Just finished the cover for our second book and am busy tearing out what is left of my hair trying attempt to create a back cover blurb. How to write an irresistible book cover blurb ignite. Work by convincing readers to take a chance on it, or. Writing industry caitlin berve august 27, 2018 ignited ink writing, llc book covers, book cover design, back book cover, book blurb, author bio, fonts, emotion, emily st. Its briefno more than 100150 wordsand creates interest in the story without giving away major spoilers or the ending. A blurbs job is to sell your book, so you should never shortchange the process. This is because writers dont really understand what a blurb is meant to do. 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. One key part of the process of writing and publishing an academic book is the blurb the text on the back of a books cover that tells you what the book is about. When writing a back cover blurb, you want it to set you apart from other books in your genre. Writing a book blurb for your back cover, and other promotional uses, is one of the hardest steps for many authors. Found your article to be right on the money for our current needs. The back of book blurb is one of the most underestimated marketing tools.
You have another author bio in the back of the book thats for connecting with readers and making your optin offer. The space on the back cover of a book for blurbs, which are brief promotional paragraphs, is one of the more valuable spots for book promotion. Back cover blurbs for books tips for wrting blurbs that. Go over to your bookshelf or go to your favorite bookshop and look at the back cover blurb of one of your favorite books. Our copywriter is an awardwinning magazine writer, copywriter, author, and copy editor. Writers use the term blurb to describe the text on the back of the book. Jan 14, 2014 its ironic, after writing thousands of words to create your novel, that a 100200 word blurb pitching your baby to potential readers could completely stump you. The five s of blurb writing check these 5 awesome tips editage. Sep 12, 2018 the blurb that appears on the back cover of your book, and on your amazon page, will either. From cambridge english corpus the contributions encapsulate the enormous diversity in this field, and thus the book does indeed provide essential knowledge about the study of language variation and change cover blurb. You pick up a book because the cover or title looks interesting. But there are a few tricks to making your blurb a successful part of your books marketing. 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.
How to write a blurb, back cover copy or sales description. Back cover copy is the blurb on the back of a book. How to write a killer book synopsis aka back blurb or. Say, students, read the blurb on the back of your book and be ready to talk about what is happening or what you expect is going to happen in your book based on what the blurb says. If youve ever bought a book on impulse, it was probably due at least in part to the blurb on the back or the sales copy on the website. How to write a blurb for your nonfiction book blurb blog. The book blurb is one of the most difficult aspects to write, as many authors struggle to find the words to succinctly tease the story without it reading like a summary. A book blurb, or the book jacket description, summarizes the best part of your book in only 150 words yep. Im no expert, but the 5 years i have been writing thrillers, my overall learning curve is now off the scale and way north of where i started.
Chances are, you will write a better book if you let the blurb guide you. They turn it over and read the jacket copy or blurb. With that in mind, i wrote a logline for my current wip as soon as i began writing. Get a professionally written book blurb that will sell more. The back of book blurb one of the most difficult pieces of writing a new author ever faces is the back of book text. Whatever you call it, a great book description is your second best marketing tool your cover is number one. Its ironic, after writing thousands of words to create your novel, that a 100200 word blurb pitching your baby to potential readers could completely stump you. This website and its content is subject to our terms and conditions. In simple terms, a blurb is the short yet descriptive account of the book that goes on the back cover. How are you supposed to condense an entire novel into a few lines or paragraphs. But thats exactly how i felt after writing the first two books of the conjurors series.
Basically, the name of the game with a blurb is to entice readers to buy your book. 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. Nov 18, 2016 im a published novelist, and i participate in several writing groups and online communities. Besides, you have loads to offer, and writing like yourself will only make your words more authentic and impactful. How to write a great ya fantasy or scifi book blurb. The next thing you do is read the back blurb, or if you are online, you read the first excerpt which is usually the same thing. Paratextual traces the blurb, back cover, inside cover, notes and title are part of the marketing process. Youll also find some useful links to websites with further information. I have seen nonfiction blurbs that are more about the author than the content of the book and i have seen fiction blurbs that are a synopsis of the story and even tell the reader the ending. A book blurb also called a backcover blurb or a book description is a short description of the books 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. The synopsis is always written in present tense and most back cover blurbs are also written in present tense.
