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. A blurb is a short promotional piece accompanying a piece of creative work. Whats the difference between bookwright and booksmart. What should be included in the back of the book blurb. What helps them decide if they want to make the purchase. A book blurb also called a backcover blurb or a book description is a short description of the books main character and conflict, usually between 100 and 200 words, that traditionally is included on the inside cover or on the back of a book. Back cover copy is the blurb on the back of a book. A simple outline for writing a killer book blurb ink and. Back cover blurbs for books tips for wrting blurbs that. Kdp print and ingramspark require you to upload a front cover, spine, and back cover.
As paperback publishing developed, readers began seeing the blurb appearing on the back cover. Get a professionally written book blurb that will sell. Crafting a compelling book blurb nonfiction linden gross. I was about halfway through the writing of my book when i was asked to write a blurb for the back cover. In a nonfiction book, you are selling your knowledge, your writing, and yourself, so if the blurb doesnt represent the typical language you use in your book, the reader will feel a disconnect.
Some are put together by the marketing team, publishing company, and editor. Before writing your back book blurb, choose 35 of the bestselling books in your genre and make a note of stylistic similarities. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more blurb blog. Our copywriter is an awardwinning magazine writer, copywriter, author, and copy editor. If all of this sounds daunting, consider hiring an editor or marketing writer to help you craft your books backcover copy in the most compelling way possible. Putting my literary experience and marketing expertise to use for you, to help create quality book blurbs sure to grab the attention of readers. Book buyers wont read on if the first sentence fails to grab their interest. How to write a blurb for your nonfiction book blurb blog. Many authors write the book blurb as an afterthought. It is a brief description of a book and book plot that should immediately attract the attention of your readers. Its briefno more than 100150 wordsand creates interest in the story without giving away major spoilers or the ending.
The blurb that appears on the back cover of your book, and on your. It usually takes me a week to be completely satisfied with my blurb, though the total time i spend on it is normally, maybe a couple hours. Many dust jacket blurbs are written by the author, but there are some that are not. 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. Dan poynter, known as the godfather of selfpublishing and author of the selfpublishing manual, the selfpublishing encyclopedia, is there a book inside you.
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. You can use your own isbn or a free blurbprovided isbn. Fiction or nonfiction basic blurbcover copyproduct description for fiction or nonfiction extended product description. Although ive seen a couple back covers that did something a bit different like quote from the story and since most books are written in past tense the blurb was in past tense.
A book blurb, or the book jacket description, summarizes the best part of your book in only 150 words yep. It typically serves as the foundation for your online book descriptions, as well as any press releases or pitches you make to the media. Finally, we find the resolution as the blurb promises to offer the reader all kinds of help, from an explanation to what the keto diet is, to shopping lists, recipes, exercise routines, and plans to suit your needs. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more. What is the summary written on the cover at the back of a. Sign in help center english us deutsch espanol francais italiano nederlands portugues do brasil. This back cover blurb explains exactly who the book is for, what the reader can expect to get out of it, and why the book is an excellent alternative to similar resources. The back cover blurb is a sales pitch for your book, so it must be persuasive, captivating, and make the reader want to read on. We get so caught up in delivering an enthralling story or a big idea. How to write good blurbs and back pages for your book by lynn serafinn on july 17th, 20 lynn serafinn shares a template for writing good marketing copy for your wholesalers, and discusses what to put on the back cover and back pages of your book. Its the essence of your books most exciting features, distilled into a few hundred words. Blurb placement when you use our book making tools and select the option to use your own isbn your book will have a barcode on the bottom center of the back cover. Writing a book blurb for your back cover and other promotional uses is one of the hardest steps for many authors. How to write a catchy backcover blurb that sells 2020.
Check out our examples of blurbs, and the dos, and donts to help you craft. And its something that in my experience takes some timeas you have to distill quite a few elements to make a. But first, i want to quickly clarify some terms you might equate with a back book blurb but shouldnt because they represent. Besides the time when i think it up, generally on a. Punctuation or grammar goofs in this highly visible spot broadcast the message that your book was not professionally written. Writing a book blurb for your back cover, and other promotional uses, is one of the hardest steps for many authors. If you have your own isbn you have two options for displaying it on your book. The five s of blurb writing check these 5 awesome tips editage. How to referencecite the blurb of a book, not having a. The back cover blurb has to grab the readers attention from the start.
