Hi ...

First, let me say thank you for your willingness to help.
I realize that most of you wouldn't be part of the target audience of this book as it is a wizardry/occult book. The current control can be found here:

Ishtar Publishing: Occult and Magick Books - Magic That Works (Powered by CubeCart)

The draft of the new sales copy that I wrote can be found here:

Rare Manuscripts Discovered That Unlock Secrets Of Real Magic


Testimonials from other authors / experts would go on the right side / bottom as not to break copy flow. Images will be inserted into strategic places and of course the reader can browse inside the book on the site and on Amazon. They are not expected to buy blind.

Since this is my first attempt at writing copy, I would appreciate any help or tips to help me hone my craft.

As I said, I don't think long copy works here.
Look at Amazon's sales page for a book.
There is ZERO sales copy.

I think they've already tested it.
They provide a look inside the book and testimonials. That's it.

Another example of "Long copy doesn't sell".

( I'm kidding. Long copy sells when it's needed - and doesn't when testing says it's not.)

Test short copy. Sometimes it rules.

" There is ZERO sales copy.

I think they've already tested it."

Not true. Amazon title information is provided directly by the publisher. Publishers write up is based on backcover space and on catalog space. Many publishers have hundreds or thousands of titles and very few of them survive past 6 months on the shelf before going into remainder due to low sales. It makes the most sense to rely on very short copy. Note also that publishers (other than big houses) can't afford to invest large sums on copywriting long sales letters AND they rely primarily on bookstore sales where cover, title, and jacket does their main sale.

In the end, how well does this approach work!? The industry is on decline. Growth is flat. Less and less people are reading and the whole industry is screaming 'the book is doomed'. There is a number of reasons for all this. One of them is this...with hundred of thousands of books in print every year (unless your well known author like Rowling) WHY should I buy ANY of those books. The current method of writing copy used by publishers doesn't answer the following questions for the reader:

Why me (what is in it for me)? Why you (what makes you the right author)? Why this (why this book)? and Why now (why can't I wait a year to get it)?

Personally, I think publishers should break the mold of the status quo. Print less books and focus on direct marketing basics. Short or long copy here isn't relevant, the key issue is...does this deliver the necessary info to make the reader WANT the book and close the sale?