For ebooks, the description is posted on a books purchasing page, along with the book cover and price. How to write a great nonfiction book blurb from polly letofsky of my word publishing. How to write a killer blurb that convinces readers to buy your book the book blurb is your sales pitch. Like any sport involving speed, equipment, balance and environmental factors, this sport poses some inherent risk. Before you write a letter to an author requesting a quote, endorsement, or blurb for your book, take a look at our sample letter shown below.
You have one shot at introducing your story to your reader make it count. 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. How to build the back of a book cover with template. To write a good blurb, you have to make it short and exciting, yet relevant. Jan nathan, executive director, publishers marketing association. How to write a killer book synopsis aka back blurb or. As you can see from these examples, a great tagline doesnt need to summarize the whole novel. This article gives you simple steps to follow to write a book blurb, and gives examples of both fiction and nonfiction back cover blurbs.
Even with this short example, your page will do the job its supposed to do, and give interested parties the means to contact you for publishingrelated questions. Your blurb will be an important part of your marketing. How to write the perfect blurb examples, formula, opening. A sample letter for writers requesting a book endorsement. How to write an irresistible book blurb in 5 easy steps. Chungah rhee is the founder, recipe developer, and photographer of damn delicious. How to write an amazing author bio book marketing for. There is a big difference between writing a cover blurb for a novel and writing a cover blurb for nonfiction. Book jacket blurbs crossword clue answer crossword heaven. Writing a book blurb for your back cover, and other promotional uses, is one of the hardest steps for many authors. Each testimonial must be signed with a name and a title. When designing your cover, the back flap will fold to the back of the book and the front flap will fold around the front.
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. How to create a back book cover blurb that sells kindlepreneur. A simple outline for writing a killer book blurb ink and. The blurb is a promotional description, found on the back of the book. A blurb is a short description of a book that is written for promotional purposes. It seems a simple enough task to write a paragraph about oneself, and simpler still for a real writer. Dont worry, in this article, well walk you through the important points to keep in mind while writing your book s blurb, as well as give you a simple blurb template that sells and some bestseller examples for different genres. A book blurb also called a back cover 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. Book blurbs are an oftoverlooked part of a writers marketing. Traditionally, it would be found on the inside back cover of a hardback. How long did it take you to write the blurb of your book. If you are citing descriptive copy or a quotation printed on the cover of a book, its preferable to incorporate the necessary details chiefly, the author of the copy or quotation you are citing, if known, and the source where the copy or quotation appears into the body of.
I wanted this photo book to last for years and years so i upgraded to a hard cover. Here are some examples of character description in book blurbs. The blurb that appears on the back cover of your book, and on your amazon page, will either. Cinder by marissa meyer lena duchannes is unlike anyone the small southern town of gatlin has ever seen, and shes struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. Generally, 150200 words are more than enough for a full blurb. How to write a fiction book cover blurb that can make your. As paperback publishing developed, readers began seeing the blurb appearing on the back cover. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more blurb blog. This is the quick and easy way to get generic page language into your book.
This blurb also features a clever play on words by incorporating the little league baseball theme core to the book s plot line. If youre creating collateral pieces like custom envelopes to go with your finished book, please refer to the. Your potential reader needs to know with a quick skim what kind of book. For all intents and purposes, your publisher has written this. If all of this sounds daunting, consider hiring an editor or marketing writer to help you craft your book s back cover copy in the most compelling way possible. There is no rigid formula for a fiction cover blurb, as there is with query letters. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more. Youll also find some useful links to websites with further information. Aka a book blurb or synopsis this is specifically for fiction writers who have a great book and need help showcasing it for an agent or for selfpublishing.
They might flip to the back of your book or to the dust jacket and read the blurb. Sometimes coming up with the right words for a book blurb can be more stressful than writing the ebook itself. How do i cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book. Once youve successfully enticed them, their eyes will drift to the next bit of copy. A blurb is a brief piece of writing used in the advertising of a creative work, such as when theres a quote from a famous author on the cover of a bestselling novel. Standard book sizes, dimension, and specifications blurb. Chances are, you will write a better book if you let the blurb guide you. Call to action carrie morgridge has written a mustread primer for anyone considering philanthropyread this book and learn from one of the best.
In ebook and selfpublishing, a book blurb is whats used on the main online sales page. When writing a novel, there are few selling tools as important as a solidly written book blurb. What began as a grad school hobby is now a top food blog, with millions of readers coming to her site for easy weeknight recipes and. It simply wouldnt make sense on the cover of any other book. 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. Once your title and cover have drawn the reader in, the. The selfpublishing manual is the first book i recommend to new publishers. Cover design shares the same basic elements as page design. How to write a catchy backcover blurb that sells 2020. These sizes are only guidelines to approximate sizing, and should not be used in order to design an actual book or magazine. The five s of blurb writing check these 5 awesome tips editage. These may be used for an interview, a book jacket, or even an event program in which you are a presenter.
How to write a back cover blurb with examples book editing. Writing a short book blurb is not only fun, but great practice for writing promotional copy of any kind. A simple outline for writing a killer book blurb september 25, 2016 september 25, 2016 kaitlin hillerich in my last post, i mentioned that ive been working on a novella and shared some reasons why you should write one of your own. October 22, 2015 by diana urban writing your author bio can be a daunting task, but a wellcrafted bio can help readers learn more about what makes you and your books so interesting. Before we get into why most authors hate writing their back book cover blurb, lets clarify what it actually is. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Try not to mention more than two characters names, and promise your audience a read they wont forget. Access the cover by clicking the icon at the top left of the main toolbar. How to write a book blurb that sells with examples reedsy blog. A useful worksheet to help your children understand book blurbs and help them write their own. A book blurb also called a back cover blurb or a book description is a short description of the book s 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. Use the button to work in layout mode just like when youre working on pages click the button to draw a text container. Notice the calltoaction words in the bullet points. A blurb is the back cover teaser that lures a reader or an agenteditor into wanting to buyread your book.
Copyright page samples you can copy and paste into your book. Learn how to write a back book cover blurb that not only intrigues readers but gets them to buy. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a book s contents. 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. Examples of blurbs to share in your primary classroom. Your blurb can usually be used as your pitch in your query letter or when you are doing an actual facetoface pitch session with an agenteditor.
How to create a back book cover blurb that sells i just published a guest post which goes into this with some examples. The book sizes and dimensions listed on this page and throughout most of our site are rounded measurements. The blurb should tie the endorsers background to the book. Punctuation or grammar goofs in this highly visible spot broadcast the message that your book was not professionally written. 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. Dust jacket flaps fold around the edges of a hardcover, dust jacket book. Reviewing our example will help you write your own book cover quote requestbut dont copy this sample letter word for word. Think of this as similar to the back cover blurb on a book, only shorter. Here are some reallife author bios that combine most or all of the tips above.
Either the name or the title must be recognizable to the. It uses twilight as an example, but dont hold that against me. But, if you have caught a potential readers attention, the blurb is what will sell your book and convert readers. Blurb definition is a short publicity notice as on a book jacket. Many authors write the book blurb as an afterthought. Blurbs were originally printed on the back or rear dust jacket of a book, and are now found on web portals and news websites. Back cover blurbs for books tips for wrting blurbs that. The perfect back cover blurb january 9, 2017 by sophie masson does it even exist, that perfect enticement to readers, that perfect pearl of a teaser which makes you instantly go to the counter and hand over your hardearned cash. How do i cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book cover or jacket in the text and in the workscited list. The information in this book is meant to supplement, not replace, proper name your sport training. A blurb is a short promotional piece accompanying a piece of creative work.
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