Use the two paragraphs you have to drive the main focus of your story home, and leave out the extra. Before writing your back book blurb, choose 35 of the bestselling books in your genre and make a note of stylistic similarities. Give readers what they want people dont go out in search of a book with no purpose in mind. Create, print, and sell professionalquality photo books. If youre wondering how to do that and where to start, it involves penning multiple drafts, lots of cutting, losing your sanity, and planning your blurb with the help of these steps.
Early rate through december 4 my fifth book is going through final edits as i t. Print as you go sell one copy at a time and let blurb fulfill the orders or place a large order and sell inperson. Here are some top tips with examples to help you write a readerattracting blurb in no time. For e books, the blurb is usually referred to as the description and will appear next to or below the title and book cover. In this post, we tell you how to write a book blurb in five easy steps. By adding too much information, your story will lose the element of surprise. Dos reference the genre and central theme create intrigue around the main conflict dive right in and introduce your protagonist keep it short and punchy. Oct 11, 2019 your blurb should give the reader what they expect, and so starting a nonfiction book about gardening in a thrilling style would certainly confuse your reader. As youre crafting your blurb, focus on enticing the reader in that first line. Here is an example of a shout line, taken from one of my own books. The five s of blurb writing check these 5 awesome tips.
While it is fine to give away a plot point or two, try not to reveal several. Your blurb or bio is a short, concise, effective introduction and description of yourself. When writing a novel, there are few selling tools as important as a solidly written book blurb. While theres no perfect formula for writing the best blurb for your novel, there are some patterns worth noting. How to write a great ya fantasy or scifi book blurb. How to write an irresistible book blurb in 5 easy steps. Early rate through december 4 at least a few times a week i receive messages from people asking me how to write a book. Firstly, highlighting your success in the bookwriting world. Either fortunately or unfortunately, theres no single correct way. The last step is to upload your book to blurb so that we can print it or create a digital version for you. That oneliner can also be placed on the front cover of your book to draw in readers at first glance. Founder of wealthy gorilla read full profile writing can be a struggle for even the mos. Its up there with the dreaded synopsis, but blurb writing is a lot easier to do. Your blurb will be an important part of your marketing.
A blurb should not necessarily tell the ending of your story. A blurb is a succinct summary of the book, one that communicates the essence of who the main characters are, what they want and what is preventing them from getting it. Echo the tone of your book in your blurb so readers get a sense of how you write. Depending on the use for your blu rb, your formula may stretch into three or four sentences for each pov character. Like i said earlier, if you cant catch interest with the opener, your reader likely wont finish reading the blurb.
I hope this helps you when you begin writing sales copy for your book. Twelve top tips for writing an academic book blurb helen kara. Sell your book in the blurb bookstore, through amazon, or in the global retail network of over 38,000 retailers, libraries, and schools. Youve gotten feedback from beta readers, and had your book professionally edited and proofread. To set yourself apart is good, to be too different from the rest is not. To begin writing a book, first create an outline that clearly lays out the beginning, middle and end, including chapter breaks if possible. In ebook and selfpublishing, a book blurb is whats used on the main online sales page. Introduce the situation and characters in the case of a memoir, you are likely to be the main character.
Use thirdperson pov, with the exception of books written in firstperson. Writing it out fortunately for the fiction writers out there, writing a book blurb for a memoir is incredibly similar to writing a description for a fictional story. Great blurb examples for books a guide for nonfiction authors. Jan, 2018 explore melinda marie alexanders board writing tips. Jan 14, 2014 below are the tips that ive gleaned from awesome ya fantasy and scifi book blurbs. The cover and blurb are crucial in drawing in potential readers, sparking their interest and, in many cases, can be the difference between a sale and a missed opportunity. How to edit a book yourself 8 editing tips blurb blog. There are many different ways of composing a blurb. Tips on how to write a good book blurb by author tina hogan grant. Each day, start to begin writing a book, first create an outline that clearly lays out the beginning. Aug 02, 2020 blurb writing tips you can apply the above structure to pretty much any type of book.
