The occult art of the poetry book blurb rachael mead. A book blurb should be a fair representation of the style of the book. Think about what goes on the back of most books and how important it is in attracting attention to the title inside. Then, you can finalize the blurb after the second draft, and put the book up for presale. Yet, simple though it seems, many writers have difficulty writing a bio blurb that does not have the side effect of producing heavy. Mar 01, 2017 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. For all intents and purposes, your publisher has written this. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more blurb. The next step is grabbing the readers interest with a tempting back. When you hear about authors being asked to blurb a book, its this endorsement theyve been asked to provide. He has always dreamed of becoming an explorer, of making history and of reading his name amongst the lists of great discoveries. My 4step process for writing a nonfiction book blurb that. If your book is an autobiography, a fictional autobiography, or a memoir told in the first person, you might have an exception.
It helps teach kids all about blurbs, and what a good blurb should include. I do not lay claim to ownership of wattpad or any of its subsidiaries, this is only for educational purposes. Instead, people pay attention to who gave the blurb, and judge your book based on the person endorsing it. Previous how to write a blurb, pitch or synopsis for your novel or book. This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only.
One of the things short story writers dread is writing a blurb for a collection. Show friends and fans, two versions of your blurb, and get some feedback. Your book blurb aka online description, like your dating profile. Use the rotate button to change the orientation of your text. 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. Apr 15, 2020 a well written blurb will try to sell a book but not against the readers interests. Are you an advisor whos thought about writing a book. The 5 core elements of a book blurb and why you should know. If youre an entrepreneur who has been through the ringer in life or business and willing to share, selfpublishing can be powerful. Mar 18, 2012 these may be used for an interview, a book jacket, or even an event program in which you are a presenter. To order presentationready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers visit. This short video is brought to you by publishnation. To ensure your book is an effective invitation, you need three vital components.
There is a big difference between writing a cover blurb for a novel and writing a cover blurb. How to write good blurbs and back pages for your book. This week, im going to tell you how i wrote the blurb for the book. Author alessandra torre selfpublished her first book in 2012, and for the first three months of the release, she sold between five and fifteen copies a day. Also, just as it is important to have an interesting first sentence of a story, try to apply this principle with the first two sentences of the blurb. Last week, i blogged about why i wrote and selfpublished my book write the crap out of it. If youre in the right mood, you can quickly churn a couple of samples with vastly different tone or even content. A blurb is a short description of a book that is written for promotional purposes. May 07, 20 here are some basic rules of book blurbs courtesy of createspace. Write a blurb that sells your book hidden gems book blog.
How to write the perfect blurb examples, formula, opening. 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. Gain wifes approval and copy and paste blurb into the ebook details page on amazon. How to get incredible endorsements and blurbs for your book.
To begin writing a book, first create an outline that clearly lays out the beginning, middle and end, including chapter breaks if possible. This is the foundation of a good book blurb, because if you appeal to the. 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. Youve written an entire novel of 50,000 to 90,000 words or more, and then you just need to write a few hundred more for your blurb so you can market your book. The blurb should also show off a killer premise and introduce dynamic characters having an awesome story can make it easier to write a blurb. In addition to the example provided in lesson one of a well written book blurb, im including a few examples from bestselling memoirs which have their blurbs perfected. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more. How to write the blurb on the back of a book the best guides. Make it so droolworthy that everybody will want to buy a copy of your book.
When a reader first comes across your book online, two factors will determine if they pay any attention to it the cover and the book description. Get a professionally written book blurb that will sell. Lets go over the structure, formula, and some tips for writing a good book blurb. How to write a dazzling blurb for your childrens book. Write an effective blurb for a nonfiction book proof. Writing your back cover blurb dorrance publishing company.
The more credibility and social status the endorser holds, the more powerful the blurb. There is a big difference between writing a cover blurb for a novel and writing a cover blurb for non. The curious history of book blurbs and why theyre still around. Mar 29, 2019 the key is that when youre writing the blurb for a book, you have to distill the book down into its most compelling and hookworthy elements. Even if your book is not written in the third person, write your synopsis. This how to write a blurb for ks1 kids resource is great to incorporate into your english lessons. Apparently, tolstoy downed a gallon or two of vodka while trying to write the blurb for war and peace. Jun 24, 2020 when you need to write a blurb for a movie, book, or other project, start by writing a clever and catchy hook that introduces some of the characters and setting of the topic. Unless you want your book to address a niche audience, the blurb should be written in layman language. On back covers of books there is usually a summary which attempts to get the reader interested. If your story was written in firstperson pov, your blurb should also be written in first person. Its easier to write a 90k word novel than a blurb of 100 words. Jul 17, 2019 the back cover blurb differs from a proposal, which is the detailed outline you write to sell your nonfiction book to an agent or publisher. Try to find a relevant, unique way of pitching your book, and use that as a hook.
Chances are, you will write a better book if you let the blurb guide you. Completelynovels sarah juckes advises how to write a blurb. Mar 10, 2019 heres the blurb on another book we worked on, victor chiu s wall street kitchen 185 words this awardwinning book by author victor chiu combines sound business analysis provided by his mother, along with some downtoearth delicious recipes written in a slightly whimsical yet fundamentally educating style. This may seem obvious, but many authors get it wrong, anyway. Dont expect someone to write a blurb about an unsold or unfinished manuscript unless he knows your prior work well. Blurbs are extremely important to market your book. Jun 22, 2020 the body of the blurb consists of several smaller paragraphs and a bulleted list, which accomplishes a couple of different things at once. So you can draw similarities to other famous books to which it bears a similarity without sacrificing the book s uniqueness. How to write a back cover blurb for nonfiction pages. It explains all of the major events and more or less says what you a book is about.
