Many writers find writing book blurbs really difficult. Condense, and keep condensing until youve synthesized your book into one or two essencecapturing paragraphs. Make it so droolworthy that everybody will want to buy a copy of your book. How to write a fiction book cover blurb that can make your novel a. Your reader has to be pulled in just far enough to care about your subject, but not too far, or theyll have no reason to buy. As much as book covers catch readers attention, blurbs grip shoppers and convince them to buy books. In james scott bells book marketing for writers who hate marketing, i found the best method for me to create a book cover blurb or copy bell says to write three sentences. How to write a catchy backcover blurb that sells 2020. A book blurb, or the book jacket description, summarizes the best part of your book in only 150 words yep. Which is why today i want to share with you what i learned about writing a blurb so that hopefully youll have an easier time of it than i did. Before jumping into the blurb, a lot of authors count on the sentence trio to create impact and generate interest for their target readers. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more. 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. Many of the best authors in the world dont write their own blurbs, because effective blurb writing is.
How to write a great ya fantasy or scifi book blurb. Examples of blurbs to share in your primary classroom. How to write a book blurb by far, the weakest part of many selfpublished books is the synopsis found on amazon and elsewhere. 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.
In that sense, a good blurb is anything but subjective. Youll also find some useful links to websites with further information. Lets look at how to make your nonfiction cover blurb sell your book. Great ideas to write a blurb that works for your book. In todays guest post, editor jessi rita hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling backcover copy. Even if you cant judge a book by its cover, the cover can definitely make a great first impression. There is a big difference between writing a cover blurb for a novel and writing a cover blurb for nonfiction. I was about halfway through the writing of my book when i was asked to write a blurb for the back cover. 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. Our copywriter is an awardwinning magazine writer, copywriter, author, and copy editor. The book industry study group offers 51 significant subjects for books. Now you have to decide what goes on the back cover. Then, and only then, write the manuscript that fulfills the promise. Writing a book blurb for your back cover, and other promotional uses, is one of the hardest steps for many authors.
This article gives you simple steps to follow to write a book blurb, and gives examples of both fiction and nonfiction back cover blurbs. There is no rigid formula for a fiction cover blurb, as there is with 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. This is a simple activity in which you cut up the book cover from its blurb and the children have to rematch them. This practice can be a great way to start your blurbliterally the opening line, or step one in the snowflake method used to craft your book description. Sometimes it can feel like writing the book is the easy part. It needs to hook the reader and make them want to go on the journey with your characters. How to write a killer blurb that convinces readers to buy your book the book blurb is your sales pitch. If the cover design is the hook, the cover blurb is the line you use to reel readers in. Blurb writing is not my forte, but this book offered a clear insight and some useful steps that i was able to work with to produce a good pass at my first blurb.
When writing a back cover blurb, you want it to set you apart from other books in your genre. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more blurb blog. How to write an effective blurb for a selfpublished book. 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. Sell one copy at a time and let blurb fulfill the orders or place a large order and sell inperson. 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. Heres how to do it right with examples from top authors of the 21st century. While your cover is the first thing to catch a readers eye and entice them to click through to your book page, its your blurb that will convert that curiosity into a sale. When you hear about authors being asked to blurb a book, its this endorsement theyve been asked to provide. 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.
You pick up a book because the cover or title looks interesting. Many authors write the book blurb as an afterthought. 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. When writing a novel, there are few selling tools as important as a solidly written book blurb. Here are six rules to be mindful of before you put pen to paper on your back book cover blurb. How to write a fiction book cover blurb that can make your. Chances are, you will write a better book if you let the blurb guide you. Your back cover blurb is what they will use to decide whether to buy your book or to move on to the next book. Typically, book blurbs are structured following a basic pattern. As already noted, writing a back book blurb is a marketing exercise. In this post, three publishing editors have shared their secret behind writing the best blurb for your novel. 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. The blurb that appears on the back cover of your book, and on your amazon page, will either. Sell your book in the blurb bookstore, through amazon, or in the global retail network of over 38,000 retailers, libraries, and schools.
