Whether you are self-publishing your first book or you’re just getting started, art copy is something you will need to learn to do if you want your books to sell. Writing a good description of your book, using correct grammar, and using keywords and themes that the search engines love can get you started. Once you’re familiar with the basics, you can find free online tools to help you write the rest of your book. Self-publishing is big business and with more people discovering the joy of reading digitally than ever before, there is plenty of opportunity for writers.
The Basics
Art copy is simply the text you write to introduce a piece of art, whether it’s a painting, photo, or sculpture. This copy is what will appear on the back cover of your book since it’s the only copy that most people will see before they make a purchase decision. The art copy should ideally be short and to the point, engaging the reader’s attention and encouraging them to make a purchase soon.
The art copy for a picture book would be different from the art copy for a cookbook or a romance novel. A picture book will typically have smaller copy since it’s designed to be read aloud to a child. Therefore, it needs to be simple, yet engaging for the listener. A kid’s book might have short chapters with a couple of sentences per page. The goal is to keep it simple, yet sweet and entertaining for the little ones.
The Difference In Quality
The standard of writing for a cookbook is different from the standard of writing for a romance novel. For a romance, you would want to aim for a more polished, literate style. However, the story needs to come through vividly and be easy to understand.
The standard in a picture book is much lower. Anything goes as long as the art is good. Therefore, it would not hurt to write a little dastertly if you’re having trouble getting your point across. For instance, instead of saying, “This is a nice painting of a bear,” you could write, “Here is a nice painting of a bear.” Just make sure you keep it simple and to the point. Bear painting, anyone?
Keywords And Themes
Although the style of writing for a cookbook and a romance novel are widely different, they share another important characteristic. Both are predominantly narrative works, which means they follow a linear structure to some degree. However, they might also include some descriptive, documentary or argumentative language, as well as inferences and allusions to other works, events, or people in the course of the narrative.
The most important thing to keep in mind about keywords and themes is that your book’s content should be geared towards a particular audience. This involves using words and phrases that people are actually searching for. If you want to write educational material, then you should use educational keywords and themes. The same goes for a how-to book or a guide. When you use the right keywords and themes, you will naturally attract the right readers who are interested in your topic. Remember, everyone is different and people have different interests. Make sure that your book will appeal to the masses, but also match the needs and interests of your intended audience.
For example, if you’re writing about fashion, you might want to look into the following keywords and themes: fashion, clothing, style, luxury, men’s fashion, women’s fashion, swimsuits, t-shirts, and jeans. These are all keywords and themes that you might see if you’re doing a Google search on how to write art copy that sells.
The Importance Of Art Description
You might be tempted to skip this step and go straight to the art copy for your book. Putting in the effort to write good description can be difficult and time-consuming, especially if you’re not used to writing. The description of the art should complement the art it accompanies and expand upon it. It should also match the narrative of your book. However, the art description does not need to be long. Ideally, it should be around one or two paragraphs long. Keep it simple and to the point, yet interesting enough for the reader.
When it comes to art, everyone has a different taste. What might be beautiful to you might be hideous to someone else. That is why it’s important to write the art description for each piece of art you include in your book. This way, each individual will experience the artwork through your words, instead of just looking at it.
Where To Start
If you’re just getting started, it might be a good idea to take an easy route and use an on-line tool to create the art copy for your book. There are dozens of websites that can help you with this process. All you need to do is log on, find an image that you like, and click ‘write article.’ You will see a small box at the top of the page. In the box, you will see a place to type in your article and a picture of the finished product. All you need to do is click ‘submit’ and you will have an article published a few minutes later. You can use this same tool to find keywords and themes for your book’s content. Just remember that the article you write for this step will appear on the back cover of your book. Therefore, it needs to be perfect.
Style
To write a good description of art, you need to make sure that you are using the correct spelling, grammar, and styling. The most important thing to keep in mind is that your book’s content should match the intended audience’s interests, so make sure that your writing is engaging and entertaining.