Its in the bigger themes that palacios writing shines. Palacio, plus links to a book excerpt from wonder and author biography of r. The editorcopywriter producing the blurb will be an experienced professional with many years of experience in editing and the writing skill to put together good copy for your work or an experienced copy writer. Its safe to say that a wellwritten blurb is absolutely essential to your poetry books overall success and reputation. Her new book is based on the many cases of fasting girls reported across the. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a book s contents. Six writers tell all about covers and blurbs by matthew gallaway april 4, 2011 writers by definition spend a lot of time on the inside of books, which is why what happens on the outside namely, cover art and blurbs can feel precarious and daunting. She took my poetry samples and current book blurb and wrote something amazing.
Sep 10, 2018 the book thief by markus zusak there are very few people who wouldnt be enticed to read a book with a blurb this compelling. They glance at the cover art, and if it doesnt interest them, they move on. A blurb is the smell of cookies baking, tormenting us so we eat a half dozen as soon as theyre out of the oven and burn our hands carelessly doing so. Feb 02, 2014 this book gives a realistic look at the frankly brutal reality that is a hugely hushed topic in childrens books. This caused me to then wonder why does not require any tax documentation like all of the other publishing services do. Oct 16, 2014 writing the blurb for your selfpublished book is one of the privileges of being an indie author. As paperback publishing developed, readers began seeing the blurb appearing on the back cover. A book blurb is a short text that you usually see at the back of a printed book, designed to get people to buy the book. This act alone by is an indication that they do this by default. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more.
If the title and cover art draw them in, they may turn to the back and read the blurb. Make sure you supply me with a general synopsis as well. Tom angleberger, author of the new york times bestseller the strange case of origami yoda. Creating a book blurb, while still technically writing, is closer to a science than an art. This is because writers dont really understand what a blurb is meant to do. I think it makes more sense for an author to blurb a book thats in their genrethats what the reader is expecting. 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. Generally, 150200 words are more than enough for a full blurb. The fee for the blurbwriting service is calculated in relation to the length of the manuscript. Writing the blurb for your selfpublished book is one of the privileges of being an indie author. Director at pw and her most recent book, malafemmena. The book was the winner of the 2014 maine student book award, vermonts dorothy canfield fisher childrens book award, the 2015 mark twain award, hawaiis 2015 nene award, and the junior young readers choice award for 2015. A story that asks the reader to feel her way into kindness, empathy, and openness.
The positive feedback covering the inside pages and back cover of my copy could only begin to describe the great emotional. Wonder is about something that we dont like to talk about because it is so rare. Blurb is here to help you turn your ideas into professionalquality books, magazines, or ebooks. If the blurb interests them, they may open the book. How to write an irresistible book blurb in five easy steps. Dec 17, 2015 malcolm gladwell, the bestselling author of the tipping point, and some of the book covers that feature his blurbs. Your book blurb must be wellwritten to get a readers attention. In this post, we tell you how to write a book blurb in five easy steps. This book gives a realistic look at the frankly brutal reality that is a hugely hushed topic in childrens books. The secrets of ghostwriting the writers toolkit, a. The fee for the blurb writing service is calculated in relation to the length of the manuscript. Sometimes people ask you to blurb their book and you arent sure if youll like it. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more blurb. I have a family, i have a computer, i have an xbox.
Jan 14, 2014 how to write a great ya fantasy or scifi book blurb posted on january 14, 2014 by conjurors its ironic, after writing thousands of words to create your novel, that a 100200 word blurb pitching your baby to potential readers could completely stump you. Malcolm gladwell hands out book blurbs like santa does. Jul 19, 20 the blurb of your book is the second thing a potential reader will look at after the coverso take the time to get it right. I have seen nonfiction blurbs that are more about the author than the content of the book and i have seen fiction blurbs that are a synopsis of the story and even tell the reader the ending.
Echo the tone of your book in your blurb so readers get a sense of how you write. Create, print, and sell professionalquality photo books, magazines, trade books, and ebooks with blurb. Publishers can put more information here to persuade us to buy the book in the form of a blurb or brief summary of the book, as well as other marketing extras, such as quotes. Would you like a bit of lowcost promotion for your books. To this end, i recently finished reading write to market by chris fox. Would you like to utilize a series blurb but youre not sure where to start in covering all the books in your series in one succinct, powerful paragraph.
