Your book’s back cover design is critical to effective marketing because it presents your readers with their first opportunity to learn more about your book.

How you design your back cover will determine whether readers will inspect your book further, getting them closer to the sale, or will move on to other books. It’s imperative that you understand how to correctly craft the different back cover elements.

In this article, you’ll learn how to create a back cover that works, the five key elements of nonfiction back covers, plus we’ll discuss examples from bestselling books.

How to Create a Winning Back Cover

If the font cover of your nonfiction book is the billboard, your back cover is the movie trailer. A winning back cover has to achieve the following three goals:

1. It has to provide convincing social proof of how good a read your book is
2. It has to provide compelling marketing copy to entice potential readers to buy your book
3. It has to introduce you as a subject matter expert and clearly establish your credentials

After your front cover and your title, your back cover the is most important piece of marketing real estate in your book. Given the physical limitations of a book’s trim size, every word and every image must count.

When crafting the content that’ll be printed on your back cover, you have to be both measured and deliberate to make sure that every element moves readers towards a book purchase.

That means no spurious phrases in it (like this one!), no over the top or cliched language (“A mind-bending book”), no testimonials from the general public (only accomplished authors, reputable review sources and recognized experts) and no amateur photography for your headshot (you must “look” like an expert).

Let’s now focus on the five elements on the back cover and how to get them just right:

1) Testimonials

The first order of business is the solicitation of glowing testimonials from people who your target audience considers to be experts in your niche. The stronger the name recognition, the better.

What you never want to do is to use a client or a friend testimonial if they are perfect strangers to your audience.

Now the question is, how do you get recognized experts to agree to give you a testimonial? Well, you’ll have to be resourceful. You have to uncover as many paths to them with the least degree of separation as possible, and then work those channels to get to them.

Here are some suggestions:

• • Perhaps you know someone who knows them – check LinkedIn to see if you share a common business acquaintance, making them a 2nd-level connection.
  • Attend paid seminars/workshops that they offer and simply ask them directly (always towards the end of the engagement, once you’ve developed a relationship of trust)
  • Book a one-to-one session if they happen to operate a consultancy in your area and then ask them politely (if they published books earlier in their careers, they’ll empathize with you!)

Keep in mind that they won’t endorse you book simply because you asked – as a starting point, your book has to be professionally designed and edited and its content has to be excellent in their eyes.

By giving you an endorsement and having their name appear on the cover of your book, they’re putting their reputation on the line and they’ll be reluctant to do so if they feel that your content is substandard.

On the flip side, there are benefits to them in providing endorsements. If your book does well in the market they’ll benefit from free promotion for their own books, which will be mentioned along with their names.

When it comes to placing testimonials or reviews, you want to save your absolute best one to be front and center in your front cover. The second best endorsement should be reserved for the top of our back cover.

Any subsequent endorsements can be displayed either above or below your book blurb.

2) Blurb

This is the premier marketing copy of your book, so the goal of the blurb isn’t to summarize your book but to engage and entice readers to consider buying it.

The blurb text must speak directly to their emotions, which is ultimately what’s behind most purchasing decisions. Therefore, your blurb will need to:

1. Clearly identify the main problem afflicting your readers, which your book will address
2. Show them what your book will do to relieve this pain (your solution) without revealing any of its secrets (the “how”)
3. And it must address their aspirations by painting a picture of what their lives will be like after implementing the lessons contained in your book

To go more in-depth about how to create an effective blurb, read the following article: Great Blurb Examples for Nonfiction Books.

3) Author Bio

You author bio needs to clearly establish your expertise in your book’s subject matter. It must mention what your credentials are, show how long you’ve been practicing your trade and give an account of your experience.

When it comes to style, it’s customary to write author bios in the third person. It’s also customary, although not strictly necessary, to close the bio with a personal touch.

This closing could be as simple as mentioning the general area where you live (e.g. west coast, the name of a state, a city, etc.), mentioning how many children you have, if you have a pet, perhaps their name, and so on. You can also make it as personal as you feel is required to connect with your audience – for example, mentioning a mundane experience from your life that your readers can easily identify with.

For more details on how to write a great author bio for your nonfiction book, read the following article: Nonfiction Short Author Bio: 6 Steps to the Perfect Bio (with Examples).

4) Author Head Shot

Your author headshot could either be a black and white or a color photograph (black and white is a common choice for nonfiction books) and make sure it’s taken by a professional photographer.

Although some authors use casual shots for their author bios, I don’t recommend this approach for nonfiction authors because it creates a disconnect with your image as an expert.

