and that’s what jacket copy is all about — sales. Jacket copy, particularly in fiction, should not be a synopsis of the book aka a “spoiler”; copy should be a teaser that makes the book irresistible to buy. In my experience, book jacket designers are given the book jacket copy by those overworked and underpaid editorial assistants. Also, it is the rare book designer who is also the book jacket designer. 

I can only speak about the specific publishers I’ve worked for, but it’s rare that even the editor writes the jacket copy. It’s usually the editorial assistant, and usually it’s put off until the last minute (yes, waiting for blurbs, but also because everyone sees it as an onorous task). No wonder they’re so terrible!

Regarding the jacket design, it’s been my experience that the art department gets a brief with design ideas. If the designer reads the manuscript (which would be made available), it would be unusual. And then marketing gets the last say, unless the author is really selling books. It’s a sad state of affairs.

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: A new visitor! Thanks for stopping by…and confirming what I, too, know to be true about jacket copy.

I agree that jacket copy is an art best handled in the realm of advertising by copywriters who dream up the ads, brochures, catalogs, and other marketing materials.

But I’ve met many editors who have a talent for the craft.

Still, if, as an author, I had to choose between editor and copywriter for the task, I’d head for the copywriter everytime.

But I’d asked the editor to write a first draft for the copywriter and to make sure that the copywriter has a copy of the book…to read.