In this book youll discover the secrets of blurb mastery. Lake superior writers is accepting entries for its annual writing contest. My 4step process for writing a nonfiction book blurb that. In order to write the best blurb possible heres what i need from you.
By all means do your own research and use your best judgment to come up with your first disclaimer draft, but never go to publication without first getting legal advice from an attorney. Nonfiction blurbs are longer because they often include bullet points with benefits and specific callstoaction. How to write good blurbs and back pages for your book. Great blurb examples for books a guide for nonfiction. How to avoid legal issues when writing and selfpublishing a true story in a memoir. Split your blurb into three sections, and write it in third person. Nonfiction book s are very different to fiction, in that they are conveying a message and the benefits the reader will receive from reading the book. How to write a book description that attracts readers. A lot of thought and research goes into writing a good blurb.
Because of the amazing quality of his book description and the fact that hes an awesome person, he has a client for life in me. The blurb is like a summary of the book unti and including the inciting incident. Protagonist, defining characteristic or inner conflict, goal, setting, antagonist, are the most important. So, heres some considerations that will help you or the person writing a blurb, write effective and compelling copy. Your backofthe book blurb is the second thing a potential buyer looks at after your front cover. Glenna offers writing workshops and is the creator of mastering the art of writing the catchy fiction book blurb for indieself published authors. Then, and only then, write the manuscript that fulfills the promise. Either fortunately or unfortunately, theres no single correct way. The first paragraph of your blurb is where you tell the reader the benefits of reading your nonfiction book. If you think you have a book inside you, this is what you need to know. Here are some basic rules of the road that i recommend.
The blurb is not just the text printed on a book s back cover. Fair use and copyright and what every writer, selfpublisher. Oct 27, 2014 before you write be sure you understand memoir writing legal issues. That elusive quest to capture 100,000 words and years of work in 100150 words. To each genre their own, one thing to keep in mind when it comes to writing book. Lets go over the structure, formula, and some tips for writing a good book blurb.
Besides, you have loads to offer, and writing like yourself will only make your words more authentic and impactful. This free download is here to help protect yourself and others from the start, learn more. How to write a back cover blurb for nonfiction pages. How to write a blurb for your nonfiction book blurb blog.
But there are a few tricks to making your blurb a successful part of your book s marketing. One or two pages of information about your book is perfect. If youre here, you likely have a book idea or maybe a few. Jul 17, 2019 to simplify the blurb writing process, we need to understand that there are two types of nonfiction books. How to write sales copy for the back of your nonfiction book by on 020420 with comments 0 if youre working on your first book, you will inevitably have to sit down and write the sales copy that appears on the back of your book also known as jacket copy. Writing creative nonfiction how to stay safe and legal. To order presentationready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers visit. Im writing to ask if you would like to write a brief blurb for my new book book title. Hillbilly elegy is a passionate and personal analysis of a culture in crisisthat of white workingclass americans. If you have a story youre itching to tell but dont feel confident in your writing, check out this guide to improving your writing. Its important to keep in mind that the blurb must hook the reader, while not giving away any spoilers. Below are a couple of screenshots of the amazon page for both a fiction and nonfiction book.
If youre working on your first book, you will inevitably have to sit down and write the sales copy that appears on the back of your book also known as jacket copy. For nonfiction, the blurb generally summarizes the content, not focusing on attentiongetting. How to write sales copy for the back of your nonfiction book. With a new description, facebook ad, and amazon ads, youll be able to send higher converting traffic to your sales page or your mailing list. Some people argue that the front covers job is to sell the back. Basic law says that if you create it then you own it. How to write a book blurb for fiction that sells not just. The back cover blurb differs from a proposal, which is the detailed outline you write to sell your nonfiction book to an agent or publisher.
As a special bonus, well throw in a text for 10 amazon ads and a facebook ad version of your description copy. Aug 02, 2020 blurb writing tips you can apply the above structure to pretty much any type of book. 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. Any copy for a nonfiction book must address and acknowledge where your readers have come from, where they are now, and where you are going to take them. How to write a back cover blurb for a nonfiction book. Fiction vs nonfiction book blurbs whats the difference. Understating legal terms and definitions can be tricky, which is why weve put it together in an easytofollow download with simple. However, many self published authors treat it like the hellstrip in front of their house between the sidewalk and a busy street. If youre looking for a lot of great nonfiction book blurb examples, youve come to the right place. Contrary to popular belief, blurbs are only created to pique someones interest, to hook them strongly enough to compel them to pick up a copy of your book. A straight biography is one thing, but stories thrive on the little moments and there are times when you simply wont have the information for. I have written thousands of back cover, inside flap, e book page book descriptions and author bios for fiction and nonfiction books. How to create a back book cover blurb that sells kindlepreneur.
Jun 05, 2020 keep the blurb to around 250 words max, if possible, slightly shorter. Heres a short blurb template you can use or model for your book. A fiction book blurb, on the other hand, should convey atmosphere, specify its genre, and indicate what kind of book it is massmarket or literary fiction. Youre striving for a nonbiased voice thats simply giving information. Mar 10, 2019 is writing a cover blurb for a nonfiction book different than writing one for a novel. If youre in need of a book description blurb for your e book or print book, place your order today. Great blurb examples for books a guide for nonfiction authors. So here are seven elements you should consider before writing your nonfiction blurb. Early rate through december 4 my fifth book is going through final edits as i t. Nonfiction can be divided easily into two categories. Chances are, you will write a better book if you let the blurb guide you. What need will it fullfill, or what question will it answer.