When you meet a lawyer or an accountant, you have a certain expectation on how they present themselves – jeans and a t-shirt won’t inspire a lot of confidence. This is no different with experts who publish nonfiction books.

5) Barcode

The final component in your back cover is the ISBN barcode. Your book designer will know the correct size and placement, but basically, you want to make sure that it’s of the highest possible quality to ensure that laser scanners in retail locations can read it.

Some barcodes have the suggested retail price encoded, but this is not mandatory, especially if your book will be offered in multiple currencies.

Depending on where you live, the barcode may be supplied by the same agency that generates the ISBNs. In the U.S. this agency is Bowker (https://www.myidentifiers.com/identify-protect-your-book/barcode)

Here’s an example of a typical book ISBN barcode:

Nonfiction Back Cover Examples

Below, you’ll find seven examples of back covers from bestselling books in top nonfiction categories on Amazon, followed by a brief analysis:

1) Biographies & Memories

Title: Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

Analysis:

In this back cover, the publisher chose a single review from a highly reputable source as a headlining testimonial on top of the back cover, plus a single secondary testimonial above the author bio, reserving most of the real estate for the blurb.

This isn’t uncommon for memoirs since the blurb usually calls for a longer narrative approach than, say, problem-solving nonfiction.

2) Self-Help

Title: The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are

Analysis:

In this case, the publisher chose to use a shortened version of the blurb on the back cover of the paperback edition to open more space for testimonial quotes from other bestselling authors. The full text of the blurb appears online in the book description on Amazon.

3) Politics & Social Sciences

Title: Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators

Analysis:

This is an example of the back cover of a hardcover edition. Since there’s additional marketing real estate in the left and right cover flaps to show the blurb and author bio, the back of hardcover books is usually reserved for reviews and testimonials.

4) Cookbooks, Food & Win

Title: The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook: Low-Carb, High-Fat Recipes for Busy People on the Keto Diet

Analysis: Since this is a cookbook, the publisher chose to exclude the author bio and headshot and instead use the reclaimed real estate to list examples of tantalizing recipes.

5) Parenting & Relationships

Title: Parenting from the Inside Out: How a Deeper Self-Understanding Can Help You Raise Children Who Thrive

Analysis:

Here, the publisher chose to maximize the space for testimonial quotes and make up for this real estate by eliminating the author headshot and by combining the blurb and author bio into one.

6) Education & Teaching

Title: Self-theories: Their Role in Motivation, Personality, and Development

Analysis:

In this example, the publisher decided to bypass the author headshot altogether and instead show more testimonials to increase the social proof.

7) Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Title: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

Analysis:

Given the celebrity status of the author and her popular Netflix series, the publisher decided to focus on just the book blurb with a large author photo and bypass her bio altogether.

Next Steps

Once you’ve crafted all the key elements for your back cover, it’s time to pass the baton to a professional book cover designer to bring all the pieces together.

As a nonfiction author, you shouldn’t attempt to design your own cover or to farm it out to friends and family because, upon first inspection, your reputation as an expert will be measured by the quality of your book cover and this is an area where you can’t afford to cut corners.

All the best!

Ben

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or a specific need that I can help you address – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Write a Compelling Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors

How to Grow Your Business Writing a Nonfiction Book

Bennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of six books published through Harper Collins (New York) and Titan Publishing Group (London). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press, editor for multiple bestselling authors (including a NY Times bestseller), ghostwriter for CEOs and politicians and the founder of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium author services specifically designed for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writer coaching, ghostwriting, editing, proofing, cover design, book layout, eBook production, marketing, printing and distribution.

If you’re looking for great nonfiction book blurb examples, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, you’ll find out why blurbs are critical to the success of your book sales and you’ll learn how to craft the perfect blurb. At the end we’ll deconstruct blurb examples for books in seven bestselling nonfiction categories on Amazon.

What is a Book Blurb?

A book blurb is the marketing text found on the back cover of a physical copy and in the book description found in online bookstores. Blurbs are there to tell readers why they should pick up a copy of the book, not to offer a summary or synopsis of the book.

In other words, blurbs don’t reveal any of the secrets contained in the book. They simply tantalize readers with clever marketing copy to entice a purchase.

For example, here’s the typical process of discovery most readers will follow when they come across your book on Amazon:

1. They’ll first see your title and cover (as a result of an Amazon search)
2. Then they’ll read your blurb as it appears on the Amazon book description (shown when they click your title link or your cover)
3. Next, they’ll use the Look Inside feature to browse your table of contents
4. Finally, they’ll read your introduction (also through the Look Inside feature)

This is the marketing sequence that closes most book sales, unless a reader is specifically looking for your title due to a recommendation.

