By Andrea C. Neil

Writing a kick-a$$ blurb is easier than you think

You’ve written your book and polished it with your editor (or editors, in our case!). You’ve done your research on your comps and nailed your cover, and you’re ready to upload your files and self-publish your masterpiece. But wait a sec! Did you spend any time crafting the perfect blurb?

A “blurb” can go by different names, such as “back cover blurb” or simply “book description.” It’s the explanation shoppers will see on the back cover if they pick up your book in a book shop, or the copy they’ll see if they’re checking your book out on their favorite retailer’s website. Other than your cover, it’s arguably the most important part of turning browsers into buyers. So in order to help you stick the landing, we want to share some things you want to be sure show up in your blurb.

But first, let’s go over a few good ground rules to keep in mind as you craft your winning blurb.

Start with a logline.

Can you sum up your story in three sentences? This is a great way to write your blurb. (Some writers even craft their logline before they write a single sentence of their manuscript!) If you find yourself saying “Well, it’s complicated here,” you might not be as clear on what your story is about as you think you are.

Short is better.

Try to keep your blurb to less than 300 words. Sure, there are always exceptions, but it’s probably not your book. The clearer and quicker you can lay out the premise of your book, the better. Think of how short people’s attention spans are these days! If you stick to the guidelines below, keeping your blurb short and sweet shouldn’t be a problem.

A blurb is not a rehashing of your entire plot.

If a reader wants to know all about your characters and what they go through, they’ll buy the book. A blurb’s job is to tell prospective buyers why they should read all about your characters and their journey. You do not have to put very much of your plot into your blurb. What? You read that right.

Keep reading for four simple tips on how to do all this.

Tip #1: Give us a clear picture of your main character.

You’d think this would be a given, right? Wrong! “Clear picture” is not the same as “I need to tell you everything about this person and what they’ve been through when the story starts.” Clear picture means a sentence or two, not a summary of their backstory or a complete explanation of where the story starts out.

Here’s an example from a real-life book blurb—it’s the first paragraph in a 214-word blurb:

Retired super-spy Delphine Lougheed is nothing if not gracious, especially when family comes to town. So when Marge Flanders—the mother of her son-in-law and possible former jewel thief—announces she and her new boyfriend Willard are visiting Southern California for a trip to Disneyland, Delphine offers to pick them up from the airport.

From this first paragraph, we know our MC is a retired super-spy and she’s got family coming to town. Said family member might be a jewel thief, but is this the only problem Delphine is facing? Let’s see…

Tip #2: Give us a clear explanation of the problem.

Your main character is going to have to go up against some sort of problem or obstacle that is in direct opposition to their personality. It’s something that will challenge their (false) beliefs. Be sure to make sure this description comes from a 30,000-foot viewpoint. Just the basics of the problem, which should be able to be summed up in a sentence or two.

So in our example blurb, what is Harold up against? Here is part of the second paragraph of the blurb:

But Willard disappears without a trace right after deplaning, and Marge’s vacation turns from fun to frantic quicker than you can say “giant diamond.” Delphine would rather skip it all and go ballroom dancing, but now she must use the skills she honed during decades of espionage to help track Willard down.

OH NO! Not only does Delphine have to host visitors who might not be on her favorite people list, now she’s got a missing person to deal with. And what will happen if she fails to help Marge? Let’s see…

Tip #3: Show us what the stakes are and what your main character stands to lose.

Let us know why it’s crucial for your main character to succeed in her mission. Sometimes these stakes can be external—a bomb might go off—or internal or personal—revenge or embarrassment, say. But this piece of the puzzle is important to tell your readers about. They want to know why your story matters.

Here’s more of our example blurb:

She (Delphine) enlists the help of friend and fellow former super-spy Kenji Yamamoto, and the three of them set off for the not-so-seedy underbelly of Orange County.
In the process of tracking down Willard, the trio discovers the love of Marge’s life may not be who she thought he was. Worse, if they can’t locate him, she’ll end up having to pay—literally—for his transgressions.

We can (hopefully) assume the good guys win over the bad guys, and Willard is found. But how do the characters change?

Tip #4: Hint at how your main character might be changed by the end.

As when writing the whole book, the last part of your blurb could mirror the first part. Or at least hint at what lessons your main character has learned; how they’ve been changed by the experience. You don’t need to explain what happens, just give the reader a little taste of how satisfying your ending is.

Here’s the last piece of our example blurb:

On the lookout for senior swimsuit influencers, inept bookies, and alimony-seeking biker ex-wives, Delphine, Kenji, and Marge search for their missing person. But they just might uncover far more: the realization that it’s never too late to find love, adventure … and lifelong friends.

Yay, our satisfying ending!

Now you’ve got all the ingredients to write a perfect blurb.

However, if you’re not sure you’re ready to try it all on our own and would like some hand-holding, you’re in luck—Two Birds now has a solution…

Two Birds Blurb Coaching is here!

We’ll take you through the steps of writing a superb blurb by offering email access to our blurb coach (that’s Andrea), two rounds of revisions, and—this is the best part—HOMEWORK! That’s right, you’ll be assigned homework. Don’t worry, it doesn’t involve math, you will be fine.

By the end of your personalized coaching, you’ll have written an amazing book blurb and will have the tools to do it over and over again. Of course we’re happy to work with you on every blurb you write, but we also love providing writers like you with skills that can be used for al lifetime.

Want to know more? Contact us through our website and we’ll be happy  to answer any questions you have and get you started on your homework!

*If you’re curious what book the example blurb comes from, it’s “Gone Grandpa” by Andrea