A blurb is a brief summary of your life and work experience. Fixedlayout ebooks are built seamlessly as you design the book, so no additional steps needed. Amazon, kindle direct, create space, ingram spark, etc. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more. How to sell your manuscript to publishers and your. The blurbery revisited writing a book blurb eric lahti. Your blurb should be written in the same voice as your book. Writing a short book blurb is not only fun, but great practice for writing promotional copy of any kind. However, many self published authors treat it like the hellstrip in front of their house between the sidewalk and a busy street.
You must make your selfdescription blurb as interesting as possible. A blurb from an author whose work i dislike can make me leave the book on the shelf. The five s of blurb writing check these 5 awesome tips editage. Aim for a word count in the vicinity of 150 words 14 paragraphs.
Here is an example of a shout line, taken from one of my own books. A blurb from an author i actually know and dislike on a personal level usually based on their abhorrent behavior in graduate school means i will turn the book backward on the shelf in the bookstore or hide it under a stack of sarah palins going rogue. To write a good blurb, you have to make it short and exciting, yet relevant. The blurb that appears on the back cover of your book. Indie authors often say that writing the blurb for the back cover of their selfpublished book is the most difficult part of the whole process, so were glad to bring you this simple and straightforward set of guidelines from fred johnson of alli partner member standout books to help you triumph over this troublesome task the art of blurb writing. This is a worksheet intended to be used for planning to write a blurb for a novel study. Book blurb writing service, novel summary, manuscript editor. May 23, 2018 writing a killer blurb for your book your book blurb is one of the most important components of a successful book launch because its essentially your sales pitch. Blurbs are the second most important selling tool you have for your book, so.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading writing book blurbs and synopses. I offer authors two options for book blurb writing services. A blurb should provide key information about the books plot setting, time period, protagonists, outline the main conflict, and incorporate the books marketable themes. If youd like for me to read the entire book instead of just.
Writing a blurb at ks2 by jessica borges vaz on prezi. Your backofthebook blurb is the second thing a potential buyer looks at after your front cover. Besides, you have loads to offer, and writing like yourself will only make your words more authentic and impactful. Examples of blurbs to share in your primary classroom. But, if you have caught a potential readers attention, the blurb is what will sell your bookand convert readers. A simple outline for writing a killer book blurb ink and.
The content and style vary depending on the type of. Put simply, being concise is hard, and being concise about something you know insideandout can seem downright impossible. 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 books front cover. Writing a book blurb is harder than you think, and is an excellent way of getting yourself noticed. Many authors write the book blurb as an afterthought. In this post, we tell you how to write a book blurb in five easy steps. Amazon might allow 4,00o characters in the book description box, but nobody wants to wade through a long blurb.
Once your title and cover have drawn the reader in, the blurb is what is going to make the difference between a missed opportunity and a sale. Put their name, age if applicable for the genre, their job cop, teacher, high school student andor anything interesting that is specific to them a princess, a thief, etc. Some writers find it really difficult to present their own work effectively, concisely and in a saleable manner. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more blurb. It entices the reader to read a book by promising twists and turns but without giving away the ending.
I was about halfway through the writing of my book when i was asked to write a blurb for the back cover. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a books contents. The back cover of your book is prime real estate for promoting your book. Grade 5 lesson on blurbsadapt by using whatever book. You know, the ones that readers use to choose the book they want to read next or throw on the pile beside the bed where, among the. Steps to writing your own back book blurb and back cover. Once youve persuaded a potential reader to click on your book s link, your blurb will be the driving force behind whether they ultimately decide to purchase or not. If you want instruction on how to write a professional biography from someone who actually cares. Its safe to say that a wellwritten blurb is absolutely essential to your poetry books overall success and reputation. 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. To each genre their own, one thing to keep in mind when it comes to writing book blurbs. Great ideas to write a blurb that works for your book. Forget the book, have you read this irresistible story on.
Basically, the name of the game with a blurb is to entice readers to buy your book. Ideally, you should put the 150 word blurb on the back cover and the 250 300 word description in the amazon book description field. Writing a great book blurb is a bit intimidating, isnt it. This is because writers dont really understand what a blurb is meant to do. Creating a book blurb, while still technically writing, is closer to a science than an art. I will reread and refer to the ending sentence of the hunger games blurb to show that it is important to refer to a books big ideas in a blurb. How to sell your manuscript to publishers and your indie book to readers writers craft 19 kindle edition by hall, rayne. Depending on the level of involvement by the publisher, usually someone else in that company other than the author. Writing awesome book blurbs a modern indie authors guide kindle edition by terra, evo, moriarty, jeff, conlin, karen. Writing a blurb the blurb is the writing on the back of a book.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading writing awesome book blurbs a modern indie authors guide. If youve been an author for any length of time, youve probably learned the pure, untamed agony that is writing a blurb to now sell it to potential. The occult art of the poetry book blurb rachael mead. When you hear about authors being asked to blurb a book, its this endorsement theyve been asked to provide. How to write an interesting bio blurb this is a satirical article. Make sure you supply me with a general synopsis as well. A simple outline for writing a killer book blurb september 25, 2016 september 25, 2016 kaitlin hillerich in my last post, i mentioned that ive been working on a novella and shared some reasons why you should write one of your own. These themes are essentially easily digestible nuggets boiled down from your books plot. Blog to book eventually settles into the standard blurb bookmaking software routine, where you can move content, swap around images, play with facing pages, choose numerous layout and text combinations, etc. This article gives you simple steps to follow to write a book blurb, and gives examples of both fiction and nonfiction back cover blurbs. When writing a novel, there are few selling tools as important as a solidly written book blurb. Writing the blurb for your selfpublished book is one of the privileges of being an indie author. So there are 1,000 photos id have to skim through while also looking back at my blog posts to see which photos go to which post. I wanted to print a photo book with blurb for a long time, and finally ordered my first blurb photo book in june 2014.
