Why You Should Write A Book Blurb (and some tips on how to do that)

Since I am on a youth retreat this weekend, the lovely Hannah agreed to guest post for me! After you read her awesome post below, don't forget to enter the giveaway of GO TEEN WRITERS I have going on. :D

Hi everybody! I am so excited and honored to get to talk to you all today. Katie is an amazing and wonderful author/human (but I'm sure you are already aware of this) and I am so happy she gave me this opportunity to stretch out in the blogging community and give you some (hopefully) beneficial advice. Because, like, me posting on her blog? WOW. I'm a newbie and she's a blogger QUEEN so. 

*is very excited and humbled and flattered*

On with the post!

We all know that dreaded question. The moment one of our friends figures out we are a writer, it never lingers too far behind in the suddenly terrifying conversation.

"So, what's your book about?"

Uh-oh. 

If you're anything like me, you'll have that moment of crisis. What is my book about anyway? Drat -- what's my MC's name again? I only spent three hundred and seventy-two pages with him. How could I forget this? Oh no. They're staring at me. They're waiting for me to say something, aren't they? But how on God's sweet earth am I supposed to explain to this mortal the extent of my pure geniusness?

As writers, I'm sure you can all sympathize with this scenario. We want to tell our friends what we're writing, but when the chance comes, the word get all mixed up. We want to tell them what our book is about ... without making it sound like a lame Lord of the Rings wannabe or some cliche paperback you found in the free bin outside a thrift store.

But, you see, it doesn't have to be a 'dreaded question.' In fact, it can become something you actually look forward to.

How is this possible? 

I'm glad you asked. 

You only have to do one little thing. (Granted, it's a hard thing. But it's still just one Thing and that's not as scary as a bunch of Things.)

You must write a book blurb.



When you pick up a novel and flip it over -- that's the book blurb. (unless you have a hard back. Then the book blurb is on the jacket's front flap once you open the book) The summary of your novel that is (usually) two to three paragraphs long. It can also be called a back cover copy of a write-up. But. They're all the same thing.

NOTE: A book blurb is not a synopsis. A synopsis is a whole different ball game(writer game? paper game? eh. you get the point).



In case you're still having doubts about why you should write on of these (they're hard to write, after all) here are a few reasons to convince you of how amazing they are. (if you're already convinced, feel free to skip them)

It's a super easy way to tell someone what your book is about.

I love it when someone asks and I can just say, "Oh here, I have a blurb on my phone. Let me just ..." and then I pull up my notes app and they can just read it and I don't even have to say a word. The blurb speaks for itself. And, nine times out of ten, (whether they're sincere or not) they'll look up at me when they're done and say, "that sounds really cool!" And I can just let out a long breath and relax. There's no stuttering through a brief and terrible summary where I say "um" and "like" a gazillion times and manage to make my fantasy sound like a cheesy cliche mess.

If you're dealing with an online friend, then it's also such a relief. You can just copy it from the notes app into your message and they can read it like *snap*

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It earns you some respect, especially with writers.

You ask, "What's your book about?" and then wait. And then -- whoa. you mean you actually have a blurb? And it reads well? WOW.

Writing a blurb -- and writing a good one -- is so critical not only because it sums up your book in a quick and easy way, but because it shows them you have a good idea and you can write well. if you stumble through an explanation of what your novel is about, there's a good chance you'll give them the wrong idea about your story and they'll think you can't write. But a well-polished blurb tells them, yes you do write well and yes, this idea is a good one.

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It's a really good way to get beta readers.

I am only on the second draft of my WIP, and already I've gotten several people that I don't even know ask if they can beta for me. Why? Because, after seeing a collage or snippet from my story, they asked what it was about and I gave them my blurb. And what's more, they liked it. And they wanted to read the book that it belonged to. I'm not sure when I'll formally ask for betas, but when I do, I know for sure I'll need a blurb. 

And there will probably come a time for all of you when you will need betas. And what will you need to give them?

A blurb.

I encourage you to write a blurb sooner rather than later. You'll have to do it eventually, whether you get beta readers or not (and, um, you really should get them). So why not get it over with and just write it now?

"But it's hard," you might whine. "How am I supposed to write a good one?" 

Well. I am by no means an expert on this subject, but I'd like to think that I can offer some sound, logical advice.

Tip 1: WRITE IT NOW.

Yeah. Now. Like, right now. Tear yourself away from my captivating words (ha) and go write a blurb (I dare you). Go make a word document or pull out your journal or whatever, and write. a. blurb. Don't tell me you don't know how. You've read them before. Just write it how you've read them. If you do it wrong, who cares? You can just edit it or rewrite it entirely if necessary.

