...there are forms to fill out!
In the last week, I've had the privilege to work on my cover art request and back copy blurb. (Is it still known as back copy for electronically published works?)
I do mean that it's a privilege, because my understanding was that the world of publishing firmly pushed the author's pie-stained fingers out of such important marketing elements. But I was given the opportunity to describe what I envisioned — and, a source of more wonder, what I didn't want — on my cover, and I was given the first go at my blurb.
On the other hand, it's also a terrifying experience, because I could ruin these things. There are people at publishing companies in charge of these matters for a reason. They know what works, just from sheer accumulated experience. And, judging from many a paperback's back copy, they're not as married as the author to things like, oh, say, accuracy to the plot if it'll get in the way of a great hook or smoldering character depiction. But most don't take it that far, and that distance is an advantage. After all, who wants to distill the awesomeness of her baby into a mere hundred words? Easier to do it with someone else's cherished one.
I browsed covers and blurbs to model my own upon until my eyes blurred. Then I thought upon it until my mind blurred. It's sobering to realize that the first impression of my book will be based upon these two things, and it's a matter of seconds to catch a reader's attention favorably. I could have the most exquisitely written story in the world, and no one would read it if it were presented in a dreary fashion.
And at the same, I don't want to catch the wrong reader's attention. It's great to lure someone into buying it, but I want that person to enjoy what he purchases. I decided to avoid using humor, for example, because the work in question is rather more somber in tone. So the challenge is being catchy while remaining true to the voice and tone of the story.
But beyond the terror, I'm excited to see things move forward. Filling out these forms are making the prospect of being published concrete, instead of the wispy dream that's been drifting around my head. Wispy dreams are pretty and all, but I bet my cover will be even prettier.