Your book blurb must be wellwritten to get a readers attention. Writing book blurbs and synopses by rayne hall is available as a kindle ebook and in paperback. Generally, 150200 words are more than enough for a full blurb. Writing a book blurb for your back cover and other promotional uses is one of the hardest steps for many authors. Thats why you want to write a book blurb that sells. Apr 07, 2015 if youve got both a hero and heroine as pov characters, then do a paragraph for each.
Set the scene, exposing the main idea, theme and character or author. If youre an entrepreneur who has been through the ringer in life or business and willing to share, selfpublishing can be powerful. People are like sea glass, the longer and harder they are tossed around, the more beautiful they are. Dec, 2019 so, if youre wondering how to write a book blurb that sells, nailing the first sentence is crucial. Well be using the blurb from dan browns the da vinci code as an example to highlight our tips. If youve got both a hero and heroine as pov characters, then do a paragraph for each. Along with the book cover and title, the blurb is one of the first things a reader will see. A lot of thought and research goes into writing a good blurb. Keywords and key phrases that indicate to your ideal readers this book has what they are looking. In todays column, ive gathered some great links and advice for you on how to write a book blurb that sells. If you enjoyed this article on how to write a blurb that works, and are in the process of writing or publishing a nonfiction book, be sure to check out my free nonfiction success guide, drawn from years of experience editing books for bestselling authors including a new york times bestseller and ghostwriting for ceos and politicians.
To help prevent you from falling into this unfortunate group, weve put together a few tips that should help you write a winning book blurb, whether its for the latest fantasy novel or for a nonfiction selfhelp guide. In other words, it tells potential readers everything youve written in your 100,000 word book except the ending. Compare yourself to other writers or your book to other books. If you have a story youre itching to tell but dont feel confident in your writing, check out this guide to improving your writing. Writing book blurbs and synopses rayne halls guide not only shows you stepbystep how to perfect your blurb but also shows you five other short forms that help sell your book. Mar 20, 2018 your blurb is your big chance to draw your readers in with your compelling storyline, evocative characters and cleverlywritten plot twists so that they feel that they must yes, absolutely must purchase your book. Twelve top tips for writing an academic book blurb lse. See more ideas about writing tips, writing, writing a book. Writing your back cover blurb dorrance publishing company. Know your genre to each genre their own, one thing to keep in mind when it comes to writing book blurbs. This is a good spot for you to proofread your book page by page.
How to write a blurb to sell your book writing tips. How to write a catchy backcover blurb that sells 2021. Below are the tips that ive gleaned from awesome ya fantasy and scifi book blurbs. This practice can be a great way to start your blurb literally the opening line, or step one in the snowflake method used to craft your book description. Feb, 2017 a back cover blurb awakens the appetite in the reader to read the whole book without giving anything away. Top tips on writing a book blurb that really sells they say not to judge a book by its cover but lets be honest, we all do exactly that. How to write a book blurb for a query letter to a literary. To each genre their own, one thing to keep in mind when it comes to writing book. Twelve top tips for writing an academic book blurb impact. However, in general, you want to stick to the same formula. Simple tips for formatting book blurb on kdp dashboard for. For paperback books, the blurb will appear on the back cover. Secondly, introducing the protagonist in a way that creates intrigue without delving into details.
How to write a book blurb for a query letter to a literary agent. Tips on how to write a good book blurb by author tina. I end the blurb with questions the reader is probably asking themselves and wants to know more and will hopefully buy the book. If a blurb is part of your marketing and it is try and use it to hit that target market rather than one that wont be interested in your book. The hardest and most important 100 words youll ever write book marketing expert ben cameron shares 10 top tips to make sure you. A book blurb or description is an important piece of marketing. The dos and donts of how to write a blurb for your novel. Not that i just sat at my keyboard, but id try to type something, hate it. In simple terms, a blurb is the short yet descriptive account of the book that goes on the back cover. How to write a book blurb that sells with examples reedsy blog. See more ideas about novel writing, writing a book, fiction writing.