For this sequence to work, all the pieces need to fit together (tip: follow the above links to learn how steps 1, 3 and 4 need to be executed to be successful).

Your book blurb is one of the most important marketing pieces in your book, second only to your title.

Book Blurbs Cater to Two Audiences

In the not too distant past, book blurbs needed to be written specifically for your target audience. In today’s cyber world, they need to be written for two somehow-related yet very distinct audiences:

• First Audience: Your readers
• Second Audience: Amazon’s search algorithm

Even the most eloquent blurb that is perfectly designed for readers will simply not come up in bookstore searches unless it’s optimized for Amazon’s search algorithm.

For example, when you click a book title or cover image on Amazon to view the listing, only the first paragraph in the blurb and a bit of the second will show, followed by a “Read More” link.

This information needs to fulfill two goals:

1) they must be alluring for your readers so they feel compelled to click on “Read More”

2) they must contain highly targeted keywords that your readers are most likely to use when searching Amazon for books in your niche.

When your blurb fulfills the requirements for both audiences, your books will appear more often on user searches, and those users will feel compelled to read your blurb before they read your competitor’s.

Nonfiction Book Blurb Formula

In order to create a strong blurb, you need to follow a well-established formula borrowed from the world of advertising. When advertisers create copy, their goal is to make sure that 1) their targets identify with the ad, 2) that they clearly understand the benefits being presented and 3) that they see their aspirations fulfilled in buying the product.

Now, there are many ways to accomplish this goal, as you’ll see in the multiple examples listed at the end of this article. However, they all need to follow the same basic formula.

In order to compel your readers to take action and purchase your book, you’ll need to:

1. Clearly state the main problem suffered by your target audience: Here’s where your target audience research becomes critical. In order to clearly state the main problem that afflicts your audience, which your book will solve, you need to know and understand your audience deeply. You need to know their hopes, dreams, challenges and what keeps them up at night.
2. Show what your solution will accomplish (but never show how it’ll do it!): Now that you’ve connected to your reader’s pain, you need to show them what your book will do to eliminate this pain – but you won’t tell them the “how.” Here’s an example for a self-help book:

• • Learn how to easily overcome the barriers standing between you and your goals
  • Learn how to reduce conflict and increase enjoyment in your interactions with others
  • Learn how to develop a clear purpose in life that inspires you every day

3. Describe what the reader’s future will be like: Finally, it’s time to paint a clear picture that describes your reader’s aspirations. Here’s an example for a book on weight loss for people over 50:

• • • Imagine looking forward to actively enjoying the outdoors with energy to spare
    • Being able to wear clothes that haven’t fit you for years
    • Looking in the mirror and feeling young again (the way you’ve always felt on the inside)

Blurb Specifications:

Here are some basic rules of the road that I recommend:

• Try to keep your blurb to between 200-220 words
• Always write your blurb in the second person
• Consider starting your blurb with open-ended questions
• Never reveal any of your “secret sauce” in your blurb
• Always address your blurb to an audience of one – that is, to each reader individually. For example, don’t say: “…by using these techniques everyone will experience an immediate surge of energy…” instead say: “…by using these techniques you will experience an immediate surge of energy…”

Research Top Nonfiction Books in Your Niche

Finally, there’s no better way to learn how to do something for the first time than by looking at how the masters do it.

Go to Amazon and read the descriptions of the top 7-10 nonfiction books in your niche and deconstruct how they’re written using what you’ve learned in this article. Then make notes of any hooks, questions, and other devices that catch your eye.

If you find them compelling, then it’s probably a good idea to emulate them (without copying the text verbatim, of course). Use this information as inspiration to come up with a great blurb for your own book.

Book Blurb Examples

Below you’ll find examples of blurbs from a book in each of seven popular bestselling nonfiction categories on Amazon, followed by my analysis:

1) Biographies & Memories

Title: Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

Blurb:

Hillbilly Elegy is a passionate and personal analysis of a culture in crisis—that of white working-class Americans. The disintegration of this group, a process that has been slowly occurring now for more than forty years, has been reported with growing frequency and alarm, but has never before been written about as searingly from the inside. J. D. Vance tells the true story of what a social, regional, and class decline feels like when you were born with it hung around your neck.