If youve ever browsed a bookstore to find a new great novel to read, you automatically know the importance of a book blurb. Next write about the situation or hitch that makes change inevitable. Youve spent hundreds of dollars on book covers and editing. The testimonial is a brief blurb by someone who has read the book and has found help or satisfaction by reading your book. Discover how to write a nonfiction book and suggested practices for success. Be sure to make each section short with 23 sentences maximum in each.
Stories include biographies and historical accounts. Literary fiction blurbs can be a little longer up to 250 words at most. Write an effective blurb for a nonfiction book proof. There is a big difference between writing a cover blurb for a novel and writing one for nonfiction. Beth bacon, an awardwinning author and marketer, suggests this formula for writing a fiction book blurb. How to write the perfect blurb examples, formula, opening. How to write a nonfiction book cover blurb that sells. You usually have to catch the readers interest within the first sentence for them to continue reading the blurb. While fiction writers often use a basic outline and then go wherever the story and characters take them, nonfiction takes careful planning before. May 23, 2018 the back page of your book is the next thing your buyer will see after picking it up from the shelf, so having a blurb which sells is just as important as having a great book cover design. And today were going to be talking all about blurbs and hooks and you know, how you write good book descriptions that make your reader buy the. 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. These true stories of murder, paranoia, and grisly histories prove reality is scarier than fiction. A blurb is the marketing copy found on the back cover of a physical book or in the book description found in online bookstores.
It seems a simple enough task to write a paragraph about oneself, and simpler still for a real writer. Blurbs for nonfiction books are very different to those for fiction, in that they convey a message and the benefits the reader will receive from reading the book. How to write back cover blurb for your nonfiction book. An endorsement is usually a succinctlyworded paragraph by someone, whose authority the reader will recognize, who reads your book and agrees that you are qualified to write this particular book. Get a professionally written book blurb that will sell more. Topicbased book categories are howto, selfhelp, academic, anecdote or quote collections, academic, bigidea, and sometimes lyric essay. The five s of blurb writing check these 5 awesome tips. Jul 14, 2016 a simple guide to writing the blurb of a book. For authors who havent had to do this before, it can feel like a bit of. How are you supposed to condense an entire novel into a few lines or paragraphs. Learn how to write a powerful and compelling blurb for your nonfiction book. Corys the coeditor of boing boing and the author of little brother, a teen sci fi adventure set in san read full profile one of my role models is cory doctorow. If this is your first time writing a book, youll need to not only thoroughly research your topicpulling together different details and opinions and combining them with your ownbut also your genre, your structure, and other books like yours in your market. In the secret, she explains with simplicity the law that is governing all lives.
Standard nonfiction disclaimer for copyright page with. Bio, if you want to tell your reader about yourself as a fiction writer then keep the bio to a page within your book the reader will normally expect to see this at the back of your book, your bio is more of a sales tool for nonfiction. Book cover express advises that on print books, there should only be 250300 words. Lets look at how to make your nonfiction cover blurb sell your book. The back cover of your book is prime real estate for promoting your book. At least half of the time it takes to write a nonfiction book is spent on research.
Nonfiction book blurb needs to spell out what the whole beginning to end of the book is about, and where the reader will be taken, the answers they will get. Make it so droolworthy that everybody will want to buy a copy of your book. These nonfiction stories range from a family surviving a hurricane and the life of a cook. And if youre successful at landing prepublication press, of course you can pick out the best line for the book jacket. Sep 18, 2019 and this is our show of the month where we look at some principles of writing long form books and compare the theme of the month when youre writing fiction versus when youre writing nonfiction. How to get book blurbs, endorsements, and testimonials from. The most inspirational books are often true stories.
How to write a killer query letter for selfhelp and how. On the other hand, if youre writing fiction, readers want to know whether your book will entertain them. There are no hard and fast rules about the word count. The process is exactly the same as writing a blurb for a fiction book, although the blurb will focus on selling the benefits of the book to the potential reader and how the book will help them if they buy it, rather than trying to hook them into a story. There is a big difference between writing a cover blurb for a novel and writing a cover blurb for non. Heres a rough template of how your blurb should go. As mentioned previously, a book blurb is a brief description of your book. This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only.
If youre an entrepreneur who has been through the ringer in life or business and willing to share, selfpublishing can be powerful. Below youll find examples of book blurbs in each of seven popular bestselling nonfiction categories on amazon, followed by my analysis 1 genre. Unchecked boilerplate disclaimers taken from other books or from the internet will likely prove ineffective in court because no two nonfiction books are the same. How to write a blurb for your fiction book self publishing lab. How to get book blurbs, endorsements, and testimonials. Its about insert 12 sentence synopsis of your book. This is where you write the email script youll use to ask for a blurb. How to write a blurb for your nonfiction book self.
Because of the short length, writing a book blurb can be difficult. Heres how to write a nonfiction book cover blurb that can really sell your book. People are like sea glass, the longer and harder they are tossed around, the more beautiful they are. Ive written blurbs for my nonfiction books and abstracts for numerous scholarly articles, but composing a blurb for my first novel, psychotropics, presented unique challenges. Yet, simple though it seems, many writers have difficulty writing a bio blurb that does not have the side effect of producing heavy. When a teacher or anyone else asks you to write a book summary, he or she is requesting that you read a book and write a short account that explains the main plot points, characters and any other important information in your own words. Standard nonfiction disclaimer for copyright page with examples. How to write a fiction book cover blurb that can make your. How to write a nonfiction book cover blurb that sells youtube. Are you an advisor whos thought about writing a book. Writing a nonfiction book is different than fiction, which is why i decidedas a 6time bestselling authorto teach you how to write a nonfiction. So, if there were a few hundred words you should definitely spend a lot of time and energy onthese are those words.
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