The point of the blurb is to attract the people who would like your book, and sounding like the book would sound is pretty key to that. Once the book is live, check that the blurb looks fine on the ebook sales page. Jun 11, 20 the blurb is the short description on the back of the book. Nov 08, 2020 a book blurb also called a backcover blurb or a book description is a short description of the book s main character and conflict, usually between 100 and 200 words, that traditionally is included on the inside cover or on the back of a book. If you lack detail when it comes to the book blurb, it will show up. If youre funny in your story, try and bottle a little of that in your blurb. Before you begin writing your blurb, do some research. Jul 25, 2020 the key to creating a successful blurb for your childrens book is telling the audience enough information about the story without giving explicit details about what will happen. It should introduce your main characters, give an insight on conflict, depict genre and arouse interest.
When considering the amount of time and energy that will go into writing a book, do also include some time for writing a blurb every good book deserves a good blurb. The five s of blurb writing check these 5 awesome tips editage. Blurb writing is an important skill to develop whether you are selfpublished or traditional. Jan 10, 2020 a book blurb, or the book jacket description, summarizes the best part of your book in only 150 words yep. But, if you have caught a potential readers attention, the blurb is what will sell your book and convert readers. Jan 14, 2019 author confessions how to write the perfect blurb for your book novel 1 it took me about a week to get it right. Even if your book is the perfect example of lyrical transformative writing, you still need to mention the plot. People are aware an indie books description is written by the author, so the next stephen king is going to be transparent. Top tips on writing a book blurb that really sells.
Gain wifes approval and copy and paste blurb into the ebook details page on amazon. A style guide consists of writing dos and donts that pertain to the project as a whole notes on tone, word choice, capitalization, and formatting, as well as a detailed checklist of all the book. The blurb is a promotional description, found on the back of the book. Four tips for nabbing your book a blurb writers digest. A shorter novel or novella should correspond with a shorter blurb, while a longer blurb is appropriate for a longer story. Are you an advisor whos thought about writing a book. The length of a good blurb can vary from about 100 to 300 words. Apr 01, 2020 the last bit should also set the mood for your book. To order presentationready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers visit.
Then ensure you incorporate them into your back book jacket blurb. A blurb is a short description of a book that is written for promotional purposes. This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. Professional book editors use style guides, so they have a systematic, comprehensive way to evaluate each writing project. From my experience, i have decided to share with you, my tips on how to write a good blurb. Traditionally, it would be found on the inside back cover of a. With ebooks, in particular, they are absolutely essential to selling your ebooks. Traditionally, it would be found on the inside back cover of a hardback. When writing a back cover blurb, you want it to set you apart from other books in your genre.
Today were going to provide a list of tips to help you write your blurb. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more blurb. Copy and paste the same blurb into the print book details page on amazon. How to write a dazzling blurb for your childrens book. Use a tone consistent with your book in present tense.
If the book is nonfiction, try hitting on a problem your book helps solve. Great blurb examples for books a guide for nonfiction. How to write a blurb to sell your book writing tips pen. As paperback publishing developed, readers began seeing the blurb appearing on the back cover. Mastering the art of writing a spectacular book blurb. Once your blurb is ready, it becomes one of the most powerful weapons that defines the course of your book. Although you rightly love your subplots, your blurb must be short. Most blurbs run three to four paragraphs long, but dont go over 150 words. If you think you have a book inside you, this is what you need to know. How to write a book description or blurb that converts.
To help prevent you from falling into this unfortunate group, weve put together a few tips that should help you write a winning book blurb, whether its for the latest fantasy novel or. Read a ton of blurbs, especially blurbs from successful books in your book genre. Start by studying some blurbs of books in your field. Top tips on writing a book blurb that really sells nicholas. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more. If its fiction, set the scene and introduce an interesting character. Jul 05, 2018 if your book is futuristic scifi, you want to orient your blurb to capture that feel rather than writing in the old english style of a high fantasy. When a teacher or anyone else asks you to write a book summary, he or she is requesting that you read a book and write a short account that explains the main plot points, characters and any other important information in your own words. Jul 11, 2017 i just recently finished writing a blurb for my novel reckless beginnings. Twelve top tips for writing an academic book blurb helen. How to write the perfect blurb examples, formula, opening.
178 1170 886 1329 1220 869 1445 1186 6 57 957 216 652 210 649 1436 1201 176 101 329 132 1588 1194 1599 408 1497 362 263 1380