The Vance family story begins hopefully in postwar America. J. D.’s grandparents were “dirt poor and in love,” and moved north from Kentucky’s Appalachia region to Ohio in the hopes of escaping the dreadful poverty around them. They raised a middle-class family, and eventually one of their grandchildren would graduate from Yale Law School, a conventional marker of success in achieving generational upward mobility. But as the family saga of Hillbilly Elegy plays out, we learn that J.D.’s grandparents, aunt, uncle, sister, and, most of all, his mother struggled profoundly with the demands of their new middle-class life, never fully escaping the legacy of abuse, alcoholism, poverty, and trauma so characteristic of their part of America. With piercing honesty, Vance shows how he himself still carries around the demons of his chaotic family history.

A deeply moving memoir, with its share of humor and vividly colorful figures, Hillbilly Elegy is the story of how upward mobility really feels. And it is an urgent and troubling meditation on the loss of the American dream for a large segment of this country.

Analysis: Since this is a memoir, the blurb’s structure is less about problem-solving and more about the main thesis of the book: the disintegration of white working-class Americans and their struggles. However, the blurb still reflects on a key pain of its target audience: the loss of the American dream.

2) Self-Help

Title: The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are

Blurb:

When our embarrassments and fears lie, we often listen to them anyway. They thwart our gratitude, acceptance, and compassion—our goodness. They insist, “I am not worthy.” But we are worthy—of self-discovery, personal growth, and boundless love. With Brené Brown’s game-changing New York Times bestseller The Gifts of Imperfection—which has sold more than 2 million copies in more than 30 different languages, and Forbes recently named one of the “Five Books That Will Actually Change Your Outlook On Life”—we find courage to overcome paralyzing fear and self-consciousness, strengthening our connection to the world.

A motivational and inspiring guide to wholehearted living, rather than just the average self-help book, with this groundbreaking work Brené Brown, Ph.D., bolsters the self-esteem and personal development process through her characteristic heartfelt, honest storytelling. With original research and plenty of encouragement, she explores the psychology of releasing our definitions of an “imperfect” life and embracing living authentically. Brown’s “ten guideposts” are benchmarks for authenticity that can help anyone establish a practice for a life of honest beauty—a perfectly imperfect life.

Now more than ever, we all need to cultivate feelings of self-worth, as well as acceptance and love for ourselves. In a world where insults, criticisms, and fears are spread too generously alongside messages of unrealistic beauty, attainment, and expectation, we look for ways to “dig deep” and find truth and gratitude in our lives. A new way forward means we can’t hold on too tightly to our own self-defeating thoughts or the displaced pain in our world. Instead, we can embrace the imperfection.

Analysis: This is a textbook example of a problem-solving nonfiction book blurb: it first states the problem clearly, then it describes the solution without revealing any secrets, and finally it shows aspirational results to be anticipated by its target audience.

3) Health

Title: This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol, Find Freedom, Discover Happiness & Change Your Life

Blurb:

This Naked Mind has ignited a movement across the country, helping thousands of people forever change their relationship with alcohol.

Many people question whether drinking has become too big a part of their lives and worry that it may even be affecting their health. But they resist change because they fear losing the pleasure and stress relief associated with alcohol and assume giving it up will involve deprivation and misery.

This Naked Mind offers a new, positive solution. Here, Annie Grace clearly presents the psychological and neurological components of alcohol use based on the latest science and reveals the cultural, social, and industry factors that support alcohol dependence in all of us. Packed with surprising insight into the reasons we drink, this book will open your eyes to the startling role of alcohol in our culture and how the stigma of alcoholism and recovery keeps people from getting the help they need. With Annie’s own extraordinary and candid personal story at its heart, this book is a must-listen for anyone who drinks.

This Naked Mind will give you freedom from alcohol. It removes the psychological dependence so that you will not crave alcohol, allowing you to easily drink less (or stop drinking). With clarity, humor, and a unique blend of science and storytelling, This Naked Mind will open the door to the life you have been waiting for.

Analysis: Another example of a textbook nonfiction blurb, with the addition of a short intro that gives context to the book in light of the movement that it’s managed to spark.

