What Goes on the Back Cover of a Book? Blurb, Barcode, Bio and Price

Readers judge the front of a book in a second. Then they flip it over, and the back cover has about as long to close the deal. It also has a job to do for the printer and the bookshop till, which is why it carries the barcode.

Here's what goes on the back cover of a book, roughly in order of importance, and what Amazon KDP and IngramSpark need from you before they'll print it.

Key takeaways#

• The back cover usually carries a blurb, the ISBN barcode, a short author bio, any real praise, an optional price and your imprint.
• The blurb does the selling. Around 150 to 200 words is a good working length, with a hook line at the top.
• Amazon KDP adds a barcode for you if your cover leaves it out. IngramSpark says every cover needs one and will place it if you don't.
• Leave a clear area in the lower right of the back cover. Designing to KDP's 2 by 1.2 inch size suits both platforms.
• Each format needs its own ISBN, so a paperback and a hardback each get their own barcode.

What is the back of a book called?#

It's simply the back cover (you'll also hear rear cover). On a hardback the stiff board is sometimes called the back board, and on a dust jacket it's the back panel. Rare-book dealers often say "lower cover" or "lower board" for the same thing.

For print, the back cover is never a separate file. Your printer wants one flat PDF that runs back cover, spine, front cover, left to right, with bleed all round. Our guide to the parts of a book shows where it sits alongside the spine, flaps and endpapers.

The back cover, piece by piece#

1. The blurb

This is the main event. A back-cover blurb is a short pitch, not a synopsis. For fiction it sets up the main character, what they want and what stands in the way, then stops before the ending. For non-fiction it names the reader's problem and what the book will do about it.

A good working length is around 150 to 200 words. Go much longer and the type has to shrink to fit, and Amazon tells KDP authors to keep cover text at least 7 point so it stays readable. Many authors adapt the same copy for their online book description, so it pays to get it right once.

Lead with a hook line in slightly larger type. It's the bit people actually read.

2. The ISBN barcode

If your book is going to be sold in shops or through distributors, it needs a scannable barcode that carries its ISBN. It usually sits in the lower right of the back cover. (KDP puts it lower left for books that read right to left.)

You don't always have to draw it yourself:

• Amazon KDP lets you upload a cover with or without a barcode. If you leave it out, KDP adds one for you on the back cover, so leave that corner clear.
• IngramSpark says a barcode is mandatory on every cover. It should be pure black on a white box, and if you don't supply one, they'll place one for you. Leave an area of at least 1.75 by 1 inch free of text and important art.

If you supply your own on KDP, Amazon's cover guide asks for 300 DPI at 2 by 1.2 inches (50.8 by 30.5 mm), kept clear of the spine hinge and away from the bottom edge. Because KDP's space is the bigger of the two, designing to 2 by 1.2 inches suits both.

The barcode has to match the ISBN for that exact format. Your paperback and hardback each need their own ISBN, so each cover gets its own barcode. If you're buying your own numbers in the UK, our guide on how to buy an ISBN in the UK walks through the options, including going direct to Nielsen if you want your own imprint on the record.

3. The price (optional)

Self-published books don't have to print a price on the back. Some authors add it next to the barcode, and IngramSpark lets you build the price into the barcode itself. If you don't, their barcode uses a 90000 add-on, which means no price is set.

The catch with printing a price is that changing it later means changing the cover file. Leaving it off keeps your price as a quick setting in your dashboard.

4. Praise or a pull quote

One or two short lines of praise sit well above or below the blurb. Use real reviews only, with the reviewer's name or publication, and only with their permission. If your first book has none yet, leave this out. A strong blurb on its own looks far better than filler.

5. A short author bio

Two or three lines are plenty on the back cover: who you are and why you're the right person to write this book. A small author photo is optional and more common on non-fiction. Your full bio can live on the inside back page or the jacket flap.

6. Imprint name or logo, and genre

If you publish under an imprint, its name or logo usually goes near the bottom or on the spine. Non-fiction and some fiction also print a small genre or shelving line (for example "Business" or "Memoir"), usually top left, to help bookshops shelve it. Not sure whether you need an imprint? See what an imprint is in publishing.

How the back cover changes by format#

A paperback back cover is the simplest: one panel in the wrap. A hardback with a printed case (case laminate) works the same way but with extra wrap round the boards. A dust jacket adds front and back flaps, which is where longer bios and extra praise often go.

The size of the back cover follows your trim size, and the spine in the middle follows your page count and paper. Pick the right trim size for your book first, then work out your spine width before anyone designs the wrap. If the page count changes later, the whole wrap has to be resized.

Your cover finish (matte or glossy) is a setting at upload, not part of the design. Our guide to matte vs glossy covers covers how each one looks in print.

Common back cover mistakes#

• Too many words. A long blurb in tiny type reads as a wall. Cut it until it breathes.
• Art or text in the barcode area. If KDP or IngramSpark places the barcode for you, it can land straight on top of it.
• The wrong ISBN in the barcode. It must match the format and the ISBN in your book's details.
• Text too close to the edges or spine. Keep everything inside the safe area on your template so nothing is trimmed off or folded into the spine.
• A back cover that doesn't match the front. Same fonts, same colours, same mood. Readers should feel it's one design.
• Skipping the printed proof. Screens hide small type and colour problems. Order a proof before you go live.

Getting the back cover done#

You can design a back cover yourself with your platform's template, and plenty of authors do. If you'd rather hand it over, our Print Ready cover package is £297 ($377). It includes the full wrap with spine and back cover and places your ISBN barcode for you. If the blurb itself is the sticking point, back cover copy is an add-on at £67. Need the ISBN too? A single ISBN from our ISBN service is £27.99 ($34.99), plus VAT for UK customers, and comes with barcode files.