Dos
-Reference the genre and central theme
-Create intrigue around the main conflict
-Dive right in and introduce your protagonist
-Keep it short and punchy
-Reference your book-writing or professional
status, if it relates to your book.
status, if it relates to your book.
Don’ts
-Give away any spoilers, no matter how tempted
you are
you are
-Give a summary of the first chapter
-Open with “In a world,” or any other
overused phrase
overused phrase
-Give everything away
-Say how amazing your book is
-Compare yourself to other writers or your
book to other books
book to other books
The anatomy of a
blurb
blurb
While there’s no perfect formula for
writing the best blurb for your next novel, there are some patterns worth
taking note of: Calling out your success in the book-writing world, introducing
the reader to the protagonist in a way that creates intrigue without delving
into all the assorted details, and referencing the central point of
conflict—without explaining how a resolution may come about.
You realize that you only have a few
seconds at the most to grab a reader’s attention. Once the book cover has done
its job, tickling her/his interest, then it’s up to the blub to sell your book.
So… in order to make this happen you need to use POWER words – ones that will evoke
images and instantly gain attention to titillate the reader’s interest.
seconds at the most to grab a reader’s attention. Once the book cover has done
its job, tickling her/his interest, then it’s up to the blub to sell your book.
So… in order to make this happen you need to use POWER words – ones that will evoke
images and instantly gain attention to titillate the reader’s interest.
See below, the difference to a blurb
when I subtract the words that probably sold this book!!
when I subtract the words that probably sold this book!!
****
My doctored
example:
example:
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE
Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker,
survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is
taken in by the family of a friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park
Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don’t know how to talk to him, and above
all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him
of her: a small painting that ultimately draws Theo into the world of art.
survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is
taken in by the family of a friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park
Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don’t know how to talk to him, and above
all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him
of her: a small painting that ultimately draws Theo into the world of art.
As an adult, Theo moves between the
drawing rooms of the rich and the antiques store where he works. He is
alienated and in love—and at the center of an ever more dangerous circle.
drawing rooms of the rich and the antiques store where he works. He is
alienated and in love—and at the center of an ever more dangerous circle.
The Goldfinch is a stay-up-all-night and
tell-all-your-friends triumph, an old-fashioned story of loss and obsession,
survival and self-invention, and the machinations of fate.
tell-all-your-friends triumph, an old-fashioned story of loss and obsession,
survival and self-invention, and the machinations of fate.
****
Original:
(Bold and underlined words are adjective/adverb descriptions whereas the
italicized ones are power words usually verbs and nouns.)
(Bold and underlined words are adjective/adverb descriptions whereas the
italicized ones are power words usually verbs and nouns.)
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE
Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his
mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo
is taken in by the family of a wealthy
friend. Bewildered by his strange new
home on Park Avenue, disturbed by
schoolmates who don’t know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the
one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws
Theo into the underworld of
art.
mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo
is taken in by the family of a wealthy
friend. Bewildered by his strange new
home on Park Avenue, disturbed by
schoolmates who don’t know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the
one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws
Theo into the underworld of
art.
As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love—and at the center
of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.
of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.
The Goldfinch is a mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night and tell-all-your-friends triumph, an old-fashioned story of loss
and obsession, survival and
self-invention, and the ruthless machinations of fate.
and obsession, survival and
self-invention, and the ruthless machinations of fate.
Do
you see the difference?
you see the difference?
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