Her sales kept doubling to the point where she was selling 2,000 copies a day. How to write a back cover book synopsis pen and the pad. These themes are essentially easily digestible nuggets boiled down from your book s plot. Once the book is live, check that the blurb looks fine on the ebook sales page. Early rate through december 4 at least a few times a week i receive messages from people asking me how to write a book. Apr 01, 2020 blurbs are extremely important to market your book. Youre setting the expectation for the book in the blurb, so make sure that your themes, ideas, and issues match. Jan 10, 2020 a book blurb, or the book jacket description, summarizes the best part of your book in only 150 words yep.
Write your fiction book blurb in the style of the actual book. Draw another text container on the spine of the book and enter the title and author information there, as well. If you want to know how to write a book blurb, its important to understand what it actually is and isnt. Which you choose to write is up to you, but in my mind id avoid a summary. How to write the blurb on the back of a book the best. If you think you have a book inside you, this is what you need to know. Then, write 12 additional sentences that explain the plot of the story in a general way. People are like sea glass, the longer and harder they are tossed around, the more beautiful they are. Compare different types of book writing formats to find the right one for you. The four elements of a compelling book blurb manuela williams.
The 5 core elements of a book blurb and why you should. How to write a killer book blurb low content publishing. It shouldnt be difficult, but those extra words need to give an exciting glimpse into the incredible story in your book. Great ideas to write a blurb that works for your book. Aug 02, 2020 blurb writing tips you can apply the above structure to pretty much any type of book.
In some ways it can make it more difficult, trying to condense all that excitement into one or two paragraphs. When it comes to the book description, the only thing that matters is the main plot or main theme. Simple tips for formatting book blurb on kdp dashboard for. The blurb is a promotional description, found on the back of the book. Then, on a whim, she changed the blurb on her amazon page and saw her daily sales jump to 300 overnight. How to write a nonfiction book cover blurb that sells. Either fortunately or unfortunately, theres no single correct way. The authors that do are usually the successful ones. Founder of wealthy gorilla read full profile writing can be a struggle for even the mos. Copy and paste the same blurb into the print book details page on amazon.
How to write a book blurb that sells with examples reedsy blog. Use powerful headlines whether youre a nonfiction or fiction author, you should always start the blurb with a powerful headline. Put simply, a book blurb is a brief description of your book one that provides a summary to the reader. Blurb distinct from the back book cover blurb is this 12 line endorsement of a book by a celebrity or another author that sits on the book s front cover. How to write a book blurb for your short story collection. An equally powerful back cover blurb if publishing a printed version attractive back pages that attract the reader to explore more. How do i put the books title and author on the spine. To set yourself apart is good, to be too different from the rest is not. Unfortunately, while most authors will hire a professional to create their cover, very few hire a professional to write their book description. Blurb offers a variety of book formats from ebooks to magazines and trade books. How to write a book blurb for fiction that sells not just. I used this guide this week to write a blurb for a client and it worked a charm. Then, and only then, write the manuscript that fulfills the promise.
Prewriting first 10% act i, act ii, and act iii break after cover creation, after second draft. A book blurb also called a backcover blurb or a book description is a short description of the books. The five s of blurb writing check these 5 awesome tips editage. That pictureperfect initial encounter, gentle music is playing in the. How to write a blurb for your fiction book self publishing lab. Each day, start to begin writing a book, first create an outline that clearly lays out the beginning. To each genre their own, one thing to keep in mind when it comes to writing book.
The dos and donts of how to write a blurb for your novel. What it does is help people find the book they are looking for. The blurb of your book is the second thing a potential reader will look at after the coverso take the time to get it right. How to write a great nonfiction book blurb from polly letofsky of my word publishing. 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. You never know which reader, in which part of the world, will lay. Traditionally, it would be found on the inside back cover of a.
Forget the book, have you read this irresistible story on blurbs. 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. It seems a simple enough task to write a paragraph about oneself, and simpler still for a real writer. Writing a book blurb is a little like online dating, i suppose. How to write a press release for a book launch blurb blog. Get a professionally written book blurb that will sell more. This was a complete surprise as rob is an extremely well connected poet. A common method of writing a synopsis is in a threeparagraph format. A blurb more or less just gets an idea of what the story is about, trying to encourage the reader to read more. It works great as a kind of reading comprehension activity, asking them to think about one of their favourite books and recall the information about it so that they can write a great blurb. A well written book press release needs to grab the readers attention, describe what your book is about and why people should read it, and provide basic information about the book for selling and distribution e. Youve snagged a prospective date by your alluring cover, so now youve got to show theres more than just surface appeal.
Jul 25, 2020 six sentences make up that entire blurb, yet the readers have a basic understanding of what the story is about, who the main character is, and what kind of book they are getting themselves into. In this post we tell you how to write a book blurb for your short story collection. How to write a fiction book cover blurb that can make your. The benefit of having an early blurb is you can answer the dreaded so, whats your book about question during the first draft. In simple terms, a blurb is the short yet descriptive account of the book that goes on the back cover. In ebook and selfpublishing, a book blurb is whats used on the main online sales page. From his seat in the tiny aeroplane, fred watches as the mysteries of the amazon jungle pass by below him. Libbie hawker has a great video on writing blurbs, product descriptions or query letters. For example, if youve written a nonfiction selfhelp book and the back blurb reads more like a thriller novel, thats going to leave readers more confused than engaged. When writing a back cover blurb, you want it to set you apart from other books in your genre. Early rate through december 4 my fifth book is going through final edits as i t. Truly, there is no better way to test an authors ability to write concisely in a way that engages and entices the reader into wanting more than with these three different types of blurb. But even then, writing the blurb in first person is iffy.
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