Do you read that small paragraph that has a gist of what the whole book has in it for you to explore? Well, it might seem like a simple text explaining what is the book about. However, it is not as easy to write it. Indie authors have found it difficult quite a lot since it’s like fitting a size XL into a S.
Simply adding a cliffhanger, stakes, motive, explanation, complication, and all that content can compel the readers to buy the book without a second thought. This brief read will help you how to write a blurb for your book.
So, give it a good read hopefully it will help you and by the end, you can easily write a blurb yourself without any professional help.
Let’s dive into first what is blurb;
What is a Blurb?
A blurb is like a little announcement or an advertisement or a little description that is written to let the readers know what are they about to unveil in the book. Readers like to know what they are putting their heads into.
The goal is to sell the book and not just summarize it. So, in the context of books, a blurb is a brief promotional piece of writing on the cover or back of a book. The purpose is to provide a concise and enticing summary of the book’s content, often aiming to capture the reader’s interest and encourage them to pick up the book.
The blurb basically includes key information such as the main characters, the central conflict, the genre, and sometimes a hint of the book’s tone or style. It serves as an effective marketing tool to attract potential readers by giving them a glimpse into the story and intriguing them enough to want to read more and share with their friends and family too.
Now that you know what is a blurb, let’s read about how to write one.
Understand Your Book
Start by understanding the key elements of your book. What is the genre? Who are the main characters? What’s the central conflict or theme? The essence of the book is written most creatively. So, before you write a blurb make sure that the book is read thoroughly, the characters and their development, and the genre are known and understood well, and only after that a blurb can be written.
Hook the Reader
Begin with a captivating hook that grabs the reader’s attention. It could be a thought-provoking question, a mysterious statement, or a powerful quote from the book. The goal is to make the reader just delve right into the book after reading the blurb.
This is only possible when the gist of the book is written with eye-catching words that hook the readers.
Introduce the Protagonist
Briefly introduce the main character and provide a glimpse into their world. Make the reader care about what happens to this character but make sure that you are not telling them about the ending of course. Just give them a trailer that can steer their attention.
Highlight Unique Selling Points
Mention what sets your book apart from others in the genre. Is it a unique setting, a twist on a familiar theme, or a fresh perspective? All of this sets the reader’s mood and compels them to quickly just read buy, download, and read the book.
Create Suspense
Craft a sense of mystery or anticipation. You just have 100 to 200 words to cover the entire book so make every word worth the description. Leave enough unanswered questions to make readers snooping about what happens next. Creating suspense is not easy but writers have to be as concise, creative, and captivating.
Avoid Spoilers
Be careful not to give away major plot twists or the ending. Keep enough mystery to encourage readers to discover the full story. Spoilers will just ruin the mood because many readers prefer to keep the plots, twists, and turns of the story.
Convey Tone and Style
Reflect on the tone and writing style of your book in the blurb. If it’s a humorous story, inject some humor into the blurb. Indie author website design services are quite aware of the genre they have picked. So, whatever the genre is, the humor, the style, and the tone have to abide by the description.
Edit and Polish
Keep the blurb concise and impactful. Edit thoroughly to ensure each word serves a purpose.
In A Nut Shell
That its indie authors, hopefully, this guide has answered your questions and helped you write a blurb.