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. The national book award is one of the nations most prestigious literary prizes and has a stellar record of identifying and rewarding quality writing. In this course, well explore this form through fiction and nonfiction work of all kinds. All you have to do is provide me with some information and i will write one undeniably catchy blurb. The show not tell technique the lion, the witch and the wardrobe book. The blurbs are either misleading, focus on minor characters or events, or sometimes downright incorrect. You will begin by uncovering the vital ingredients that are present in every single successful childrens book. We deliver three different lengths of blurbs for one price. A picture book may be short, but its one of the most complicated formats to create, using a limited number of words and artfully blending text and illustration. How to write a killer blurb that convinces readers to buy your book the book blurb is your sales pitch. Scratch out written for promotional purposes and substitute written to seize the prospective readers attention and imbed an irresistible desire to. It entices the reader to read a book by promising twists and turns but without giving away the ending. It also gives him or her the opportunity to express an opinion through writing and develop his or her writing style and voice.
A book blurb should be a fair representation of the style of the book. That definition sucks all the life out of the word, though. This book is not for dummies, but it is a guide for the modern indie author. Jul 02, 2018 a good book blurb can sometimes mean the difference between a reader buying your book or passing it by. Writing awesome book blurbs a modern indie authors. Your book blurb aka online description, like your dating profile. A blurb is defined as a short description of your book, written for promotional purposes and appearing on the back cover. When defining a blurb its important to distinguish between a description blurb. Oct 04, 20 an easytofollow, practical guide to writing the best blurb to sell your selfpublished book, provided by ya author sarah juckes of completelynovel. I have noticed lately that the book blurbs are often misrepresentations of the book.
Traditionally, it would be found on the inside back cover of a. Series and story blurb development series blurb step 1. May 25, 2004 once drafted, the blurbs could be written on card to stand beside each book and be decorated in the style of each novel. Jun 11, 20 hopefully both my blurbs and shout lines tell the potential reader something about the book and make them want to find out more. Make it so droolworthy that everybody will want to buy a copy of your book. Bookwright features videos, instructions, and tips built right into the application so youll have everything you need right at your fingertips. Quality texts for different topics, year groups and special events. The simplicity of the text, which makes picture books so easy to read, is the result of careful writing. A common misconception among beginner writers is that writing picture books for children is an easy place to start. The blurbery revisited writing a book blurb eric lahti. Read about the blurb photo book paper types in detail here. 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. Writing a book blurb is harder than you think, and is an excellent way of getting yourself noticed. On back covers of books there is usually a summary which attempts to get the reader interested.
Jul 14, 2016 blurbs lesson plan template and teaching resources. We can revise and improve an already existing blurb or create an original blurb for your book. Big publishing spends big bucks on professional copywriters who make terrible books sound good. Youll discover how to transform your stories from amateur ramblings, into compelling, pageturning childrens fiction. Writing a blurb the blurb is the writing on the back of a book. Book blurbs are an oftoverlooked part of a writers marketing planafter youve spent so much time writing a new book, it can feel. Then, write 12 additional sentences that explain the plot of the story in a general way. Once your title and cover have drawn the reader in, the. Jan 17, 2017 query shark, query tracker blog, and chasing the crazies are also excellent resources for writing strong blurbs and query letters. How to write a book blurb that sells with examples reedsy blog. Its safe to say that a wellwritten blurb is absolutely essential to your poetry book s overall success and reputation. Reviewing a favorite or not so favorite book helps a childs reading comprehension. Jul 19, 20 writing a book blurb is a little like online dating, i suppose. How to sell your manuscript to publishers and your indie book to readers writers craft 19 kindle edition by hall, rayne.
