The book blurb is a bane for a lot of authors out there. Most will find it challenging to condense their works into a few sentences without giving away too much of the story. But a good blurb can result in piquing the interest of readers and generating more sales.
In some ways, a book blurb is one of the first elements of proper marketing techniques. Well, aside from blogging about the book before it’s published.
Nonetheless, learning to write a good book blurb will directly affect your success as an author.
What is a Book Blurb?
A book blurb is a short description of the book that is often used as promotional material to entice readers to buy it. You can find blurbs on sales landing pages, social media posts, sales pitches, and even on the back of the book itself.
They are usually about 200 words or less and are meant to be the initial hook that prompts the potential reader to make a purchase. It’s the first thing most people will read about the book, which makes it an incredibly important part of marketing.
When you look at the back of the book to read what it’s about, that is the blurb.
Difference Between a Book Blurb and Description
For the most part, blurbs and descriptions are almost interchangeable. They are usually referred to as one and the same, but some authors distinctly characterize them independently.
The only real difference between the two is the length. While blurbs usually center on being quick elements to tempt a reader, descriptions are often longer and are more prominent on websites and sales pages.
Both are often placed on the back cover of a book, and both deliver the same element: describing the story in a way to tempt a reader. In reality, they are the same thing with an identical purpose in mind.
Some authors will use the blurb as a marketing device to get people to read the longer description.
How to Write a Book Blurb that Converts
Most authors I’ve talked with agree that the blurb is one of the most difficult parts of publishing. It’s essentially an elevator pitch to get someone to read the story. So, you need to condense some of the meaty parts without spoilers.
How do you write a decent blurb that can get people to buy the book?
Step 1: Match the Tone of Your Book
Before you begin writing, you want to make sure you’re matching the tone of your book. You wouldn’t use a light and fluffy style if you were publishing gothic horror.
Well, I suppose that depends on your target audience. Perhaps you wrote a light and fluffy gothic horror novel, reading like it was narrated by Barbie.
That would be quite interesting, actually.
In most cases, though, it’s better if you try to match the vibe and tone of the novel. It gives the potential reader a glimpse into what to expect within the story itself.
It’s all about setting the right atmosphere and tempo, like dimming the lights for a romantic dinner. Your job is to answer why the individual would want to buy and read that particular book.
Step 2: Properly Structure the Blurb
It takes more than simply writing an ultra-short description to get a reader’s attention. And most blurbs will follow a specific outline to ensure that it works.
A good blurb has the following elements:
- Hook them with the first line. Without a good hook, you might lose the reader and he or she will just put the book back on the shelf.
- Introduce your main character. A few details about who the person is could keep the reader’s interest, especially if the character is relatable in some fashion.
- Give a quick description of the conflict and what’s at stake. This might be difficult as you don’t want to divulge too much, but just enough to keep someone’s attention within a few sentences.
- End with an element of mystery. The final sentence may be just as important as your hook. It’s your last chance to convince someone to give the book a try. This can be done with a mysterious final sequence or by asking a question.
- Consider comparisons (optional). There’s nothing wrong with highlighting similar books or movies to give the reader an idea of what to expect. For Shadows of Atlantic City, I often say how it’s Supernatural meets Wild Wild West meets Sherlock Holmes.
Writing the blurb for Kingmaker was beyond difficult because of how it was structured and how the book ended. I can’t go into too many of the finer details without giving away the plot. Shadows of Atlantic City was much easier to write as it didn’t have twists and turns throughout the story.
Step 3: Use Your Credentials if Warranted (Optional)
One way some authors spice up their blurbs is by adding credentials, such as highlighting impressive accomplishments. For instance, “From the mind of the bestselling author of Yada-Yada…”
Of course, you want to make sure your credentials are solid. Don’t try to fake it and don’t blow smoke to sound interesting.
Most authors I’ve seen who use their credentials write non-fiction books. Yet, it’s not uncommon for fiction writers to embrace what they’ve done and help solidify expertise and skill.