The blurb is often the part of the bookselling process which gives authors the most headaches. In sextons blurb, one cant help but hear an additional echo of plaths the blood jet is poetry. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It matters not only what a blurb actually says but who said it and when.
I wonder, though, how important it is to have the authors picturebio on the. And without a doubt, the reader, upon experiencing it, responds. How to write a great ya fantasy or scifi book blurb. Palacio wrote wonder after an incident where she and her threeyearold son were waiting in line to buy ice cream. Write a catchy poetry book blurb by authoreva fiverr. Beware of blurbs from backscratching to overpraise, why author endorsements are so bad and so unreliable. A blurb is a short promotional piece accompanying a piece of creative work. Writers are supposed to pay uncle sam taxes, but not with blurb.
Childrens book blurbs geo ashton a blog for aspiring. Blurbs are the second most important selling tool you have for your book, so. This is my second time working with authoreva and she has given me another outstanding experience. Im thinking of selfpublishing it, so i wrote down a blurb. Many authors write the book blurb as an afterthought. How to write a book blurb part 1 tara sparling writes. You have one shot at introducing your story to your reader make it count.
How can 100300 itty bitty words cause so much pain. The 5 core elements of a book blurb and why you should know. Some of my indie friends requested that i start doing more research regarding publishing and marketing books. Palacio tells the story of a 10yearold boy, who was born with distorted facial features a craniofacial difference caused by an anomaly in his dna. Four tips for nabbing your book a blurb writers digest. There is a big difference between writing a cover blurb for a novel and writing one for nonfiction. A book blurb should be a fair representation of the style of the book.
To write a good blurb, you have to make it short and exciting, yet relevant. Young jacob tremblay, who should have received an oscar nomination for room, gives another stellar performance as auggie. How to write an effective blurb for a selfpublished book. In this post, we tell you how to write a book blurb that readers will like in five easy steps. In that sense, a good blurb is anything but subjective. Six writers tell all about covers and blurbs the awl. I find it a little odd that wonder womans 75th anniversary box set only includes stories from the last 30 years. Are you an author who dislikes or dreads trying to write back cover blurbs for your stories, or have you started one and want help making yours sizzle with intrigue and impact. How to write a nonfiction book cover blurb that sells. A blurb is a short description of a book that is written for promotional purposes. Five easy steps to writing an irresistible book blurb. Work by convincing readers to take a chance on it, or. Wonder is about something that we dont like to talk about because it. They try out the title to see if it sparks an interest.
Random house children s books has released a raft of new products inspired by author r. I wonder whether there are people out here that can help me out. All you have to do is provide me with some information and i will write one undeniably catchy blurb. But i usually reserve blurbs for after i finish a book or not to see who shares my exquisite taste in literature if i likedloved the book or wonder who had a bout of temporary insanity in blurbing something awful. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times.
Once youve taken in all of the above and gotten a feel for the promise you want to make to the reader, use the outlines below to write your book cover blurb. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a books contents. Ive been getting some questions about the booklife prize in fiction, a new award for unpublished and selfpublished novels. Chose from several free tools or use adobe indesign or adobe lightroom. Blurbs were originally printed on the back or rear dustjacket of a book, and are now found on web portals and news websites. How to write a back cover blurb for a nonfiction book. Palacio writes the book in multiple voices auggies, some of his. How to write a great ya fantasy or scifi book blurb posted on january 14, 2014 by conjurors its ironic, after writing thousands of words to create your novel, that a 100200 word blurb pitching your baby to potential readers could completely stump you. Writing a book blurb is harder than you think, and is an excellent way of getting yourself noticed. Wonder woman 75th anniversary box set, the item discussed here, is a box set containing four books from some of wonder womans best writers. Its different than a synopsis, which is a recap of the plot of the book, usually used for book discussions and query letters. It sends all the right messages, especially for children. 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.