Work by convincing readers to take a chance on it, or. Stories include biographies and historical accounts. How to write an irresistible book cover blurb ignite. A blurb is the description of the story found on the back cover of a book. How to write a book blurb that sells with examples reedsy blog. If you plan to selfpublish your novel, the most important thing you will ever write is the cover blurb for your book. Nonfiction can be divided easily into two categories. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a books contents. Once your title and cover have drawn the reader in, the.
When you select your paper weight in bookwright, youre setting up a spine width specific to how thick your book will be, which means your cover design will be accurate in your printed book. In the first sentence were to give a characters name, his vocation, and the storys opening situation. How to get book blurbstestimonials for your book cover. However, there are some similar patterns that have proved successful. It has since been honed to within an inch of its life and i am really pleased with the result. How to write a blurb, back cover copy or sales description for your book that converts im working through the material for my next course, guerrilla publishing, but this part is too important not to share for everyone. Blurbs were originally printed on the back or rear dustjacket of a book, and are now found on web portals and news websites. How to write a nonfiction book cover blurb that sells. Blurb create, print, and sell professionalquality photo. Fiction or nonfiction basic blurbcover copyproduct description for fiction or nonfiction extended product description. How to write a blurb, back cover copy or sales description. 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. The front cover can feature your book title, a subtitle, author name, and images you select.
How to write the perfect blurb examples, formula, opening. It may be written by the author or publisher or quote praise from others. Writing a book blurb for your back cover and other promotional uses is one of the hardest steps for many authors. Back cover blurbs for books tips for wrting blurbs that. Whether its your first or twentieth book, enticing a reader to buy your book relies on an eyecatching cover image as well as an intriguing blurb. 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. This is because writers dont really understand what a blurb is meant to do. Im not gonna lie though, writing that blurb was hard. Just as the packaging helps sell crackers and cereal, the cover sells the book. To set yourself apart is good, to be too different from the rest is not. New authors sometimes rush this decision, writing the first. 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. For a nonfiction book, this could be your main thesis statement.
Sometimes coming up with the right words for a book blurb can be more stressful than writing the ebook itself. A book blurb also called a backcover blurb or a book description is a short description of the books main character and conflict, usually. The benefits of a professionally written book blurb. Writing a short book blurb is not only fun, but great practice for writing promotional copy of any kind. This means all the focus needs to be on the reader their needs and expectations. Is writing a cover blurb for a nonfiction book different than writing one for a novel. Within a week barry had agreed to look at the book and, shortly after, wrote the wonderful blurb that now adorns the top of my cover. You have one shot at introducing your story to your reader make it count. How to create a back book cover blurb that sells kindlepreneur.
How to write a back cover blurb for a nonfiction book. Fox emm shares how to write an effective book blurb for your memoir, or any piece of writing. Its so tempting to think if everyone is doing x and i. An easytofollow guide to writing a cover blurb to help seal that sale to your target reader, by ya author sarah juckes from alli partner member completelynovel. The trick with writing a great blurb is to give away enough of whats inside the book, without giving any plot spoilers for fiction or going so indepth the reader doesnt want to read on for nonfiction. Your back cover blurb is what they will use to decide whether your book is interesting enough or useful enough to buy. But, if you have caught a potential readers attention, the blurb is what will sell your bookand convert readers. Follow up by delving a little deeper in to the books blot. So youve written your book, youve chosen your title and cover design, and youre breathing a sigh of relief. There is a big difference between writing a cover blurb for a novel and writing one for nonfiction. I have created this resource to tie in with a greater inschool development on reading. Back cover copy is the blurb on the back of a book. Engage their interest with a strong blurb, and they just might open the book and read a bit.
I have a book coming out this summer, and ive been working on writing one that i need feedback on. Creating a book blurb, while still technically writing, is closer to a science than an art. Go over to your bookshelf or go to your favorite bookshop and look at the back cover blurb of one of your favorite books. In ebook and selfpublishing, a book blurb is whats used on the main online sales page.
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. This short video is brought to you by publishnation. 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. Get a professionally written book blurb that will sell. 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. A simple outline for writing a killer book blurb ink and. 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. Introduce your main character s at its core, novels are a storytelling medium. Learn how to write a back book cover blurb that not only intrigues readers but gets them to buy. 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.