If youre wondering how to do that and where to start, it involves penning multiple drafts, lots of cutting, losing your sanity, and planning your blurb with the help of these steps. A simple outline for writing a killer book blurb ink and. In the us, the history of the blurb is said to begin with walt whitmans collection, leaves of grass. An authors guide to praise and endorsement best practices. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a book s contents. It may be written by the author or publisher or quote praise from others. This is our third time ordering magazines with this company. Apr 28, 2016 the back cover copy you write for your book is among the most important marketing messages youll craft. Writing a book blurb for your back cover, and other promotional uses, is one of the hardest steps for many authors.
Consider the blurb, one of the most pervasive, longestrunning and, at. Our friends at bookbub carried out an ab test in which they sent group a a book description with a testimonial and group b a version without a testimonial. How do i cite descriptive copy or a quotation from a book. Book explains exercises much better than physical therapist instructions. How to build the back of a book cover with template. Blurbs are the second most important selling tool you have for your book, so. Blurbs are a brief description of a book typically found on the back of a. When you hear about authors being asked to blurb a book, its this endorsement theyve been asked to provide. In one of the remarkably cantfree essays at the back of the book editor hans ibelings writes, the disappearance of the compulsive tendency to construe everything in symbolic terms has not only freed the designer from an onerous duty to keep on producing meaningful architecture, but has made it possible for architects, critics and historians to view architecture differently in that things. Did you know dale carnegies book was originally published in the 1930s.
How to write a romance blurb blog author rosalind james. Gladwells blurb from michael lewiss 2014 best seller, flash boys, saying he almost picked up the book after seeing mr. She one made a rabblerousing speech in the house of commons from notes on the back of a grubby envelope, which she keeps as a. Writing a short book blurb is not only fun, but great practice for writing promotional copy of any kind. A blurb is the description of the story found on the back cover of a book. There are no templates with fullbleed options for the spine or the flaps. However, many self published authors treat it like the hellstrip in front of their house between the sidewalk and a busy street. Often the back panel or flaps are printed with biographical information about the author, a summary of the book from the publisher known as a blurb or critical praise from celebrities or authorities in the book s subject area.
The product is fine, and we havent had any problems with shipping, but not having a phone number to speak to a live human is a ridiculous decision on the part of this company. Aug, 2015 put the bulleted list in the middle of the copy you write for your back cover. I thought i would have to live with this back pain for the rest of my life. In order to promote a book, the publishers printed a resume on the dust jacket. It uses twilight as an example, but dont hold that against me. Book summary and author bio on the back of the book. Its the essence of your books most exciting features, distilled into a few hundred words. One way to write this primary reason is to present it as a question. Generally, 150200 words are more than enough for a full blurb.
Summary and synopsis are also used but, in my experience, are used only in. All books are stored locally on the computer you originally used to create the book. Instead, start writing, then rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. However, this task typically comes just when youre at your least able. Stressing the importance of individualized treatment, they discuss the process of establishing a treatment plan that is acceptable to the person with pain as well as to. So in october, i broached the topic again, this time with emily. Many dust jacket blurbs are written by the author, but there are some that are not. Popular great blurbs books meet your next favorite book. And if you have more than 80 pages in your book, this applies to softcover spines as well. To find your book on the computer you created it with, open booksmart on that computer and you should see your book in the list under open a book or open book project. A blurb is a short promotional piece accompanying a piece of creative work. This booklet gives you the best and most uptodate advice on how to deal with it, avoid disability and recover quickly. In conclusion, this is by far the best back book that i have found but still a challenge to follow all the advice. How to write a nonfiction book cover blurb for the back cover of.
The blurb is a promotional description, found on the back of the book. Blurb distinct from the back book cover blurb is this 12 line endorsement of a book by a celebrity or another author that sits on the books front cover. I have no idea and i cant seem to find the answer anywhere on the internet. Nov 18, 2016 im a published novelist, and i participate in several writing groups and online communities.
This should be broader in scope than the reasons you put in your bulleted list. Above the list, speak directly to the readers, and give them the primary reason why they should read your book. A synopsis gives away a large portion of the plot, if not all of it. This is a group for flickr members interested in or have already created their own photography book using. Bestselling briefly ranked in the top 10 of the category books by this author. The back cover of your book is prime real estate for promoting your book.