Palacio lives in brooklyn, ny with her husband, two sons and two dogs bear and beau. Sep 12, 2018 a blurb is a short description of a book that is written for promotional purposes. But i have no idea whether it is a good or exciting blurb that will make people read the book. Wonder is a book with such a big wide heart it shows how we are all fragile, imperfect, and perfectly beautiful creatures. Based on the new york times bestseller, this movie tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of august pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters the fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time. The freedom writers diary 20th anniversary edition. Palacios bestselling bookand recent julia robertsstarting feature film wonder. Apr 04, 2011 six writers tell all about covers and blurbs by matthew gallaway april 4, 2011 writers by definition spend a lot of time on the inside of books, which is why what happens on the outside namely, cover art and blurbs can feel precarious and daunting. Many writers find writing book blurbs really difficult. Based on the 20 bestseller of the same name, wonder tells the inspiring and heartwarming story of 10yearold august pullman.
The books message of kindness has inspired the choose kind movement, and has been embraced by readers, young and old, around the world. The book succeeds, ultimately, because the hero, known as auggie, is such a marvellous. Oct 04, 20 an easytofollow, practical guide to writing the best blurb to sell your selfpublished book, provided by ya author sarah juckes of completelynovel. Firstly, highlighting your success in the bookwriting world. I have yet to do it in 3 hours and i have a masters in research from harvard. Your book blurb aka online description, like your dating profile, has to be engaging and alluring to attract passersby. Wonder was on the new york times best seller list and was also on the texas bluebonnet award master list. Lets look at how to make your nonfiction cover blurb sell your book. However, titles, covers and blurbs play a much larger role in book marketing, so taglines aka straplines or endlines in the uk are rarely discussed. Wonder rings its bell, and the note that reverberates in the air slips effortlessly into the readers body. Chances are, you will write a better book if you let the blurb guide you. Compare yourself to other writers or your book to other books.
I rarely read blurbs, but maybe once or twice a blurb has influenced me to give a new author a shot. A great tagline can help sell books and give readers an idea of what kind of story theyre picking up. If you are looking for someone to write a fresh blurb for your poetry book, you must hire her. Sure, the stories in this box set are great, and certainly worth a read. However, this task typically comes just when youre at your least able. At 100 pages this book now takes the top spot on my, shortest books on writing, list coming to a blog near you.
I feel like we have to promote ourselves, he said of endorsing. I would have never given as much thought about people like auggie if i hadnt read this book. Wonder projects the process should take you 6090 minutes to understand the task, synthesize all of the sources, and produce an impeciablly wellwritten piece. The genre of the book is dark fantasy, by the way, and is written in pasttense although blurb is presenttense. The secrets of ghostwriting the writers toolkit, a series by the book club vol 3 kindle edition by downer, d. Kinnells landmark the book of nightmares was published in 1971. How a teacher and 150 teens used writing to change themselves and the world around them the freedom writers, zlata filipovic, erin gruwell on. Several writing friends will also be there, including donna volkenannt, linda oconnell, lynn obermoeller and pat wahler. It may be written by the author or publisher or quote praise from others. Wonder is a childrens novel by raquel jaramillo, under the pen name of r. It hangs there, and the reader cant help but be changed. An easytofollow, practical guide to writing the best blurb to sell your selfpublished book, provided by ya author sarah juckes of completelynovel.
The blurb that appears on the back cover of your book, and on your amazon page, will either. Front covers are carefully designed by publishers to attract our attention see my previous post here, but the back cover can be a quick way of telling whether a book will interest us or not. If i ever want to torture an author who has wronged me, i will chain them to a desk in a bright room and tell them they only have 6 hours to write a blockbusting blurb for their book. Her debut novel, wonder, has been on the new york times bestseller list since march, 2012, and has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. Born with facial deformities, auggie jacob tremblay becomes the most unlikely of heroes when he enters the fifth grade at his local school. While theres no perfect formula for writing the best blurb for your novel, there are some patterns worth noting. Malcolm gladwell, the bestselling author of the tipping point, and some of the book covers that feature his blurbs. It is called wonder because is makes you wonder if you were him, or them. I think what really helped me realize how we are the. If stephen king is endorsing a book, im not expecting the book to be a romance.
Writers are supposed to pay uncle sam taxes i thought, but not with blurb. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the secrets of ghostwriting the writers toolkit, a series by the book club vol 3. Wonder is certainly pure of spirit and caring throughout. Traditionally, it would be found on the inside back cover of a hardback.
1036 234 862 500 44 194 1200 1224 659 1190 1308 149 173 1235 1368 1244 635 1307 1321 778 564 1427 1412 719 643 345 1421 704 10 515 1202