NOTE: You can write a blurb at any point in the story making process. You can write it when you get the idea. You can write it before you get the idea. (Although that would be rather difficult...) You can write it after the first draft, or during it. Just write it. Wherever you are, even if you think you don't know enough about your story to write one yet, try. Besides, if you have an idea for your book, you should be able to do it. After all, the blurb is supposed to be what the book is about. If you have the idea, you can write at least a rough paragraph to start yourself off.

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Tip 2: USE THE INCITING INCIDENT.

The inciting incident is your key to hooking readers: that Something that happens in the first couple of chapters that starts the story off, that sends your character on a journey. The big Thing that the book is all about.

Use it. It's sort of a spoiler (only sort of), but that's how you're going to hook your readers. They'll find out about it soon enough in the book anyway. Give a little backstory (just enough for the readers to know what kind of character they're going to be dealing with and the other absolute essentials.) and then hurl that big Thing to pique their interest.

ANOTHER NOTE: the inciting incident, let me clarify, is the event that changes your character's normal world. It's the event that kicks the story into action and it usually happens by the end of the second or third chapter.

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Tip 3: HINT AT LATER ACTION.

So. We already know the Big Thing that happens. That's the prompt. Our character has to make a decision: to go or to stay? To flee or to face? To submit to the rules ... or to fight?

Stuff happens after the inciting incident, and you want to hint at that in as vague and non-spoilery a way as possible. 

A REALLY IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT, I repeat, DO. NOT. SPOIL THINGS THAT DON'T HAPPEN TILL THE END OF THE BOOK.

LIKE.

PLEASE.

JUST. DON'T. DON'T DO IT.

If you don't have an interesting enough inciting incident to hook your readers with, you need to rethink your story and its structure. If your character gets diagnosed with cancer in the middle of the book, do not tell the readers this in an attempt to hook them. I read a book once whose blurb spoiled the Climax of Act Three, and for the whole book I was just waiting for the Thing it said would happen to happen. But ... it didn't. Until the. very. end. (Well, not the VERY end, but basically.)

The blurb is supposed to kick off with the inciting incident, and give a brief description/teaser of how the character is going to handle this and what they're going to do about it. If your character gets sick in the middle of the book, you can hint at that in the blurb. But don't tell them outright. 

PLEASE. I BEG YOU.

EHHHEM. Enough of that. #rantover

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Tip 4: DON'T MAKE IT HARDER (or longer) THAN IT NEEDS TO BE.

Seriously. Writing a book is hard, but so is writing a book. If you can write a book, I think you can handle a blurb. ;) Don't psyche yourself up about it. Just do the Thing, and be your amazing, awesome self. After you write it, send it off to your writer pall(s) for opinions and (if needed) a critique.

Katie popping in. I recieved Hannah's permission to insert her awesome blurb. You can all "oooooh" and "ahhh" over it and see how she worked her tips in. She wants to note that this is before editing the second draft so plot things can change, but IT'S A VERY AMAZING BLURB THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO READ HER NOVEL. Which is good. ;)

THE THIEF'S CONSPIRACY BLURB:

Born and raised in captivity, slavery is all Rissa has ever known. Obeying her Owner, for fear of her brother and sister's lives, she's never dared to attempt escape. But when her deaf little sister, more a daughter to Rissa than their own treacherous mother, is sold, everything changes. Rissa has only a week to find a way to free her, before it is too late.

Aster is soon to be King, but he is less free than anyone. Trapped in a dirty game of tricks and lies in a castle where no one will leave him be, he has no idea who he can trust. He's become responsible for a land full of problems, but all he truly cares about is finding the people behind the assassination of his family.

Two worlds collide, and the two form an unexpected team. Can a slave and a prince solve the mystery of the assassinations? Together, they must combine their knowledge and skills and put everything to the test as they attempt to thwart the thief's conspiracy.

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And that's it for today! Congrats if you read through this to the end. Have some coffee. *hands out big bags of coffee beans and mugs of fresh coffee*

Thanks again, Katie, for letting me blab on your lovely blog. Toodles! *waves fingers and skips away*

// hannah 

Thank you so much, Hannah! <3 I love this post -- you shared some super amazing tips and reasons! Make sure to go visit and follow Hannah's amazing blog: Ink Blots and Coffee Stains. She posts every Saturday (like meee!), and they're all worth reading.

(psst, one more reminder to go enter the giveaway for the Go Teen Writers book!)

Also, Hannah will be answering comments today, so make sure to leave her some comment love. ;)

Have you written a blurb for your novel? Is it easy for you (haaaa) or hard?

// follow hannah's blog!