4) Dieting

Title: Instant Loss: Eat Real, Lose Weight: How I Lost 125 Pounds

Blurb:

Brittany Williams has taken the weight loss world by storm with her best-selling Instant Loss Cookbook. After reaching a peak weight of 260 pounds and spending a lifetime struggling with obesity, yo-yo dieting, autoimmune diseases, and chronic fatigue, Brittany changed her relationship with food and lost an astonishing 125 pounds in a year through diet alone. She cut processed and takeout foods from her diet and eliminated gluten, most grains, and sugar, all without sacrificing the flavors of the foods she loved, and quickly grew legions of fans as she shared her meal plans on InstantLoss.com. Armed with a collection of 125 all-new delicious recipes for the Instant Pot, air fryer, and more, Brittany’s latest book shows how to make this a sustainable lifestyle with kid and family-friendly meals—from Strawberry Shortcake Oatmeal to Cowboy Chili to Easy 2-Minute Pork Chops. Members of her growing community have reported losing 50 and even 100 pounds themselves, and this cookbook will help others achieve similar success with simple, delicious meals, nearly all ready in 30 minutes or less.

Analysis: Here, the author is using her own personal journey as a reflection of the struggles of her target audience. She then continues in her narrative by expounding the benefits of her “life-changing” meal plans and ends with aspirational testimonials from her followers to add social proof.

5) Fitness

Title: Ready to Run: Unlocking Your Potential to Run Naturally

Blurb:

Are You Ready to Run?

Is there a bridge from the injury-ridden world of the modern runner to the promised land that barefoot running and Born to Run have led us to believe exists? Can we really live the running life free from injury? Is there an approach designed to unlock all the athletic potential that may be hidden within? Can we run faster, longer, and more efficiently?

In a direct answer to the modern runner’s needs, Dr. Kelly Starrett, author of the bestseller Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance, has focused his revolutionary movement and mobility philosophy on the injury-plagued world of running.

Despite the promises of the growing minimalist-shoe industry and a rush of new ideas on how to transform running technique, more than three out of four runners suffer at least one injury per year. Although we may indeed be “Born to Run,” life in the modern world has trashed and undercut dedicated runners wishing to transform their running. The harsh effects of too much sitting and too much time wearing the wrong shoes has left us shackled to lower back problems, chronic knee injuries, and debilitating foot pain.

In this book, you will learn the 12 standards that will prepare your body for a lifetime of top-performance running. You won’t just be prepared to run in a minimalist shoe–you’ll be Ready to Run, period.

In Ready to Run, you will learn:

• The 12 performance standards you must work toward and develop on an ongoing basis
• How to tap into all of your running potential and access a fountain of youth for lifelong running
• How to turn your weaknesses into strengths
• How to prevent chronic overuse injuries by building powerful injury-prevention habits into your day
• How to prepare your body for the demands of changing your running shoes and running technique
• How to treat pain and swelling with cutting-edge modalities and accelerate your recovery
• How to equip your home mobility gym
• A set of mobility exercises for restoring optimal function and range of motion to your joints and tissues
• How to run faster, run farther, and run better

Analysis: This blurb begins with a set of open-ended questions that address the main issue experienced by its target audience (enjoying the runner’s life free of debilitating injuries) and it ends with a large list of bullet points outlining the main lessons of the book, which includes a mix of solutions and aspirational statements.

6) Cookbooks, Food & Wine

Title: The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook: Low-Carb, High-Fat Recipes for Busy People on the Keto Diet

Blurb:

Keto success is achieved by following low-carb principles, but the busy ketogenic dieter may find themselves distracted before reaching their diet destination. The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook is more than a set of keto recipes, it’s a simple, adaptable solution to help maintain your keto diet no matter how hectic your lifestyle.

Perfect for on-the-go keto, The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook provides 125 quick, keto-compliant recipes using a handful of easy-to-find ingredients. These low-carb, one-container meals can easily be modified to fit your own tastes, so you can keep your keto unique and utterly delicious.

With no-fuss recipes and no-nonsense guidance, The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook includes:

• Take five―Try out fast, flavorful, 5-ingredient ketogenic diet recipes with nutritional information (including macros)
• Single container, endless meals―Make cooking and clean-up stress-free with 30-minute, one-pot meals
• Customize your keto―Use substitution tips and delicious variations to easily customize your keto-friendly menu

The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook transforms five everyday ingredients into a lifetime of countless, delicious meals.

Analysis: As a cookbook, this title doesn’t need to follow a compelling problem-solving arc, however, it still loosely follows the same nonfiction blurb formula (problem: busy dieter gets distracted and doesn’t accomplish Keto goals, solution: Keto-compliant recipes with easy-to-find ingredients, Aspiration: endless stress-free meals)

7) Parenting & Relationships

Title: Parenting from the Inside Out: How a Deeper Self-Understanding Can Help You Raise Children Who Thrive

Blurb:

In Parenting from the Inside Out, child psychiatrist Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., and early childhood expert Mary Hartzell, M.Ed., explore the extent to which our childhood experiences shape the way we parent. Drawing on stunning new findings in neurobiology and attachment research, they explain how interpersonal relationships directly impact the development of the brain, and offer parents a step-by-step approach to forming a deeper understanding of their own life stories, which will help them raise compassionate and resilient children.

