It should be short, highlight the main selling points of the book, and cause the reader to want to look inside. 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. Those are bill stotts most important points, and for all those readers who know that this simple advice may be difficult to follow, he offers encouragement on such topics as. 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.
In this article, i offer 10 steps for writing a book along with 10 bonus steps. Sep 12, 2018 how to write a book blurb in 4 steps the opening of your blurb has to be incredibly precise and dynamic, says editor rebecca heyman. Writing a book blurb is a little like online dating, i suppose. Aug 07, 2016 a blurb written in the same tone of the book is a blurb that makes sure perspective readers get what they want. It is time for you to go to your just right reading spot and independently read. I was about halfway through the writing of my book when i was asked to write a blurb for the back cover. When writing a novel, there are few selling tools as important as a solidly written book blurb.
Youve snagged a prospective date by your alluring cover, so now youve got to show theres more than just surface appeal. Ppt what is a book blurb powerpoint presentation free. The following blurb for paula hawkinss the girl on the train uses a tight twoparagraph structure with a catchy leadin before each, a bit of hyperbole, and a. The book was released in the united kingdom on september.
It took me ages to get the formatting right, taking the book 3 months to put together. While undercover as a student for point blanc, he is drugged. Choose save as and give your book an original filename. These four points are the most important to keep in mind on how to write a blurb. How to write a book blurb that sells not just another. In 2003, the novel was listed on the bbcs survey the big read. Your book blurb is crucial, because it helps the readers decision making process at the pos, point of sale, which is where you want them to buy your book. The main characters of this young adult, adventure story are alex rider, alan blunt. I agree with erin moures stance on this, which is that it is important to welcome a new author into the book world. Make sure you supply me with a general synopsis as well. Point blanc by anthony horowitz 9781406360202paperback. This might be due to the fact that these succinct tips are both logical and insightful a mustread for anyone wanting to write that kickass jacketcopy. Although it is only around 200 words, the book blurb will be one of the most important drivers for marketing and selling your work as an author.
Blurb, back cover copy, jacket copy, or promotional copy whatever you call it, a great book description is your second best marketing tool your cover is number one. If youve ever browsed a bookstore to find a new great novel to read, you automatically know the importance of a book blurb. The back cover blurb sells the book to the reader, once they have the book in their hand. The second mission in the number one bestselling alex rider series. This is the second book of the alex rider series by anthony. A master of the spy thriller, anthony is the only writer authorized by both the arthur conan doyle and ian fleming estates to write. I used this guide this week to write a blurb for a client and it worked a charm. And even then, youll need to redo it, because it will never be quite good enough.
We get so caught up in delivering an enthralling story or a big idea. The 5 core elements of a book blurb and why you should know. After completing his first mission with mi6, teenage spy alex rider is sent on another. Click here to download a free guide with all 20 steps. The book was released in the united kingdom on september 3, 2001 and in north america on april 15, 2002, under the alternate title point blank in 2003, the novel was listed on the bbcs survey the big read. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading writing book blurbs and synopses. The first novel, stormbreaker, was released in the united kingdom in 2000 and was adapted into a film in 2006 starring alex pettyfer.
Apr 02, 2018 below you will find a link to her post on writing the blurb, a great read for all authors. The 5 core elements of a book blurb and why you should. Point blanc, eagle strike, skeleton key, scorpia, snake head and ark angel. Write to the point is the best available guide to effective writing of nonfiction. I dont enjoy reading about the bad thing, and certainly dont approve of it i dont think the author was trying to say the bad thing was okay. 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. In 2007, it was adapted into a graphic novel, written by antony johnston, and. It has since been honed to within an inch of its life and i am really pleased with the result. The group of scientists or staff at point blanc carefully examine his body for some sort of experiment. As the bestselling author of five books, i can tell you without hesitation. How to write a blurb for your novel peter reys blog. The series comprises eleven novels, as well as six graphic novels, seven short stories, and a supplementary book. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 274 pages and is available in paperback format. It matters not only what a blurb actually says but who said it and when.
Point blanc anthony horowitz author alex rider sherlock. Then, write 12 additional sentences that explain the plot of the story in a general way. No matter if you love it or hate it, the blurb is one of the key elements which helps sell your book to new readers. Your book blurb aka online description, like your dating profile. I was all fired up, but this book made me hold my breath fo mix james bond junior with a crazy brainwashed boardingschool in france. He started writing novels filled with action, suspense, realism, and little to no humor whatsoever. For a lot of firsttime authors, i think theres an instinct to make sure readers understand everything that happened in the book s universe before the beginning of the actual story. Point blanc alex rider series investigations into the accidental deaths of two of the worlds most powerful men have revealed just one link.