How to create a back book cover blurb that sells kindlepreneur. Youll also find some useful links to websites with further information. This short video is brought to you by publishnation. Make sure your book blurb reads like those that are selling well. Most run several paragraphs, but some publishers want them shorter or in a special format so be sure to check with your publishers guidelines before you begin work. Its briefno more than 100150 wordsand creates interest in the story without giving away major spoilers or the ending.
Writing awesome book blurbs a modern indie authors guide. Then, write 12 additional sentences that explain the plot of the story in a general way. On taking up writing it had not once occurred to me that one of the tasks of being a writer might be to come up with those concise, quippy phrases on the covers of books. But, if you have caught a potential readers attention, the blurb is what will sell your book and convert readers. A good blurb is an essential part of selling your book, both in a bookshop and online, and will make all the difference to its success. Writing a book blurb for your back cover, and other promotional uses, is one of the hardest steps for many authors. Six writers tell all about covers and blurbs the awl. How to write the perfect blurb examples, formula, opening.
This sounds like an obvious piece of advice, but youd be shocked to know how many writers miss the mark here. How to write a catchy backcover blurb that sells 2020. The intention is the same as a book blurb to pique the potential bossclients attention. How to write a book blurb that sells not just another boring. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more blurb blog. Book blurbs are an oftoverlooked part of a writers marketing planafter youve spent so much time writing a new book, it can feel. Your blurb will be an important part of your marketing. A book blurb should be a fair representation of the style of the book. Introduce your main character s at its core, novels are a storytelling medium. In a nonfiction book, you are selling your knowledge, your writing, and yourself, so if the blurb doesnt represent the typical language you use in your book, the reader will feel a disconnect. But fear not, because theres a secret science to writing the perfect book blurb. I will explain that they can bring out the theme theyve picked by using a small moment, a problem or decision a. The book blurb s main purpose is to lure readers in and captivate them enough to buy the book.
Depending on the book, the setting might be a single place or a multitude of places, but it should refer to the place that the action starts. Think of the book blurb not as an annoying step between you and selfpublishing, but instead as an opportunity. The blurb is often referred to as a synopsis or simply book description. How to write a book blurb that sells with examples reedsy blog. We get so caught up in delivering an enthralling story or a big idea. Wanting a story to tell might also inspire some pretty incredible adventures. For a lot of firsttime authors, i think theres an instinct to make sure readers understand everything that happened in the book s universe before the beginning of the actual story. Sep 12, 2018 how to write a book blurb in 4 steps 1. The blurb should include any information that represents the. How to write a blurb for your nonfiction book blurb blog. Bookwright allows you to create an ebook and a print book, all from one file. Its worth noting that the abna award asks for a 300 word pitch, which makes it a more elaborate book blurb. Blurb definition in the cambridge english dictionary.
The howto of writing the perfect blurb for your book or novel is a cocktail of creating suspense while revealing the main characters or conflict. You want to try to attract the attention of your future employer. A potential reader looks at the blurb the same way they would look at the book itself. The author is too close to the book andor has a voice that doesnt lend itself to advertising. But it is the single most important piece of writing you will do on your book. Focus on the most important aspects, but dont give away any twists or surprises. However, this task typically comes just when youre at your least able. In simple terms, a blurb is the short yet descriptive account of the book that goes on the back cover. The opportunity struck me as a highly significant one. All you have to do is provide me with some information and i will write one undeniably catchy blurb. Explanations and back book cover examples for both fiction and nonfiction. Before writing your back book blurb, choose 35 of the bestselling books in your genre and make a note of stylistic similarities. On back covers of books there is usually a summary which attempts to get the reader interested.
Many writers find writing book blurbs really difficult. These may be used for an interview, a book jacket, or even an event program in which you are a presenter. Your book blurb must be wellwritten to get a readers attention. A book blurb which will arouse a readers curiosity to read the story you have worked on, but not give away twists within the story, is a quality one. How is it that a writer can write a story spanning tens of thousands of words but stumble at a 250300 word book blurb describing it. How to write a book blurb in 4 steps the opening of your blurb has to be incredibly precise and dynamic, says editor rebecca heyman. Like the sound of the book based on the blurb on the back what is a blurb. Please type your blurb in ms or open office word, print it, and bring it to class on thursday. 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. Ask the class if they know why blurbs are written for book covers. Here are the top ten tips we believe to be the most essential to crafting a book description that sells.
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