How to Write a Captivating Blurb?
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the statement ‘Just do it’? Does this sound familiar to you?
This iconic statement is the label that represents Nike. The tagline is still used by Nike in a majority of its existing branding and advertising.
Wondering why we are discussing branding in the first place?
Similar to a tagline, a blurb acts as a label that promotes a product in the publishing industry, in this case, your book. The blurb of your book will influence potential readers, much as a catchy tagline that can impact the entire marketing strategy for a product. After all, it is one of the most important things that a reader will look at before purchasing your book.
Here are a few points to keep in mind for making your blurb more interesting:
Catchy Hook
We know some things get lost in the adaptations. While the 2005 adaptation starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen, of Jane Austen’s book is indeed a defining moment in cinema, we cannot overlook the predominant changes they made to the original work. The movie changed the time period of the novel, but Jane Austen’s writing and perspective are timeless and therefore everything fits equally well in the movie.
Compelling Conflict
Every great book has a conflict at its core. If your protagonist’s life is constantly smooth, readers will grow impatient quickly. They want to read more because they want to see how the conflict unfolds. The idea is to make it challenging for potential readers to put the book down once they’ve read the blurb. You can tease your readers with the meaty details in your blurb, but avoid giving away too much. It might just kill the curiosity to explore more.
Fascinating Protagonist
A good blurb helps readers get a sense of the protagonist who will drive the action in the story. Since readers will be spending several hundred pages with them, it is important to give them assurance that they will love reading about their life. Rather than outlining their biography, give interesting details about their personality, which might pique readers’ interest.
While you include all these elements, ensure that the blurb is short and crisp. Encapsulate all the key points within 500 words.
Want to have some great examples to refer to? Why don’t you turn to your bookshelf and pick up your all-time favourite classics? The secret lies there!
Blurbs are sometimes an overlooked aspect of a writer’s marketing strategy. It can be somewhat overwhelming to write more after spending so much in composing the entire story. But these blurbs are truly a major element of book sales and can turn a little-known story into a bestseller.