COVER ME, I'M PUBLISHING A BOOK!

The first point of sale for any book is its cover, and the three most important sales elements of the cover are: the title, the graphics on the front and the information on the back. A book's cover is like the bread of a sandwich, while the pages in between are like its meat. Left unadorned, the ingredients of the sandwich may not look so appealing when lying on a plate without a way to hold them. Bakers do not consult butchers as to the type of bread to use in making a sandwich but both play an integral role in the finished product. So too is the relationship between a writer and a cover designer. The writer delivers the finest product and the designer packages it for consumption.


A good cover design on the front of a book should catch the potential reader's eye like an illuminated sign on a dark highway. It should be both artistic and promotional at the same time. The front cover will serve as an unofficial trademark for the work after publication, so it is important that it is done professionally. Writers may give their suggestions initially but then they must step back and let the designer have the freedom to interpret their vision of the story. Like an editor, a cover artist is a separate set of eyes seeking to enhance the work. The cover of a book can be simplistic or ornate but it should never be dull.


There is an old adage that says: "You can't judge a book by its cover." But there is a place where a book is actually judged by its cover and that place is the back cover. Once a reader has been drawn to the book they will invariably pick it up and turn it over (or read the dust jacket if it is a hardcover). This is the most important moment for both the reader and the writer because this is where a connection is made or lost. Many writers and publishers make the mistake of ignoring the importance of the back cover. Instead of a synopsis they will place either a large photograph of the author; a string of one or two line passages from book reviews; or a vertical line of single word adjectives like "Magnificent", "Thrilling", and "Suspenseful" followed by an inordinate number of meaningless stars. True, it might be interesting to know what the author looks like, or that the story is worthy of all those wonderful accolades, but what is really nice to know is what the book is about.


The only time a book can avoid placing a synopsis on the back cover is when the title says it all. A History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides needs no explanation as to what it is about. Whereas, Nick Flynn's profanely lyrical title; Another Bulls**t Night in Suck City alas, should probably include a synopsis as well as an apology. There is a lot of leeway when choosing a title for a book. It does not have to be catchy, poetic, or even informative but it should make a reader want to learn more about the subject. One thing a title should never be is an inside joke or a pronouncement of the author's intellectual superiority. Case in point: One of the original titles considered by F. Scott Fitzgerald for what would become The Great Gatsby was Trimalchio in West Egg. Though this title may have made sense to the peers of Fitzgerald who studied classical literature and carried Ivy League diplomas, the average reader would have no idea that Trimalchio was a decadent character known for his lavish parties in Petronius Arbiter's Satyricon.  Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed by the time the book went to press.


The cover of a book, its graphics, its title, and its back cover are all important parts of a successful marketing strategy, but the real artistry should always be in what lies between the covers. Good writing can never be diminished by a bad cover and amateurish writing can never be elevated by a great one.


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THE BOOK ON PUT OPTION WRITING

"The Book on Put Option Writing" is available in paperback and ebooks, but even better, the first chapter can now be downloaded for free by clicking here.

"The Book on Put Option Writing" focuses on a single option strategy that generates an immediate cash credit for the trader's account and can be used to create a "paid limit order." It can be utilized in either a bullish, neutral, or even in a somewhat bearish market.

Many option books being sold are simply long technical descriptions of puts, calls and the various strategies that employ them. They tend to be nothing more than dry text books which most new investors either loose interest in by the first chapter or just get completely lost by the second.

"The Book on Put Option Writing" however, was written with the novice investor in mind. Chapters are written in clear and easy to understand language. Many have quizzes at the end for the reader to measure his or her comprehension of the material and there are real world examples of trades that are dissected to show the logic and strategy behind them. Experienced traders can find this book helpful as well, finding new insights to old practices.

While other books try to explain the technical aspects of every single option trade; "The Book on Put Option Writing" only deals with selling puts. What might only be a few limited pages or paragraphs in other books, is transformed and expanded into 80 pages of detailed explanation in this book.

"The Book on Put Option Writing." It's concise, it's thorough and it's worth a look. Click here to read the first chapter.

INTRODUCTION

When I told my assistant Caroline, that I was creating a blog for the company, she replied,  "Great another blog in the blogosphere, I'm sure the world is riveted."

Caroline is always full of such enthusiasm and why she is still working here is beyond me; but despite being awash in an unbridled sea of ennui, I proceeded to create what now appears to be the blog for which all humanity has indeed been waiting. However, before I unleash this great source of enlightenment and knowledge into the world, I should take a moment to talk about the company.

Authorship Media, LLC., advises, publishes and markets authors and their work. It was created to guide new writers through the often rough waters of the publishing world and allow them to share their stories and ideas. In ancient times (this would be prior to 1970), very few writers could get their work published without a contract with one of the major publishing houses. Today technology has made getting published easier and there are many outlets available to new and unknown authors. There are, on the other hand, very few independent publishers that do everything from advisory to marketing. This is where Authorship Media is different. Our company believes that the job does not end when the last book is printed, instead another job is just beginning. We also continue to help market and sell the book because good writing and good stories do not necessarily sell themselves; the reading public must be aware of them first.

At Authorship Media we enjoy the art of writing, so this blog will be more than just about our work. We will talk about and to writers of all types and review books that we deem notable whether we published them or not. So if you like books check back often and visit our website at www.authorshipmedia.com.