Write book jacket blurbs

Book blurbs that did not make the jacket book riot. A while ago i wrote about the importance of an effectiveand accurately portrayedbook cover design for your book. Bookjacket blurb is a crossword puzzle clue that we have spotted 2 times. In general, the back cover design is composed of the following parts. How to get a famous author to endorse your book writers. So, you have a book coming out, or maybe youre editing an anthology, and now you have to write the dust jacket copywhat should it include. A blurb is a short promotional piece accompanying a piece of creative work. Learn how to write a back book cover blurb that not only intrigues readers but gets them to buy.

I used this guide this week to write a blurb for a client and it worked a charm. After reading the jacket, i then decide if the book is worth the purchase. The book blurb s main purpose is to lure readers in and captivate them enough to buy the book. We get so caught up in delivering an enthralling story or a big idea. If youd like for me to read the entire book instead of just. Go over to your bookshelf or go to your favorite bookshop and look at the back cover blurb of one of your favorite books. The best blurbs come from someone with a reputation in the same space. Here are eight examples of bad blurbs by good writers. As you gather endorsements sometimes referred to as blurbs for you book, youll want to keep a few things in mind. If youre just not sure how to write that important copy, polly letofsky of my word publishing has a nifty little guide for you. All you have to do is provide me with some information and i will write one undeniably catchy blurb. In that sense, a good blurb is anything but subjective.

A blurb is the description of the story found on the back cover of a book. Creating a book blurb, while still technically writing, is closer to a science than an art. The most common of these is the series of enthusiastic quotes a. One of the things an author is expected to do from timetotime is to produce at least a short biographical blurb. I must admit that the cover art does have some influence on me purchasing that book. The description on the back cover of a book is called different things. Previously, i covered the why of writing book jacket copy.

The blurb should include any information that represents the. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more. 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 hook them into a story. The blurb that appears on the back cover of your book, and on your amazon page, will either. Writing a short book blurb is not only fun, but great practice for writing promotional copy of any kind. September 25, 2016 september 25, 2016 kaitlin hillerich.

What helps them decide if they want to make the purchase. In simple terms, a blurb is the short yet descriptive account of the book that goes on the back cover. The blurb is often referred to as a synopsis or simply book description. Blurbs were originally printed on the back or rear dustjacket of a book, and. Having a book blurbaka a book jacket or an endorsementfrom a famous or even semifamous author is a marketing strategy that can have a positive impact on your book sales. How to write a book blurb that sells with examples reedsy blog. One way to write this primary reason is to present it as a question. If youre stuck, ask someone else to read your book and write your blurb. The five s of blurb writing check these 5 awesome tips editage. This article gives you simple steps to follow to write a book blurb, and gives examples of both fiction and nonfiction back cover blurbs. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more blurb blog. A blurb is a short description of a book that is written for promotional purposes. Book blurbs are an oftoverlooked part of a writers marketing. For ebooks, the description is posted on a books purchasing page, along with the book cover and price.

How to get blurbs for your book from famous authors. Many authors write the book blurb as an afterthought. Writing a book blurb is harder than you think, and is an excellent way of getting yourself noticed. I love to read book blurbs when i am looking to write one. A book blurb should be a fair representation of the style of the book. For new writers, these quotes are generally solicited by authors themselves and are from individuals who are recognized as experts on. Then part 2 contains tips from our top designers on the best ways to design an aesthetically beautiful jacket. How to write good jacket copy nathan bransford writing. 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. Here are a few examples of great blurbs for a few of greenleafs recent titles.

Blurbs i always like to include a blurb or three on the back, usually before or after the actual dust jacket copy. Forget the book, have you read this irresistible story on blurbs. How to create a back book cover blurb that sells kindlepreneur. In reality, there is no exact science to anything related to writing, and definitely not when it comes to jacket blurbs. These may be used for an interview, a book jacket, or even an event program in which you are a presenter.

A simple outline for writing a killer book blurb ink and. Especially blurbs for books ive already read it helps if ive read those books multiple times, too. A good book summary should tell your reader four key things about your novel. No matter if youre writing book jacket copy, a synopsis for your back cover, a blurb for your front cover, or just a catchy logline you can use for promotional purposes, youve got to be able to convey a huge amount of information in just a few words. Once a reader sees a book cover design and thinks the book title is intriguing, whats next. Its not writing the book but writing the back cover text. Sometimes its called book jacket copy or back cover copy. 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. Youve finished writing your book, its edited, designed and is just about ready to go to press. Work by convincing readers to take a chance on it, or. Youve just put your feet up when you get a reminder from the designer that they still need text for the back cover. 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. But, whether youre a new writer or a veteran, asking someone for a cover quote may seem intimidating. A blurb is a short description of a book found on the back cover or dust jacket that introduces the conflict and characters.

