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When DVDs and Blu-Rays were popular, one of the reasons for strong sales was what came along with the movie, not just the movie itself. Usually, the longer the list, the better. Often, buyers could find director commentaries, cast commentaries, deleted scenes, blooper reels, concept art, and even “the making of” documentaries. Fans got to see and learn so much more about their favorite movie or series.

Though sometimes authors will include some of these items on their blog or for their newsletter subscribers, more often than not, they’re not available. Yet, readers are just as interested in the creation of the book as they are the book itself.

Why did a favorite character choose to make that decision even though it hurt another character? How did the author decide on that ending the reader never saw coming? And what scenes were left out after the book was complete?

By creating “book extras,” authors can give readers a peek behind the curtain that will keep them more involved with their favorite book and/or series. Think of it as the literary version of DVD extras.

Authors can create a companion piece that reveals the creative decisions that brought the novel together. And authors can choose to present this as a downloadable PDF, an ebook, an audio recording, or even a live streaming event for their readers, which will make the book more of an immersive experience.

Just like director commentaries on movies, authors can write a scene-by-scene commentary, focusing on pivotal chapters. They can explain their thought process for the character making that decision, or how what looks like an insignificant conversation was actually subtle foreshadowing for a future book.

Another popular feature is a collection of deleted “scenes.” Nearly every author has a file filled with chapters, conversations, or alternate endings that never made it into the final book. By sharing these pieces with the readers, authors let them see not only what goes into the writing of a novel, but also the decisions to jettison subplots that ultimately didn’t add to the overall structure of the book.

First, second, or third round drafts of the cover are also fun additions as readers can see what almost made it to print. It’s a great opportunity for authors to share why the final cover was chosen, especially if they indie published the book and had full creative control.

Fantasy, science fiction, and historical fiction writers can also do a deep dive into the world-building of their novel. Unless an author wants to publish a 900-page tome, there’s no way to include all of the history, politics, customs, and cultures for the worlds the authors have built. Sharing these details satisfies curious readers while demonstrating the depth of the world that was created, and how much work went into building it.

Authors can also include the research they did that helped bring the story to life. If they wrote a crime novel, they can share the forensic techniques they studied, or maybe talk about the police officer or attorney they discussed the facts with. This shows that not everything about a fiction novel is imaginary.

As a final section, authors could include special collector’s edition bonus content, which can highlight an anniversary sale or the complete series box set.  That would contain material not available anywhere else, even on your website. Things like scans of handwritten brainstorming pages, early outlines, timeline sketches, family trees, maps, discarded magic systems, first-draft paragraphs compared with the final version, or even alternate titles and character art that’s never been shared. Authors could also include a “What Almost Happened” section that explores major plot twists or character arcs they seriously considered before choosing another direction.

Using this kind of content invites the readers into your creative workspace, allowing them to witness how a story came to life. Best of all, extras like these can become valuable marketing assets. They can be used as newsletter incentives, ARC reader magnets, exclusive Patreon rewards, Kickstarter bonuses, limited-edition collector’s content, or premium additions to signed copies. Instead of trying to think of new ways to incentivize readers to buy a book, authors can expand the value of books they’ve already written.

Readers don’t just fall in love with stories. They fall for the worlds the characters inhabit. If an author gives them more access to how those worlds are created and how those characters came to life, they’ll create devoted fans.

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Rachel Carrington is a published author of fantasy novels and a freelance writer who has written for Writers Weekly, the New York Times, Startrek.com, Short-Edition, and more. Find out more about her writing at www.rachelcarrington.com, and look for her next romantasy book, Where Witches Hunt, available October 30, 2026.

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