It’s possible some of you
won’t know what the ‘
blurb’ is, so let’s define it.
Technically, it’s the
selection of words you use to appear on the back of the book with the intention
of persuading the reading public to commit to it.
With nonfiction, this may
be any one of a number of things. But I’m a fiction writer and that’s what I’m
discussing here.
Ask yourself a simple
question: What do I want my blurb to achieve?
The answer should be that
it hooks the reader to the extent that he/she makes a decision to purchase (or
borrow) the book.
How do you do that?
Consider the usual
circumstances: that potential reader is in a library (which is a less challenging
place for many reasons) or, hopefully, in a bookshop. What’s going on in there?
Other people, possibly background music, staff hovering, ready to pounce on the
promise of a sale, but, most importantly, there are books. Shelves and shelves
of books. Books in competition with yours for the customer’s money and
attention. Some of them have the dubious advantage of celebrity status (though
why the name of a celebrity should sell a novel is a mystery to me: most of
them seem vacuous and uninteresting). Some will be by authors already accepted
as both entertaining and absorbing. Some will be part of a special deal,
offering 3 for the price of 2 or half price deals. So, not only do you have to
compete with all these external influences, but you have a limited amount of
time to do so.
The purpose of the blurb
is to sell your book. You don’t want a synopsis (save that for the agent and/or
publisher who need to have more detail to determine the genre and potential
market for your book). What you do need is a pithy, short piece of description
that will intrigue, fascinate, tempt and impress the reader. Length will be
determined either by the publisher (in which case, the blurb may well be
written by a staff member anyway), or, more likely, by a combination of genre
and design. You may, for example, have excerpts of quotes displayed on the back
cover.
So, what can you say in 50
to 150 words that will clutch at the reader’s imagination and make him/her want
to explore the interior, flick through the pages, and perhaps, just perhaps,
part with ready cash? Use of strong verbs, avoidance of adverbs, and language
that says precisely what it’s meant to convey are essential.
A question often works;
citing the major dilemma in the book and suggesting some sort of possible
conflict/danger/ambition achieved (depending on the genre).
‘Will Susan’s obsession
with chocolate stop her turning the rivalry between her and siren sister,
Ophelia, to her advantage when it comes to attracting ruggedly handsome
Martin?’ (superficial romantic fiction)
A hint of the challenges
facing the protagonist(s) will often act as a hook: ‘When James opens an envelope
surreptitiously placed on the passenger seat of his locked Bentley, he begins a
journey that will ultimately threaten not only his business but the reputations
and lives of those he most loves.’ (thriller)
I was recently asked by
Fantastic Books Publishing to provide a blurb for the first volume of my
fantasy trilogy, which they’re publishing in spring. 50 words in 3 sentences
was the brief. Here are a couple of examples:
‘Hatred between a corrupt leader and the rightful
heir flares when a crucial prophesy is misread.
Regardless of cost, a fanatical disciple feels
compelled to right a decisive wrong in a key ritual.
Against overwhelming odds, a young hunter sets out
to rescue his adored betrothed.’
And
‘A
false prophesy forces a corrupt leader to menace the rightful heir and start a
dangerous mission.
Only
the reckless kidnap of the leader’s daughter by a fanatical disciple might
correct a vital wrong.
A
charismatic young hunter braves hostile seas and unknown lands to free the gifted
maiden he loves.’
I’ve no idea whether
either of these will be used. But, for me, they illustrated the difficulty of
encapsulating the essence of a story running at 200k+ words, with 3
intertwining stories, into so few words. Not, as I say, a synopsis, but a
flavour, a taster, a teaser that will encourage readers to read on.
Do they hint enough at potential
challenges and conflicts? Do they insert questions into the mind of the reader?
Do they, most importantly, encourage the reader to open the book?
I’d love your observations
and comments.
