I think it was Stephen King who taught me to go into a book without a map. I forget where I read it or if it was even the famed horror writer who wrote that piece of advice. But I’ve kept it with me like a sea-shell for years.
The back of a book is a map at best, and at worst an itinerary. It gives away so much and takes away the element of surprise that an author spends a whole book building. King’s advice is to read 20% of a book, and if it hasn’t captivated you, then it never will. But don’t read the back. Dive right in like you would any other adventure, and if you’re not having fun there’s nothing keeping you from leaving.
I’m ashamed that I have an “About the Novel” section in this blog. And it pains me to think that once my book is published, someone will be able to read its back cover and find out in a paragraph what I meant to reveal in multiple chapters. Unfortunately, until I can fill the back cover with quotations from reviewers and book-celebrities about how great my book is, I have to put something that will pull readers in. And most readers take a look at the back of the book to decide whether or not they want to read it.
In other news, Dog Ear called today. My book is with a managing editor and will be undergoing that process for a few weeks. Meanwhile, their design team wants a better idea of what I want on the cover, so I’m checking out some images and trying to get an idea down.
How rude of me. I haven’t even asked how you’re doing. How are you, dear reader?
Notes
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somewhereoverthesunnovel posted this
