The caption idea bank

“[The first line of your book.]” That sentence waited [how long] for a cover. Here it is: [one plain sentence about the cover, and what the designer saw in the book]. [Title] is out [month].

The map came first. Before the cover, before the title, there was [the place] drawn on [the back of an envelope]. Today it gets a cover of its own, and if you look closely you'll find [one detail from the cover that lives in the story]. [Title], [month].

Here they are: [Character] and [Character], on the cover of [Title]. I've lived with this cover for [how long] and I still notice something new each time. What's the first thing you see?

[The first line of your book.] [Title] is out today. If that line made you want the next one, the book is [where to find it].

“[A sentence from the book with your sleuth in it.]” [Title] is out this week, and [Sleuth] is back to [what they're up to]. If you've read the first one, you'll recognize [one small returning detail]. If you haven't, this one stands on its own.

[Title] is out today. It took [how long] to write, and the chapter I rewrote most was [chapter], because [one honest reason]. If you're [the problem your reader has], start there.

No news this week. Just [what you're reading or writing] and [the weather where you are]. What's on your desk?

Rereading [a book you love] this week and stopped at [a page or a line]. I think it's where I first learned [what it taught you about writing]. Which book taught you something you still use?

“[A quiet line from your book, not a dramatic one.]” Not every scene in [Title] is a big one. This is one of the small ones, and it's still [why it matters to you].

If you could live in one place from [Title] for a year, which would it be? I'd choose [place], for [one reason]. Tell me yours, and why.

Be honest: did you guess [no spoilers: the twist] before [the chapter or the moment]? Please keep spoilers out of the comments. Just yes or no, and [a page number or a chapter].

I'm writing book [number] and I need your help with one small thing: [a real choice you haven't made yet]. [Option one] or [option two]?

“[Your sentence.]” From [Title], chapter [number]. I wrote it [where or when you wrote it], and it's [what you feel about it now].

“[A line spoken by a character.]” [Character] says this in [Title], at a moment when [context, without spoilers]. [Why this line matters to you].

“[One sentence of advice from your book.]” If you take one thing from [Title], take this. [The chapter it comes from] explains how.

How this photo was made: [the window or the light], [the props, counted] and [the angle]. It took [how many] tries. The first [how many] had too many things in them.

The [object] in this photo is the one [Character] [does what with it] in chapter [number]. [Where yours came from], and it's been on my desk ever since.

First draft, page one: [the original opening line]. Final draft, page one: [the published opening line]. [One sentence on what changed, and why.]