Things like “By award-winning author…” if you’ve actually won awards is a nice touch for some.
This is an optional addition to your book blurb and usually centers around the topic of the manuscript or how the expertise impacts the novel’s content. Still, it might be worth exploring if you have some great accreditations under your belt.
Step 4: Keep it Short and Sweet
A book blurb is purposely short and enticing. You don’t want to write a full description that takes up several paragraphs. That’s what the sales and landing pages are for when selling the novel.
As I pointed out earlier, a good rule of thumb is to keep the blurb under 200 words if possible. There will be times when a sentence will do, and there are blurbs that are over 200 words long. It mostly comes down to the story you’re telling and the audience you’re targeting.
Most experts agree, though, that keeping the blurb at around 150 words is the “sweet spot.”
Step 5: Share it Often!
Once you’re finished writing the blurb for the book, share it often. Use it on your blog, the back of the book, in a pop-up with a buy now button, in advertising, share it on social media if possible – use it to engage your audience.
Just remember that book descriptions are usually much longer. If you choose to create both, use the blurb to bring the reader to the longer version.
For instance, Amazon gives you a lot of space for describing the book. Use the blurb on the cover and the description on the sales page.
Study Published Works for Ideas
If you still need help, consider checking out the blurbs of your favorite books by some popular names. The blurb wouldn’t have been placed on the cover if it didn’t jive with the publisher.
Read the book and then read its blurb. What elements did the blurb deliver compared to the flow of the novel? What did the blurb not include from the story? Did the blurb want to make you read the book?
Study those blurbs carefully, as they can give you all kinds of ideas for writing your own.
The reason I suggest reading blurbs from mainstream traditionally published authors is because of the care that goes into mass-producing a book. Every aspect of the novel is meticulously planned and developed to make publishing houses happy and their bank accounts even happier.
Use them to teach you how to create a blurb for your own book at their level.
Hiring Book Blurb Writers
As with most other things regarding self-publishing a book, you can find services for book blurb writers all over the Internet. And from what I have seen after visiting a few, most will charge you less than $100 for a professional product.
But is the money really worth the service? According to some authors, yes. It’s often nerve-wracking trying to pack your novel in a 200-word teaser.
Personally, I’d rather write the blurb myself. That way, I make sure all of the pertinent information is delivered and that I match the tone of the story.
I suppose if you have the money and can trust the source, it may save you some time and a few headaches by hiring someone to write the blurb for you. And some won’t charge a lot for various revisions.
What about using generative AI to write a blurb? I have yet to see AI write a blurb that made a modicum of sense compared to the actual manuscript. I’ve tried a few out just for giggles, and none of them were even close to producing something that resembled the book or the tone.
Besides, I’m very anti-generative-AI. I think it can be a fun tool to create nightmare fuel from images for entertainment, but as for using it to write books? Nope.
Never. Happen.
Why would I use AI to take away the most fun aspect of being an author?
Testing the Blurb
Using beta readers can help you develop a great story, but they can also help you craft a winning blurb. Write a few and submit it to them to get feedback.
You can also share it with friends and family, colleagues, or anyone else who will give you an honest opinion.
One method I saw authors use was sharing variations of a blurb with strangers on social media. In this case, though, you’re also subjecting yourself to trolling, especially on Twitter. Still, some strangers often provide a brutally honest opinion that friends and family would not provide.
Anyway, the idea is to get feedback on what blurb is the most effective for your book. How you go about it is completely up to you.
Condensing Your Book Is Often Difficult
Perhaps the most difficult part of writing a book blurb is trying to smash the entire manuscript into something interesting that doesn’t give spoilers. This is especially true if you have some insane twists in the story.
When I wrote the blurb for Kingmaker, it took me several days of various attempts. And I still think I didn’t do it justice.
Just keep in mind that the blurb is one of the most important parts of marketing the book. If people aren’t enticed by the short description, the chances are great they won’t buy it.
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