Born out of a series of parents’ workshops that combined Siegel’s cutting-edge research on how communication impacts brain development with Hartzell’s decades of experience as a child-development specialist and parent educator, this book guides parents through creating the necessary foundations for loving and secure relationships with their children.

Analysis: This book uses the standard blurb formula but following a more academic approach, where the problem-solution-aspiration trifecta is embedded in a scientific narrative.

Next Steps

Once you master the marketing copy of your book blurb, your next step is to create a book introduction that closes the deal! Follow the link below to find out how to craft a powerful introduction.

Best of luck!

Ben

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or a specific need that I can help you address – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Write a Compelling Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors

How to Grow Your Business Writing a Nonfiction Book

Write Your Own Book and Become an Expert: 11 Reasons Why You Should

Bennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of six books published through Harper Collins (New York) and Titan Publishing Group (London). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press, editor for multiple bestselling authors (including a NY Times bestseller), ghostwriter for CEOs and politicians and the founder of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium author services specifically designed for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writer coaching, ghostwriting, editing, proofing, cover design, book layout, eBook production, marketing, printing and distribution.

In this article you’ll find 12 short author bio examples for your nonfiction book and you’ll also learn the 6 steps that are instrumental in creating a bio that’s compelling and that enhances the marketing message on your book cover.

I’ll begin by outlining the 6 key components of the perfect nonfiction author bio and then end by showing you specific examples of great short author bios in each of the 12 bestselling nonfiction categories on Amazon.

Here are the 6 steps:

Step 1: Always use a professional headshot in your bio

When it comes to short author bios, this information will be shown not only on the back cover of your book but also on the author pages of your website, online bookstores and any other website where you’ve contributed content.

It’s imperative that you invest in a professional photographer for your headshot. Most authors prefer to use a black & white headshot, but many choose a color image instead. Check the top selling books in your niche for inspiration on colors and poses.

Step 2: Write your bio in the third person, starting with your full name

The vast majority of author bios are written in the third person. A small percentage uses the first person, but this is typically done to abide by the publishing standards of websites where you’re a contributor.

Nonfiction books benefit from bios written in the third person because doing so contributes to the expert persona of the author.

Step 3: State your area of expertise and how long you’ve practiced in it

The next sentence in your bio will state your area of expertise, which should naturally be of high relevance to your target audience, and also the length of time of your training.

If the length of your experience is shorter than 5-7 years, you’ll be better off not quoting a figure in your bio – you don’t want to create the perception that you’re a newbie.

Step 4: Explain what you do in relation to the needs of your target audience

(Note: this section is optional but recommended for some categories, such as self-help, health, dieting, spirituality, etc.)

This step is different than Step 3 in that your focus is less on your area of expertise (e.g. … is a certified psychologist with 20 years of experience) and more on what you specifically do that’s relevant to the needs of your target audience (e.g. … has drawn on breakthrough principles of cognitive therapy to help people overcome the fear of intimacy, irrational low self-esteem and other self-defeating behavior patterns).

Step 5: State your current/recent work-business credentials (including awards, bestselling titles, etc.)

This is the part where you sing your praises. However, this isn’t meant to brag but to add third-party validation to what you’re bringing to the table. The more recognizable the third parties, the more seriously you’ll be taken.

Step 6: Bring the bio to a close with a personal touch

(Note: this step is optional but recommended)

Since your nonfiction book will automatically paint you as an expert, perhaps making you appear distant from the common person, it’s always a good idea to bring up elements from your personal life to show readers that you’re relatable.

Note that this section may not be as relevant in certain categories, e.g. money and finance, academic or scientific subjects.

Short Author Bio Examples

Since nonfiction topics are so vast and no one size fits all, here are specific examples from each of the top 12 bestselling nonfiction categories on Amazon that you can use for reference:

1) Biographies & Memories

Title:Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

Short Author Bio: J.D. Vance grew up in the Rust Belt city of Middletown, Ohio, and the Appalachian town of Jackson, Kentucky. He enlisted in the Marine Corps after high school and served in Iraq. A graduate of the Ohio State University and Yale Law School, he has contributed to the National Review and is a principal at a leading Silicon Valley investment firm. Vance lives in San Francisco with his wife and two dogs.

