Writing a Blurb

Writing a blurb is not easy: Anyone who thinks writing a blurb is easy, has probably never written a good blurb. The blurb I speak of here is the kind that’s found on the back of a novel – a short paragraph briefly encapsulating a book’s essence, its heart and soul. Sort of an abbreviated synopsis, if you will.

Writing a Synopsis

If you think writing a novel is hard, imagine condensing that novel into a few sentences. Shoehorning a 400 page novel into a few lines of copy is, in itself, an art form of the highest order.

And unless you’re John Grisholm or Stephen King, a good blurb is absolutely necessary to selling your book.

Writing a blurb is sort of like writing the first page of your novel, and perhaps every bit as important. Just as a prospective editor or agent will read the first page of your book and decide whether to proceed based upon that, so too will prospective readers of your book first read the front and back covers.

Based on what they find there, a powerful first impression is formed, influencing whether or not they will buy and read your book.

You should therefore strive to write something that sets your book apart from the pack. In a place where every word counts, you must use vivid and compelling language whenever and wherever possible. A good blurb is the author’s chance to not only sell their book, but to find someone that actually wants to read it.

A blurb should accurately and eloquently depict the gist your book in one or two sentences. These sentences should intrigue the reader and pique their curiosity – the kind of curiosity which can only be relieved through buying and reading the book.

Elements of a good blurb consist of the following elements:

1. The main character – Protagonist: Who is this book about? And why should we care about them? Give your character flaws and depth that the reader can relate to.
2. What the Protagonist Wants/Needs: What is the hero is seeking? Tell the reader exactly what it is your character desperately wants or needs.
3. Obstacles/Complications: Standing between your hero and their goals are a series of conflicts, obstacles, and complications. List a few of these in your blurb. Make the prospective reader say to themselves: “Holy sidewalks! I’ve GOT to read this!”

To write a persuasive blurb, you should, in the fewest, but most powerful, words possible, describe your characters’ quest.

You should do so in such as way as to compel the reader to care, to make them want to come along on that quest, to discover for themselves if the hero attains the object of their quest, or dies trying.

All of these elements are what comprises a book’s plot. And plot, my friends, is the compelling thing you are trying to convey in your blurb in the most appealing way possible.

You only have a few lines with which to hook the reader, and to persuade them into laying down a few bucks for the privilege of finding out if a story is as good as the blurb makes it out to be.

And that, my friends, is what makes a good blurb.