Then ensure you incorporate them into your back book jacket blurb. A book blurb, or the book jacket description, summarizes the best part of your book in only 150 words yep. What exactly should be on the back of a book cover. They can skim your book and make sure its good enough to recommend, and write something catchy and simple in just 5 minutes. Make sure you supply me with a general synopsis as well. Before writing your back book blurb, choose 35 of the bestselling books in your genre and make a note of stylistic similarities. Above the list, speak directly to the readers, and give them the primary reason why they should read your book. Here are a few thoughts on how you can make the back of your book really sing. That descriptionwhatever its calledis a crucial element of your marketing strategy. Book blurbs are an oftoverlooked part of a writers marketing planafter youve spent so much time writing a new book, it can feel understandably.

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 books universe before the beginning of the actual story. Its safe to say that a wellwritten blurb is absolutely essential to your poetry books overall success and reputation. This should be broader in scope than the reasons you put in your bulleted list. A blurb is when another author or expert or celebrity says something nice about the book and they print it on the cover or jacket. How to write an effective blurb for a selfpublished book.

As far as i know, theres no such thing as a job just writing cover copy for books. Check out our examples of blurbs, and the dos, and donts to help you craft the best blurb. Perhaps, sometimes, they should be more selective about what they actually write, too. So now lets roll up our sleeves and get into how to write a book jacket cover what is copy. Traditionally, it would be found on the inside back cover of a. You know, the little summary of the plot you see on the back of book covers. How to write a fiction book cover blurb that can make your novel a. Six writers tell all about covers and blurbs the awl. This writing gig is right under our noses literally but most writers never consider book jacket writing as a potential client opportunity. It seems a simple enough task to write a paragraph about oneself, and simpler still for a real writer. Once your title and cover have drawn the reader in, the. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a books contents. How to write a back cover book synopsis pen and the pad. For ebooks, the description is posted on a book s purchasing page, along with the book cover and price.

How to write a catchy backcover blurb that sells 2020. Giving blurbs is easy, free marketing and is great for platform building. Take a fresh look at your own blurbs and see where you can improve. Galley and reading copies, manuscripts, and correspondence pertaining to requests for barry lopez to write book jacket blurbs endorsing and supporting new publications, as well as correspondence and mansucript when he served, at the request of barbara kingsolver, as a judge for the bellwether prize. It may be written by the author or publisher or quote praise from others. 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. 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. How to write an awesome jacket blurb for your novel the last two weeks i went through the process of writing a book proposal for my first novel. But, if you have caught a potential readers attention, the blurb is what will sell your book and convert readers. They might flip to the back of your book or to the dust jacket and read the blurb. 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 book blurb part 3 tara sparling writes.

Write and rewrite that sucker at least a dozen times. After they read the blurb, ask them to predict the main plot of the book. Book jacket copy isnt about summarizing your project or providing the reader with a clear synopsis or plot spoiler. Youll also find some useful links to websites with further information. How to write a back cover blurb with examples book editing. How to write a great nonfiction book blurb from polly letofsky of. Write a great book jacket blurb nina munteanu writing coach. One of the most important tasks youll tackle when youre selfpublishing is coming up with a good description that will make someone want to buy your book. Book jacket blurbs is a crossword puzzle clue that we have spotted 4 times. Its flap copy for a jacketed book, cover copy for a book without a jacket. How to write a blurb back cover copy marilynn byerly. How to write an awesome jacket blurb for your novel. Theres no shame in being too close to your book to write a compelling back cover.

Thats why the blurbs for nonfiction and fiction books. How to write a killer blurb that convinces readers to buy your book the book blurb is your sales pitch. Book jacket blurbs crossword clue answer crossword heaven. Keep in mind that writers who are now famous were not always famous, and at some point they, too. Show focuses on creative writing, and last week we were introduced to the joy of f. The last words that you write for your book will be the first that your audience reads. Im not gonna lie though, writing that blurb was hard.

The next step is grabbing the readers interest with a tempting back. The curious history of book blurbs and why theyre still around. Writing and the benefit of setting goals and creative intentions that can motivate you to achieve meaningful interactions with your readers, or other authors. 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. When writing a novel, there are few selling tools as important as a solidly written book blurb. Back cover blurbs for books tips for wrting blurbs that. These are actual blurbs taken directly from the back of published novels. How to build the back of a book cover with template. Get a professionally written book blurb that will sell. You have one shot at introducing your story to your reader make it count. Frank mccourt on the five people you meet in heaven, by mitch albom.