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. It needs to hook the reader and make them want to go on the journey with your characters. Writing a short book blurb is not only fun, but great practice for writing promotional copy of any kind. 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. Generally, 150200 words are more than enough for a full blurb. I wrote it when i first started the story, and now 125k words later, it falls a little flat. How to write a nonfiction book cover blurb that sells. Keep in mind at all times the blurb is what sells the book, so. Note the use of this formula as well as bullet points in the blurb example of jen sinceros you are a badass, which chesson provides in his how to create a back book cover blurb.
Back cover blurbs for books tips for wrting blurbs that sell books. 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. You are a badass is the selfhelp book for people who desperately want to. How to write a romance blurb blog author rosalind james. Here are some tips on what you can do to boost a books sales with its blurb. Ive never written a blurb before and would love some help tearing this one apart to make it. Here are a few writing tips to help you craft a great blurb. Fox emm shares how to write an effective book blurb for your memoir, or any piece of writing. When writing a back cover blurb, you want it to set you apart from other books in your genre. Notice the calltoaction words in the bullet points. A book blurb is a brief usually 150200 word description that lets a reader know what they can expect from your book. Basically, the name of the game with a blurb is to entice readers to buy your book.
How can we write that back cover copy that hooks a passing browser, and turns him or her into a loyal reader. The benefits of a professionally written book blurb. In simple terms, a blurb is the short yet descriptive account of the book that goes on the back. The blurb is a promotional description, found on the back of the book. It should introduce your main characters, give an insight on conflict, depict genre and arouse interest. Back up, move, transfer, or share your booksmart books. Writing your back cover blurb dorrance publishing company. You should focus your nonfiction back book cover on what the book will do for the reader, what it can help them learn, how those skills will solve a problem or. The book blurb presents the book as a solveall book with the expertise and tools to guarantee you success. Once upon a time, such blurbs were printed on the inside cover flap for hardbacks, and directly onto the back of a paperback.
Book blurbs are an oftoverlooked part of a writers marketing planafter youve spent. 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. In ebook and selfpublishing, a book blurb is whats used on the main online sales page. They want to read the book to help them solve a problem or learn something new. But it is the single most important piece of writing you will do on your book. How to write back cover blurb for your nonfiction book. They say you cant judge a book by its cover, thats true, but remember a books cover includes the stuff on the back. Back of book synopsisblurb creative writing forums.
Almost everyone reads the blurb before they decide whether to purchase. Then ensure you incorporate them into your back book jacket blurb. How to write a book blurb that sells with examples reedsy blog. Youll also find some useful links to websites with further information. Well, a blurb is also a tagline that is meant to sell a productyour book. Blurbs are the second most important selling tool you have for your book, so. A blurb is the description of the story found on the back cover of a book. Interesting, ive never heard of someone citing the blurb. All these elements should sell the book because you cant make a potential buyer look at your book in the order you want them to. But, if you have caught a potential readers attention, the blurb is what will sell your book and convert readers.
Im getting ready to publish my first book this next week and realized that i really need to go over my blurb again. 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. His corpse fell into the water, which is what i have been eating since then. 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.
How to create a back book cover blurb that sells kindlepreneur. How to write a book blurb by far, the weakest part of many selfpublished books is the synopsis found on amazon and elsewhere. If your book has a flap then its the flaps job to sell the book. How to write good blurbs and back pages for your book. It may be written by the author or publisher or quote praise from others. The back cover copy you write for your book is among the most important marketing messages youll craft.
A well tuned blurb wont try to sell everybody on the book it will help. A potential reader looks at the blurb the same way they would look at the book itself. The summary on the back cover of the book is called blurb. Find out how to write a blurb for your next novel to intrigue and entice your readers. How to build the back of a book cover with template. The trick with writing a great blurb is to give away. 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. The synopsis is always written in present tense and most back cover blurbs are also written in present tense. Indeed, it can help you focus if you write your blurb before you even start writing the book. First you need to determine which book format you want to orderhardcover dust jacket, hardcover imagewrap, andor softcover, and whether you want to order an ebook. This includes our trade 5x8, 6x9 and trade 8x10 formats.
Blurbs are a brief description of a book typically found on the back of a. Blurbs were originally printed on the back or rear dustjacket of a book, and are now found on web portals and news websites. To set yourself apart is good, to be too different from the rest is not. Traditionally, it would be found on the inside back cover of a hardback.
A blurb is a short description of a book that is written for promotional purposes. Besides the blurb there are also some other elements that are included in. They might flip to the back of your book or to the dust jacket and read the blurb. 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 the perfect blurb examples, formula, opening. As an author, how can we turn this to our advantage. That stuff, also known as a blurb, typically goes a long way in determining a potential readers likelihood of purchasing and reading your book. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a books contents. The final step in completing this starter template is to create your front and back covers.