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. Sometimes coming up with the right words for a book blurb can be more stressful than writing the ebook itself. Fiction or nonfiction basic blurbcover copyproduct description for fiction or nonfiction extended product description. Writing a blurb for your back cover vania margene rheault. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more blurb. Learn how to write a back book cover blurb that not only intrigues readers but gets them to buy. What is the summary written on the cover at the back of a. So, the back of the book content and a nonfiction book blurb are the same things. The first is sales copy, the second is relationship building and to get them to take the next step. Writing your back cover blurb dorrance publishing company. But there are a few tricks to making your blurb a successful part of your book s marketing. Jan 09, 2017 composing the blurb in a rush to meet my publishers deadline wasnt the best way to go about it and i knew i needed to be prepared the next time. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more.
Fox emm shares how to write an effective book blurb for your memoir, or any piece of writing. 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. Fail to engage your target readers in that sense, a good blurb is anything but subjective. Then, and only then, write the manuscript that fulfills the promise. You may like to visit my blog for more articles on how to create the components of your book, and writing secrets for both novelists and nonfiction authors. Blurb, back cover copy, jacket copy, or promotional copy whatever you call it, a great book description is your second best marketing tool your cover is number one.
Dont worry, in this article, well walk you through the important points to keep in mind while writing your book s blurb, as well as give you a simple blurb template that sells and some bestseller examples for different genres. A simple outline for writing a killer book blurb ink and quills. The howto of writing the perfect blurb for your book or novel is. In that article i go stepbystep through the process of writing a good book blurb that speaks to behind the scenes. Mar, 2019 sometimes coming up with the right words for a book blurb can be more stressful than writing the ebook itself. Dont worry, in this article, well walk you through the important points to keep in mind while writing your books blurb, as well as give you a simple blurb template that sells and some bestseller examples for different genres. Writing a book blurb is harder than you think, and is an excellent way of getting yourself noticed. Im no expert, but the 5 years i have been writing thrillers, my overall learning curve is now off the scale and way north of where i. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a books contents. I had a ridiculous number of blurb drafts that all seemed cheesy and. Many writers find writing book blurbs really difficult. On the back of your book cover, youll want an author bio and website usually but just one or two short sentences.
Once youve taken in all of the above and gotten a feel for the promise you want to make to the reader, use the outlines below to write your book cover blurb. It should introduce your main characters, give an insight on conflict, depict genre and arouse interest. Worse than the cover, worse than the writing in the book itself, there are a lot of blurbs on amazon that are pretty near atrocious. To set yourself apart is good, to be too different from the rest is not. Summary and synopsis are also used but, in my experience, are used only in. You have one shot at introducing your story to your reader make it count. Blurbs were originally printed on the back or rear dustjacket of a book, and are now found on web portals and news websites. In ebook and selfpublishing, a book blurb is whats used on the main online sales page. This article gives you simple steps to follow to write a book blurb, and gives examples of both fiction and nonfiction back cover blurbs. Composing the blurb in a rush to meet my publishers deadline wasnt the best way to go about it and i knew i needed to be prepared the next time. My 4step process for writing a nonfiction book blurb that.
Not long after that i wrote the back blurb to keep me focused on the main plot line. A blurb is a short promotional piece accompanying a piece of creative work. Twelve top tips for writing an academic book blurb lse. If a book looks attractive and interesting, a customer will pick it up. After writing and polishing an entire book, many authors are surprised when they become stuck when trying to write blurbs. Give them a few minutes to figure out tricky words and to synthesize the information. Blurbs are a brief description of a book typically found on the back of a book or within the book sleeve of a hardcover book. Writing a short book blurb is not only fun, but great practice for writing promotional copy of any kind. Yes, debbie downer, my book probably wont make it into a bookstore, but i like putting a blurb on the back, so i will. Although ive seen a couple back covers that did something a bit different like quote from the story and since most books are written in past tense the blurb was in past tense. When writing a novel, there are few selling tools as important as a solidly written book blurb. 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. While this may seem difficult to craft, in this feature originally published on her website dr helen kara shares twelve top.