Traditionally, it would be found on the inside back cover of a hardback. Blurbs were originally printed on the back or rear dustjacket of a book, and in the s, spy ran a regular feature called logrolling in our time which exposed writers who. How to write a nonfiction book cover blurb that sells. However, the book is organized in a way that i can implement a little at a time. For the piein the sky people, your best shot is to approach their agents, and be prepared not to hear back, or to get the standard, shes not blurbing right now. The writing on a back of the cover or dust jacket is sometimes referred to as the book synopsis or blurb as much as i know youd love to read an article about dust jackets, in this article, we will dive deeper into the written matter on the back of the book cover more than the actual physical makeup of the cover itself. 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.
Malcolm gladwell hands out book blurbs like santa does. Besides the blurb there are also some other elements that are included in the back cover of the book. Your book blurb aka online description, like your dating profile. It gives a momentary glimpse into the world of the book, and it is truly momentary. How to write a fiction book cover blurb that can make your. Ive seen too many back covers that are slammed from margin to margin with text with the blurb in the largest font possible. Blurb provide multiple options for creating books, allowing you to use either their booksmart software, webbased bookify, a plug in for adobe indesign, or you can do your own thing. If you are citing descriptive copy or a quotation printed on the cover of a book, its preferable to incorporate the necessary details chiefly, the author of the copy or quotation you are citing, if known, and the source where the copy or quotation appears into the body of your text and then create a standard entry for the book in your workscited list. Blurbs own book creation tool, bookwright, is obviously capable, and its free to use, and relatively easy to learn. The back of a novel has a brief description of the story usually, what is that called. Gokaslan and lee hunter riley explain the causes and complexities of back pain and the various paths to diagnosis and treatment. Im doing an english project at school and one of the questions i have to answer is why is the blurb called a blurb.
As paperback publishing developed, readers began seeing the blurb appearing on the back cover. Keep in mind at all times the blurb is what sells the book, so. I was about halfway through the writing of my book when i was asked to write a blurb for the back cover. Youve snagged a prospective date by your alluring cover, so now youve got to show theres more than just surface appeal. How to write good blurbs and back pages for your book. Blurb is a bookmaking platform and creative community that enables individuals to create, publish, share and sell highquality photo books, trade books, magazines, and ebooks in both print and digital formats. Im a published novelist, and i participate in several writing groups and online communities. Even in the case of nonfiction titles, a good story connects with the readers instantly. Blurbs were originally printed on the back or rear dustjacket of a book, and are now found on web portals and news websites. Sep 27, 2015 whatever the old adage might warn, there is a bit of merit to judging a book by its cover if only in one respect.
Book blurb first lines for how to win friends and influence people by dale carnegie. The back of a book cover is the perfect place to put this social proof. The final step in completing this starter template is to create your front and back covers. Those few lines answer the book buyers critical question. Change the text on book spine in booksmart the title and name you enter on the front cover of your book will automatically appear on the spine of your hardcover book. How to write a back cover book synopsis pen and the pad. But, once they find a book that looks interesting, they click on it and look for the back cover to read the blurb. They are not stored on blurb s site until you upload them for ordering. Oct 16, 2014 writing the blurb for your selfpublished book is one of the privileges of being an indie author. Before writing your back book blurb, choose 35 of the bestselling books in your genre and make a note of stylistic similarities. Its the essence of your book s most exciting features, distilled into a few hundred words.
You have one shot at introducing your story to your reader make it count. This article gives you simple steps to follow to write a book blurb, and gives examples of both fiction and nonfiction back cover blurbs. Back of the book financial definition of back of the book. 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. They say they will email you back, but dont give any indication whatsoever of when that will be. Basically, the name of the game with a blurb is to entice readers to buy your book. How to referencecite the blurb of a book, not having a. Blurb length the standard length of any given blurb should be no longer than 100 words.
These include blurb booksmart, online photo book options, adobe indesign, adobe lightroom, pdfs, addins for ms word, blurb mobile or samsung story album. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more. Your blurb can usually be used as your pitch in your query letter or when you are doing an actual facetoface pitch session with an agenteditor. Its briefno more than 100150 wordsand creates interest in the story without giving away major spoilers or the ending. What should be included in the back of the book blurb. Feb 10, 2016 how to create a back book cover blurb that sells i just published a guest post which goes into this with some examples. Testimonials are incredibly persuasive in transforming potential readers into readers. Blurb is a basic service useable for basic book printing. Most people can and do deal with back pain themselves most of the time. Blurb on back of book called a blurb is a short promotional piece accompanying a piece of creative work. In addition to its promotional role, the dust jacket protects the book covers from damage. Their technical staff is obtuse and they use a biased color profile. Why is the blurb on the back of a book called the blurb. Your back of the book blurb is the second thing a potential buyer looks at after your front cover.