For a lot of firsttime authors, i think theres an instinct to make sure readers understand everything that happened in the books universe before the beginning of the actual story. Point blank is a young adult novel by anthony horowitz. The download worked fine but what the e book conversion did was destroy my months of careful formatting, replacing my 1. At this point in the book, the experiment has not been revealed yet. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a book s contents. Fifth grade lesson the blurb on the back betterlesson. Pdf point blank book alex rider free download 274 pages.
The worst time to feel alone is when youre in a crowd. At some point im confident youve heard of the elevator pitch. Do you write your own, or get someone else to do it. Many writers find writing book blurbs really difficult. Nov 15, 2019 when you need to write a blurb for a movie, book, or other project, start by writing a clever and catchy hook that introduces some of the characters and setting of the topic. Secret weapon ever since mi6 recognised his potential, alex rider has constantly been thrust into the line of danger. Before writing your back book blurb, choose 35 of the bestselling books in your genre and make a note of stylistic similarities. Kinnells landmark the book of nightmares was published in 1971. A simple outline for writing a killer book blurb ink and. The first edition of the novel was published in 2001, and was written by anthony horowitz. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Put simply, being concise is hard, and being concise about something you know insideandout can seem downright impossible. The point blanc book left me quite literally on the side of my bed, whilst.
Point blanc is the second book in the alex rider series, written by british author anthony horowitz. Some writers find it really difficult to present their own work effectively, concisely and in a saleable manner. It is the second book in the alex rider series, and centers around a teenager who goes undercover at a prep school to investigate suspicious murders. How to write a book blurb by far, the weakest part of many selfpublished books is the synopsis found on amazon and elsewhere. How to write a blurb for your nonfiction book blurb blog. That is why crafting a book blurb, though it may turn out to be somewhat time consuming, is absolutely vital.
In this post, we tell you how to write a book blurb in five easy steps. Blurbs are the second most important selling tool you have for your book, so. Associationnielsen author of the year award, the childrens book of. How is it that a writer can write a story spanning tens of thousands of words but stumble at a 250300 word book blurb describing it. This is because writers dont really understand what a blurb is meant to do. The occult art of the poetry book blurb rachael mead. In sextons blurb, one cant help but hear an additional echo of plaths the blood jet is poetry. The only way to learn the art of writing book blurbs is by doing it, over and over and over again. Alex rider is a series of spy novels by anthony horowitz about a teenage spy named alex rider. Full blurb service, including both a shorter and full marketing blurb from a read of the manuscript. A quiz on the second book of the alex rider series. Here are some of the reasons you might need to write a book blurb. In a nonfiction book, you are selling your knowledge, your writing, and yourself, so if the blurb doesnt represent the typical language you use in your book, the reader will feel a disconnect.
These themes are essentially easily digestible nuggets boiled down from your books plot. How to write a great nonfiction book blurb from polly letofsky of my word publishing. Jul 05, 2011 blog to book eventually settles into the standard blurb bookmaking software routine, where you can move content, swap around images, play with facing pages, choose numerous layout and text combinations, etc. Jun 01, 2015 the occult art of the poetry book blurb on taking up writing it had not once occurred to me that one of the tasks of being a writer might be to come up with those concise, quippy phrases on the covers of books. Writing your book blurb is a good excuse to go a little over the top. Writers tips writing the blurb and facebook author pages. Its safe to say that a wellwritten blurb is absolutely essential to your poetry book s overall success and reputation. Its briefno more than 100150 wordsand creates interest in the story without giving away major spoilers or the ending. A potential reader looks at the blurb the same way they would look at the book itself. One blurb, two blurb, three blurb, thirty blurbs poetry.
Writing a short book blurb is not only fun, but great practice for writing promotional copy of any kind. How to write a book blurb part 3 tara sparling writes. Basically, the name of the game with a blurb is to entice readers to buy your book. So, if there were a few hundred words you should definitely spend a lot of time and energy onthese are those words. All you have to do is provide me with some information and i will write one undeniably catchy blurb. Rayne halls book will show you what to put, and not to put, into your blurb. Aim for a word count in the vicinity of 150 words 14 paragraphs. But fear not, because theres a secret science to writing the perfect book blurb.