Traditionally, it would be found on the inside back cover of a. Writing a back of book blurb which sells mirador publishing. A book blurb also called a back cover blurb or a book description is a short description of the books 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. According to jane friedmans blog, for fiction, the blurb should succinctly present. A book blurb also called a backcover blurb or a book description is a short description of the books main character and conflict, usually. Nov 19, 2010 you pick up a book because the cover or title looks interesting. How to write good blurbs and back pages for your book. The blurb is the short description on the back of the book. The benefits of a professionally written book blurb. You have to write one anyway, so might as well copy and paste it on there. A blurb is a short description of a book that is written for promotional purposes. Something, ironically, every author i know hates writing.
The blurb is a promotional description, found on the back of the book. How to write a book blurb by far, the weakest part of many selfpublished books is the synopsis found on amazon and elsewhere. There is a big difference between writing a cover blurb for a novel and writing a cover blurb for nonfiction. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a book s contents. Dec 04, 2019 a book blurb also called a backcover blurb or a book description is a short description of the books 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. Im a published novelist, and i participate in several writing groups and online communities. Writing a thriller queryback cover book blurb declan conner. Basic blurb cover copyproduct description for fiction or nonfiction. Sometimes, its even worth writing the blurb, taking the final sentence, copying that onto a new page and starting the blurb over again from there. How do you write an amazing summary of your story aka a book blurb or synopsis this is specifically for fiction writers who have a great book and. How to write a catchy backcover blurb that sells 2020. Jan 14, 2019 the blurb is a promotional description, found on the back of the book.
Explanations and back book cover examples for both fiction and nonfiction. The blurb that appears on the back cover of your book, and on your amazon page, will either. 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. Back of book synopsisblurb creative writing forums. That innocuous couple of paragraphs which look so easy will create publishing success or failure at a stroke. The process is exactly the same as writing a blurb for a fiction book, although the blurb will focus on selling the benefits of the book to the potential reader and how the book will help them if they buy it, rather than trying to. Creating a book blurb, while still technically writing, is closer to a science than an art. Writing your books backcover copy vote up1 vote down.
A simple outline for writing a killer book blurb ink and. In that sense, a good blurb is anything but subjective. It needs to hook the reader and make them want to go on the journey with your characters. Fifth grade lesson the blurb on the back betterlesson. Writing a nonfiction book blurb isnt as difficult as some people make it out to be, but to write one that will sell your book, you must follow a proven system. The cover and blurb to be used is at the end of the article. But it is the single most important piece of writing you will do on your. How to write a killer blurb that convinces readers to buy your book the book blurb is your sales pitch. Blurb, back cover copy, jacket copy, or promotional copy. Blurbs were originally printed on the back or rear dustjacket of a book, and. Get a professionally written book blurb that will sell. 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. In this post, three publishing editors have shared their secret behind writing the best blurb for your novel.
While theres no official formula for blurb writing, what youre likely to see is a similar layout on the backs of those books you just looked at. It may be written by the author or publisher or quote praise from others. A blurb is the description of the story found on the back cover of a book. Writing a book blurb for your back cover and other promotional uses is one of the hardest steps for many authors. Jun 11, 20 if a book looks attractive and interesting, a customer will pick it up. How to write a back cover blurb with examples book editing. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more blurb blog. How to write a fiction book cover blurb that can make your. The blurb should include any information that represents the. Get a professionally written book blurb that will sell more books. How to create a back book cover blurb that sells kindlepreneur. Many authors write the book blurb as an afterthought.
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