how to write a book blurb article

\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. I really hope you enjoy it. Article Summary X. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. It’s up there with the dreaded synopsis, but blurb writing is a lot easier to do. Conflict: A writer’s worries The book is available on Amazon. Ask people who haven’t read your book to read your blurb to see if it’s something that hooks their attention. Trust me on this. It should entice them to read on. Let other people also have a look at it for you. Should Authors Run Facebook Ad Split Tests? The book blurb is your sales pitch. Cut out sub-plots. Use white spacing to separate thoughts and make it look less like a solid block of text. With a successful blurb and author bio, more people will be drawn to read your book! What ever will his boss say?”. You’ve got the setting, time period, protagonists, and main plot all in a single sentence. In his spare time he writes bad poetry and worries about the future. Step 1: Add A Tag-Line . Just redid my blurb based on your guidelines and I think it’s much better. Emotional Promise. The humble blurb can easily be forgotten, overshadowed by its more pressing rivals, the edit, the marketing campaign, and the cover design. Should I be showing or telling? If you don’t have a print version of your book and it’s only sold online, everything in this article about back book blurbs can be applied to your book description in online listings. This week, I’m going to tell you how I wrote the blurb for the book. Very helpful post. Thanks, Ari . For example, you shouldn’t write a blurb that reads like a thriller novel if your book is about business. Possible Solution You have saved a lot of writers from nervous breakdowns! Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog. There is always a lot of information and advice for novels. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Such variety is doubly important in texts as short as blurbs. If you’ve written other successful books, you may hook a reader by mentioning it. Except for Josh Taylor. A good rule of writing in general is to avoid too many sentences strung together of similar length. Readers love to be reassured, and if an authority on the subject has enjoyed your book, then they’re more likely to buy it. As in the "Girl on a Train" example, you can use a question: "Has she done more harm than good?" You’ll also want to stay away from hyperbole. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. When you need to write a blurb for a book, be sure to summarize the main story so a reader can get an idea of what it’s about. Read all the posts here: Buy Mia’s book on short stores: Write the crap out of it and other short story writing advice. I ran mine through as many different people/writers as I could, and one of the best bits of feedback/advice I got was from someone who said they’re stopped reading a longer, earlier version by the 5th paragraph. Look at the best-selling books that are in the same genre as yours and scan through their blurbs. From his floating bookstore in a barge on the Seine, he prescribes novels for the hardships of life." We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. It’s John Waters for the page, and this blurb, to me, is note perfect! Don’t over-think it. "After Perdu is finally tempted to read the letter, he hauls anchor and departs on a mission to the south of France." Well done. Sabaa Tahir uses words like "ancient", "brutality", "infiltrate", "deadly fighters", "spy" and "dangerous escape" to create a sense of adventure for An Ember in the Ashes. . I reblogged this piece of sage advice on my site abitsa.worpress.com. If they aren’t interested, ask them what you could improve. You can find out more on her website www.amandajevans.com, Facebook and Twitter: @amandajevans. Now write your first version. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. Many people read book blurbs to see if it’s something they will enjoy, so it’s important to write one that grabs people’s attention and hooks them. Kallie is so captivating he ignores her blood-stained hands, but he can’t overlook the blue glow summoned to her skin. Think of your blurb as a short-short, and take on the task knowing that even great authors considered them challenging. This is the section where the great gripping stuff of the plot part often seems to dissipate so pointers would be very welcome. Thanks for all your help Kate, it’s really appreciated. One of these days I’m going to ask her what the K.M. Mention them by name and characterization: journalist Sophie Collins, reformed criminal Joe Bradlow et cetera. Refrain from calling yourself the "new Stephen King" (or any other famous author for that matter) and don't compare your book to a certain bestseller such as the "next Fifty Shades of Grey". I hope this has been helpful! For example, a blurb for Stephen King could read, “From the author that brought you. Here is my blurb. While I’m tilting at windmills what do the initials K. M. stand for? The main situation, such as a battle between two armies. A blurb should provide key information about the book’s plot (setting, time period, protagonists), outline the main conflict, and incorporate the book’s marketable themes. Yours is fantastic, and thanks to your expertise you’ve helped me craft an enticing pitch. You want them desperate to know what happens in the story, wanting to open to the first page, wanting to read the book, wanting to buy it. You have one shot at introducing your story to your reader - make it count. Similarly, avoid repetition of all kinds, and keep an eye on words that are spelt the same. Pick up your readers with a hook. This one sounds obvious, but it’s important to remember that a blurb is not just a synopsis or summary of your plot. It is evident that the book blurb is one of your most important communication aids when promoting your book, so invest plenty of time and dedication to ensure you get it right. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Makes me happy to know it’s helpful, even if that help is a little late . If there is a topic you’d like to see covered, be sure to get in touch. . Having a concise and catchy “hook” can pull in your to continue reading the blurb and either read or see your work. In this post we tell you how to write a book blurb for your short story collection. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,862 times. **Update** Thank you to everyone who requested a copy. If your book has received any positive reviews, if you’ve won any awards, or if you’ve had work published in any journals or magazines, you’re going to want to include this information. So without further adieu here is K.M. Step 4: End With The Stakes/Twist/Cliffhanger. Help is here! wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. Because “an absurd and dark comedy of errors” is *exactly* what it is. Thanks for sharing . This is a good spot for you to proofread your book page by page. Step 3: Write About The Situation/Main Problem. Avoid mentioning minor characters in your blurb since it’s not important information to give potential readers. Use a formula: Most fiction book blurbs start with a situation (a), introduce a problem (b) and promise a twist (c). It really forced me to cut down the length. Turns out my friend, Amanda Patterson had already written a lovely post and, as with all things Amanda writes, it works. As you can see, there’s a tag-line, the intro of the MC, a situation, the stakes, and a last line that hints at something more—all in only 142 words! 3. 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