Analysis: This is a textbook implementation of the above 6-step process, with the optional Step 4 excluded from the bio.

2) Self-Help

Title:The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are

Short Author Bio: Dr. Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston where she holds the Huffington Foundation – Brené Brown Endowed Chair at The Graduate College of Social Work. She has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers: The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, Braving the Wilderness, and her latest book, Dare to Lead, which is the culmination of a seven-year study on courage and leadership. Brené lives in Houston, Texas with her husband, Steve. They have two children, Ellen and Charlie.

Analysis: Another textbook implementation, this time including Step 4.

3) Religion & Spirituality

Title: Awaken: 90 Days with the God Who Speaks

Short Author Bio: Priscilla Shirer is a wife and mom first, but put a Bible in her hand and a message in her heart, and you’ll see why thousands meet God in powerful, personal ways at her conferences and through her books and Bible studies. She and her husband, Jerry, lead Going Beyond Ministries through which they provide spiritual support and resources to the body of Christ. They count it as their greatest privilege to serve every denomination and culture across the spectrum of the church. Between writing and studying, you’ll probably find Priscilla at home cleaning up after (and trying to satisfy the appetites of) her three rapidly growing boys.

Analysis: Here, the author has chosen to end her bio with a mundane anecdote from her personal life to counter the possible perception of a religious leader that may have little in common with her followers.

4) Health

Title: This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol, Find Freedom, Discover Happiness & Change Your Life

Short Author Bio: Annie Grace grew up in a one-room log cabin without running water or electricity outside of Aspen, Colorado. She discovered a passion for marketing and after graduating with a Masters of Science (Marketing) she dove into corporate life. At the age of 26, Annie was the youngest vice president in a multinational company, and her drinking career began in earnest. At 35, in a global C-level marketing role, she was responsible for marketing in 28 countries and drinking almost two bottles of wine a night. Knowing she needed a change but unwilling to submit to a life of deprivation and stigma, Annie set out to find a painless way to regain control. Annie no longer drinks and has never been happier. She left her executive role to write this book and share This Naked Mind with the world. In her free time, Annie loves to ski, travel (26 countries and counting), and enjoy her beautiful family. Annie lives with her husband and two sons in the Colorado mountains.

Analysis: Given her lack of formal training, the author chose to expand Step 4 into a mini narrative of her personal journey in order to illustrate why she’s qualified to write this book.

5) Dieting

Title:Instant Loss: Eat Real, Lose Weight: How I Lost 125 Pounds

Short Author Bio: Brittany Williams, a mother of three, blogger and self-proclaimed lover of food, decided to make a big change in her diet by removing processed snacks, takeout and high-calorie meals from her family’s menus. She replaced those foods with healthier meals she could make in her Instant Pot. She has since lost 125 lbs and has been featured in several media outlets including Good Morning America, The Today Show, US Weekly and more.

Analysis: Here the author is using personal accomplishments and the resulting mainstream media exposure as a way to prop up her credibility due to her lack of formal credentials.

6) Fitness

Title:Ready to Run: Unlocking Your Potential to Run Naturally

Short Author Bio: Dr. Kelly Starrett is a coach, physical therapist, author, speaker, and co-founder of MobilityWOD.com, which has revolutionized how athletes think about human movement and athletic performance. His first two books, Becoming A Supple Leopard and Ready To Run, are New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers. Becoming A Supple Leopard was also one of the 100 Most Notable Books of 2013 on Amazon. Kelly is also the co-author of the Wall Street Journal Bestseller, Deskbound, which he wrote with his wife Juliet.

Analysis: Here we see a strong focus on accomplishments because in this market niche the credibility of the author’s results-driven body of work is key. A personal touch is less relevant in this category and therefore omitted.

7) Politics & Social Sciences

Title:Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators

Short Author Bio: Ronan Farrow is an investigative journalist who writes for The New Yorker and makes documentaries for HBO. He has been an anchor and reporter at MSNBC and NBC News, and his writing has appeared in publications including The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. A series of stories he wrote in 2017 exposed the first allegations of sexual assault against the movie producer Harvey Weinstein. Prior to his work as a journalist, he served as a State Department official in Afghanistan and Pakistan and reported to the Secretary of State as a senior official focused on youth uprisings. He is a Yale Law School-educated attorney and studied at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. He is a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, the George Polk Award, and the National Magazine Award, among other commendations, and has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People (and also one of People’s Sexiest Men Alive, which doesn’t have anything to do with his career, but he still brings it up a lot)

Analysis: In this bio the author’s “celebrity” credentials take center stage. Interestingly, as a counterpoint to the seriousness of the subject matter, the author chose to close his bio with a bit of humor and levity.

