The Accidental Writer: Book Blurbs – Can’t live with them, can’t live without them!
A book blurb or the back cover of your book is a difficult thing to write. Publishers used to retain professionals who just wrote book jackets. Now, most publishers look to authors to write their own blurbs. It’s tough to describe a book that you’ve probably lived with for a year or more in a few hundred words, but a good blurb is essential to success.
Blurbs have two main purposes. First, they need to sell your book. This cannot be overstated. Potential readers will look over the blurb, and if they aren’t intrigued within twenty seconds they move on. It totally sucks, but we need to deal with reality. Second, you must give the reader an accurate understanding of what’s in store for them. It’s no good to mislead anyone. In the end, you’ll just end up with a bunch of unhappy customers and ruin your brand.
Blurbs should be about 150 to 200 words. Go too long and it looks cramped and potential customers tune out. Too many details kill blurbs. Focus on one hook and lock potential readers in. Use strong words that invoke images or action. Don’t mention the second or third plot lines even if you’ve fallen in love with them. Too much of a good thing will wreck you.
Mention the main protagonist by name and give some detail about her that makes her sound interesting. Try not to mention other characters by name unless it slips in easily. Always name the antagonist and give him or her the same level of detail as your main character. Good stories need both strong heroes and villains.
Hint at the setting if important and set up the main conflict. The reader needs to be interested in your main conflict and want to know the resolution. Many blurbs end with a question that hopefully has the reader nodding along. Will she be saved? Don’t give too much away. The potential reader should not know how the conflict resolves itself by your summary.
I’m aware of three different approaches to blurbs. All three can work for the right book. Some books use tag lines very effectively. Maze Runner does this – Remember. Survive. Run. It’s not easy to sum up an entire book in one line, but if you can come up with something original and catchy, it can work. Some blurbs use quotes from the text. Choose your quote wisely. It’s got to catch the imagination of the potential customer, but not give too much away. Finally, there’s the standard summary.
Other things to include on your book cover – author photo, short author bio, and quotes that praise the book or author. Good book blurbs sell books. Spend the time upfront and it’ll pay off in the end!
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