Like the sound of the book based on the blurb on the back what is a blurb. Introduce the situation and characters in the case of a memoir, you are likely to be the main character. Many authors write the book blurb as an afterthought. 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. A book blurb, or the book jacket description, summarizes the best part of your book in only 150 words yep. Meanwhile, indie authors cant get traction for their remarkable books, and inferior pulp with more spit and polish takes the. Great ideas to write a blurb that works for your book. Get a 100250 word blurb that accurately depicts your story and draws readers in. This article gives you simple steps to follow to write a book blurb, and gives examples of both fiction and nonfiction back cover blurbs. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a book s contents. Apr 28, 2017 writing the book blurb diana robertson.
Its probably best to write blurbs for works that are finished or almost finished, since writing a blurb before the book is nearly done will likely mean that you just have to rewrite that dratted blurb later. 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. Look at samples go to amazon and click on the bestsellers in your genre. Blurbs are the second most important selling tool you have for your book. How to write a nonfiction book cover blurb that sells. Ask the class if they know why blurbs are written for book. Ten things you need to know about writing your book blurb whitefox. Recurring character series central group of characters premiseplot series setting series combination of these list your series ties will frequently help you figure out what needs to be included in the series blurb. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more blurb blog. 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. What do you think asking for your feedback on my novels. Successful arts marketing blurbs contain three key elements.
Writing a short book blurb is not only fun, but great practice for writing promotional copy of any kind. Aim for a word count in the vicinity of 150 words 14 paragraphs. The whole process with blurb has been super easy, putting the book together using the bookwright app was really simple. The 5 core elements of a book blurb and why you should. In 1950, william carlos williams was the first winner in. Students can enjoy writing blurbs for books they read.
Keep tweaking your story blurb until its intriguing again, by using a question or exclamation to end the blurb, or by ending it with ellipses. A useful worksheet to help your children understand book blurbs and help them write their own. Capturing the essence of your novel in a few short paragraphs is always going to be a challenge. Make sure your book blurb reads like those that are selling well. If im hooked i either borrow the book, if im in the library, or buy the book, if im in a bookstore. You have one shot at introducing your story to your reader make it count. Examples of blurbs to share in your primary classroom. Share your backcover blurb creative writing forums. Listen to writing awesome book blurbs a modern indie authors guide episodes free, on demand. Remember, your story blurb should fit the genre and tone of. You should have the following goals and ideas in mind. Make sure you supply me with a general synopsis as well. Sometimes coming up with the right words for a book blurb can be more stressful than writing the ebook itself.
Master the blurb and youll join the ranks of true marketing pros. Nov 26, 2016 show me an author that claims to enjoy writing book blurbs and ill show you a liar. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more. The uncoated is more like an art paper, not for the every day photo book. In module one, youll discover the exciting world of writing for children. Nov 15, 2019 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. Childrens book writing course write storybooks for children. Jul 14, 2016 a simple guide to writing the blurb of a book.
Then, and only then, write the manuscript that fulfills the promise. Examples of blurbs to share in your classroom to help students get a sense of a book before choosing one. Chances are, you will write a better book if you let the blurb guide you. 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 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. Childrens book awards, writing contests and literary. How to write a catchy backcover blurb that sells 2020. Ask the class if they know why blurbs are written for book covers. Writing a blurb at ks2 by jessica borges vaz on prezi. Why im asking for your feedback on tkcs blurb as i mentioned, the blurb is a crucial part of a writers query letter to a literary agent. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Take some writing tips from leo tolstoy, muriel spark, john. How to write an effective blurb for a selfpublished book.
But, if you have caught a potential readers attention, the blurb is what will sell your book and convert readers. In this post, three publishing editors have shared their secret behind writing the best blurb for your novel. The 5 core elements of a book blurb and why you should know. Youve snagged a prospective date by your alluring cover, so now youve got to show theres more than just surface appeal. Amazon might allow 4,00o characters in the book description box, but nobody wants to wade through a long blurb. The show not tell technique the lion, the witch and the wardrobe book, teaching resources, story, cards, mat, sequencing, primary. Blurbs sell shows with concise, compelling, and practical writing. A member of our team will read your manuscript or a synopsis of it, and write you a compelling blurb, designed to sell your book.
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