But fear not, because theres a secret science to writing the perfect book blurb. Can i add an image to the spine of my booksmart book. This one is from jack mamos the marriage code book, which we worked on this cover blurb is 179 words. Many authors write the book blurb as an afterthought. Well, a blurb is also a tagline that is meant to sell a productyour book. 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. What is the writing on the back cover of a book called.
Mar 30, 2019 no, booksmart does not let you place an image on the spine of your book. A blurb is for enticing a reader, giving them a little taste of what the book is about. Front and back matter in books alliance of independent. Dec 17, 2015 one person on twitter posted a photo of mr. We get so caught up in delivering an enthralling story or a big idea. But i did abandon bookwright for a much more expensive option. Nov, 2006 the official flickr community of blurb books. Blurb are a wellrenowned print on demand company, and they offer numerous book printing options, with a variety of paper types, book bindings and other options. What is the summary that is found on the back cover of a. Put simply, being concise is hard, and being concise about something you know insideandout can seem downright impossible. 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. Put the bulleted list in the middle of the copy you write for your back cover. Your blurb should spark curiosity, not lay out the entire storyline. Jul 19, 20 writing a book blurb is a little like online dating, i suppose.
The book eased all my insecurities and deepest fears about my back injury. Blurbs were originally printed on the back or rear dustjacket of a book, and. Then ensure you incorporate them into your back book jacket blurb. The blurb is a selfcontained piece of marketing, setting up the tension, leaving us with a cliffhanger, so that we are interested enough to buy the book and read on. What is the summary written on the cover at the back of a. The five s of blurb writing check these 5 awesome tips editage. Print as you go sell one copy at a time and let blurb fulfill the orders or place a large order and sell inperson. I have been a long time user but they are unable to print photo books true to the original images. Blurb definition is a short publicity notice as on a book jacket. Interesting, ive never heard of someone citing the blurb.
It typically serves as the foundation for your online book descriptions, as well as any press releases or pitches you make to the media. Jun 04, 2009 why is the blurb on the back of a book called the blurb. The 5 core elements of a book blurb and why you should know. Forget the book, have you read this irresistible story on blurbs.
That stuff, also known as a blurb, typically goes a long way in determining a potential readers likelihood of purchasing and reading your book. A book blurb, or the book jacket description, summarizes the best part of your book in only 150 words yep. I wanted to print a photo book with blurb for a long time, and finally ordered my first blurb photo book in june 2014. But with those first lines, the book description and the book itself, resonate with readers and feel just as relevant today as it was seventyfive years ago.
The back cover copy you write for your book is among the most important marketing messages youll craft. They say you cant judge a book by its cover, thats true, but remember a book s cover includes the stuff on the back. Back cover copy includes the book summary and author bio. Blurb is promotional text, generally written by the publisher. The blurb that appears on the back cover of your book, and on your. Learn how back cover copy is a powerful sales pitch to hook potential readers. How to create a back book cover blurb that sells kindlepreneur. Some are put together by the marketing team, publishing company, and editor. If youd like to learn our strategies for writing a bestselling book, then i suggest checking out our free checklist, which is the exact 46point guide weve used to sell one million copies of our books. Jan 14, 2012 black maids raise white children, but arent trusted not to steal the silver is the first line that you read on the blurb of the help and this rings through not only in the book but in history too. The cover layouts in booksmart offer a variety of templates with text containers on the spine, but image containers are only on the dust jacket flaps and front back covers. How to create a back cover blurb that sells your book. Writers use the term blurb to describe the text on the back of the book.
Oct, 2014 they say you cant judge a book by its cover, thats true, but remember a book s cover includes the stuff on the back. For nonfiction, establishing yourself as an expert and differentiating your book from the others written about the same. It should introduce your main characters, give an insight on conflict, depict genre and arouse interest. Vintage romantic tales of fright, i struggle with writing back cover copy, also known as, the blurb.
The third example shows how part of the back cover copy the author bio, in this case can show up on the inside flap of a hard cover book. The next step is grabbing the readers interest with a tempting back cover synopsis that leaves her guessing. What is the summary written on the cover at the back of a book called. Change the text on book spine in booksmart help center. Sell your book in the blurb bookstore, through amazon, or in the global retail network of over 38,000 retailers, libraries, and schools. In the days we live in, the greatest worry that people planning on getting married have is about their future relationship due to the high divorce rate.
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. A blurb is the back cover teaser that lures a reader or an agenteditor into wanting to buyread your book. How to write the perfect blurb examples, formula, opening. Big blurb hint the first thing you should do when sitting down to write.