The book won the 2004 maryland blackeyed susan book. Its the second book in the massively popular alex rider series, preceded by. 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. Jul 19, 20 writing a book blurb is a little like online dating, i suppose. Forcibly recruited into mi6, alex has to take part in grueling sas training exercises. I dont care much for writing them either though occasionally do. 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. For all intents and purposes, your publisher has written this. Point blanc alex rider book 2 and over 8 million other books are available. Your blurb will be an important part of your marketing.
Maybe this story will remind you of a time that you were. Then ensure you incorporate them into your back book jacket blurb. Link and close the minilesson by saying, readers, the blurb on the back is such a great place to get information and a overview of the characters and issues in your book. How to write the perfect blurb examples, formula, opening. How to write a book blurb trish nicholsons words in the. Without an eyegrabbing, attention holding blurb, a reader will fip right on by.
Aug 12, 2016 some writers love to write the blurb, and some cant stand this step in the publishing process. Buy point blanc alex rider by anthony horowitz isbn. I have just completed my e book in blurb s book wright software and had a big shock coming to me. It is about a caterpillar that is really hungry and all the things that he is eating. Tips on how to write a good book blurb by author tina. Therefore you want to create the best blurb you can. From a routine visit to the dentist that turns into a chase through the streets of london, to a school trip with a deadly twist, no day has ever been ordinary for the teenage superspy. 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.
We deliver three different lengths of blurbs for one price. A blurb is the description of the story found on the back cover of a book. Worse than the cover, worse than the writing in the book itself, there are a lot of blurbs on amazon that are pretty near atrocious. How to write a book blurb in 4 steps the opening of your blurb has to be incredibly precise and dynamic, says editor rebecca heyman. Blurb writing is not my forte, but this book offered a clear insight and some useful steps that i was able to work with to produce a good pass at my first blurb. At some point, anthony horowitz stopped writing tongueincheek novels with more puns than a james bond movie, dark humor, and an almost dickensian absurdity to them. Three of these book stormbreaker, point blanc and skeleton key are also published as graphic novels. Free download or read online point blank pdf epub alex rider series book. Nicholas rossis has a wonderfully informative share about turning your facebook author page into a new sales funnel for your books.
Buy point blanc by anthony horowitz from waterstones today. Mar 01, 2017 a blurb should provide key information about the books plot setting, time period, protagonists, outline the main conflict, and incorporate the books marketable themes. Fully modifiable, these templates come with different color palettes to harmonize content and. Amazon might allow 4,00o characters in the book description box, but nobody wants to wade through a long blurb. How to sell your manuscript to publishers and your indie book to readers writer s craft 19 kindle edition by hall, rayne. Review the tips for starter templates to get started. How to write an effective blurb for a selfpublished book. One of my favourite authors, enjoy all his books, adult and ya. Fiction or nonfiction basic blurb cover copyproduct description for fiction or nonfiction extended product description.
Make sure your book blurb reads like those that are selling well. To write a good blurb, you have to make it short and exciting, yet relevant. So, for me, a blurb is for first books and its use is to place the book in context. A good blurb is an essential part of selling your book, both in a bookshop and online, and will make all the difference to its success. The hard part of writing a book isnt getting published. The series is aimed primarily at teens and young adults.
The only think that i really found frustrating about horowitzs writing was his. Your book blurb must be wellwritten to get a readers attention. Anthony horowitz is one of the most successful uk writers working across many media. After this happens, alex doesnt even know what has happened yet. These succinct sales pitches are supposed to convince companies to hire you, buy your products, or utilize your services over the course of sixty seconds. If you get these right, and if youre story is any good, you will have to delve with only a small minority of enraged readers. Writing a book blurb for your back cover, and other promotional uses, is one of the hardest steps for many authors. Have something to say, and say what you mean to say as simply as you can. I am not a fan of the blurb in general, other than for first books. How to sell your manuscript to publishers and your. The original edition of point blanc first published 2001 by walker books ltd.
He has enjoyed huge success as a writer for both children and adults, most. Lets give you some guidance about what makes a good blurb, and a great one. May 07, 20 the subject of writing an effective book blurbdescription could take up an entire encyclopedia. Based on those considerations, i concluded as did many other writers and critics that book was a book worthy of endorsement. But, if you have caught a potential readers attention, the blurb is what will sell your book and convert readers. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more. Oh, and by the way, many publishing houses have the author write the blurb. But in the end, point blanc was far better than stormbreaker, because, unlike stormbreaker, point blanc had a big kickassescapescene filled with action. Start reading point blank alex rider book 2 on your kindle in under a minute. And the savvy writers blogs list thanks doris of 5 tips of how to write a blurb for your book is no exception. Full blurb service, including both a shorter and full marketing blurb from a synopsis.