Elements of a Successful Book

Dive in with me as I explore the commonalities between successful books no matter how they were published, what genre they are, or whatever the circumstances of their publication. To start with, let’s look at the real meat and potatoes of a book—the content. Read more

Back cover blurb: 200-250 words on the back cover of your book that describe your book to potential readers. The purpose of this blurb is to, essentially, hook your potential reader and convince them to buy your book. So, in short, it’s a sale’s tool or a pitch. However, the blurb seems to be very easily confused with other written descriptions of books. Read more

The book cover and spine or the book cover thumbnail will be the first aspects of your book that catch a potential reader’s attention. It’s pivotal that your book cover is professional and that the cover image file is sized appropriately. Read more

Simply put, metadata is any piece of data that describes your book. This can include what we might think of as “classic” data: title/subtitle, price, IBSN, publication date, and even your author name. But it can also include descriptive information about your book, like the genre, narrative viewpoint, or keywords that will connect your book to your intended audience. Read more

Book titles and subtitles feel pretty basic—every book has a title (at least), and I don’t think it’s controversial to say that your book won’t be very successful without one. Authors should, however, consider their book title carefully because nowadays book titles and subtitles are part of a book’s metadata, which in the age of the internet, is how your book is likely to be found. Read more

A review gives credibility to your book, shows the value of your book, and will often describe your book to potential readers in ways you've never thought of. Read more