8) Cookbooks, Food & Wine

Title:The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook: Low-Carb, High-Fat Recipes for Busy People on the Keto Diet

Short Author Bio: Jen Fisch, creator of the blog Keto In The City, and international best-selling cookbook author, is passionate about offering simple solutions for following the ketogenic lifestyle. She is a single, working mother who has battled autoimmune disorders for 20 years and has turned to the kitchen to find simple, delicious ways to make the ketogenic diet work for her busy lifestyle. She is not a nutritionist or trained chef, just a determined mom who searched high and low for a way of eating that would reduce the inflammation caused by her autoimmune disorders and allow her to feel like the very best version of herself. She lives with her daughter in Hermosa Beach, California

Analysis: Since the author lacks formal training, she chose to share her personal experience in the bio by showcasing results in order to strengthen her credibility. Her goal is to attract readers who are currently suffering from the same ailment that she figured out a way out of.

9) Business & Money

Title:It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy

Short Author Bio: Captain D. Michael Abrashoff is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and was a military assistant to the former secretary of defense, the Honorable Dr. William J. Perry. Abrashoff left the navy in 2001 and became the founder and CEO of Grassroots Leadership, Inc. in Boston. You can visit his website at www.grassrootsleadership.com.

Analysis: In this bio the author chose not to follow Steps 4 or 6 – this is not uncommon for this category of nonfiction.

10) Parenting & Relationships

Title:Parenting from the Inside Out: How a Deeper Self-Understanding Can Help You Raise Children Who Thrive

Short Author Bio: Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., is an internationally acclaimed author, award-winning educator, and child psychiatrist. He is currently a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine where he also serves as a co-investigator at the Center for Culture, Brain, and Development and co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center. He is also the Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute, an educational center devoted to promoting insight, compassion, and empathy in individuals, families, institutions and communities. He is the Founding Editor of the Norton Professional Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.

Analysis: This author bio is another textbook implementation of Steps 1-6.

11) Education & Teaching

Title:Self-theories: Their Role in Motivation, Personality, and Development

Short Author Bio: Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading researchers in the fields of personality, social psychology, and developmental psychology. She has been the William B. Ransford Professor of Psychology at Columbia University and is now the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Her scholarly book Self-Theories: Their Role in Motivation, Personality, and Development was named Book of the Year by the World Education Fellowship. Her work has been featured in such publications as The New Yorker, Time, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe, and she has appeared on Today and 20/20. She lives with her husband in Palo Alto, California.

Analysis: Another textbook implementation…

12) Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Title:The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

Short Author Bio: Marie Kondo is a tidying expert, bestselling author, star of Netflix’s hit show, “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo,” and founder of KonMari Media, Inc. Enchanted with organizing since her childhood, Marie began her tidying consultant business as a 19-year-old university student in Tokyo. Today, Marie is a renowned tidying expert helping people around the world to transform their cluttered homes into spaces of serenity and inspiration. Marie has been featured on more than fifty major Japanese television and radio programs as well as in Time Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The London Times, Vogue Magazine, the Ellen Show, the Rachael Ray Show and many more. She has also been listed as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people.

Analysis: In this bio the author relies on mainstream media validation to make her case for expertise given her established celebrity status in the niche.

Next Steps

Now you have the tools to help you craft a great short author bio for your nonfiction book. Before you put pen to paper, however, check out author bios in the top books in your niche to see which steps are more or less relevant in your case.

To do so you’ll need to make a special trip to your local bookstore or library and take notes, because Amazon’s Look Inside feature doesn’t show back covers where the author bio is typically placed.

Once you do this research, you’ll have all the information you need to craft a compelling author bio that’ll act as a great bookend to the marketing copy on your cover.

Best of luck!

Ben

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or a specific need that I can help you address – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Write a Compelling Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors

How to Grow Your Business Writing a Nonfiction Book

Write Your Own Book and Become an Expert: 11 Reasons Why You Should

Great Blurb Examples for Nonfiction Books

How to Create a Great Book Back Cover Design for Nonfiction [with Examples]

Bennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of six books published through Harper Collins (New York) and Titan Publishing Group (London). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press, editor for multiple bestselling authors (including a NY Times bestseller), ghostwriter for CEOs and politicians and the founder of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium author services specifically designed for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writer coaching, ghostwriting, editing, proofing, cover design, book layout, eBook production, marketing, printing and distribution.