#bookblurbs

After this week, I will have published 3 novels.  I feel comfortable with most parts of the writing process:  I have a wealth of ideas I'd be happy to explore.  I'm happy with my outlining process.  I have not had issues finding my voice or organizing the narrative.  I can stay on a writing schedule, ensuring that I get my pages down.  I have an editor I trust and a graphic designer who impresses me. But the one part of the process where I've yet to find confidence is Blurb Crafting.

Each novel has a description, a preview, meant to persuade potential readers to open the book.  Or perhaps to one-click buy it.  This is the blurb.  I've never liked blurbs or previews.  I don't like knowing anything about a story when I begin.  I prefer to let the story teller have complete freedom, free from any expectations I might've garnered from an overzealous preview.  But I know I'm in the minority here, and few people will buy a book without knowing something about it.

As a result, I've had trouble crafting a blurb for each of my 3 novels.  This is an area in which I MUST improve if I'm to sell books.

So I did a lot of research and a lot of blurb reading in preparation for writing the blurb to my upcoming book.  Here are key things I learned, which I think are vital to a successful blurb:

*  The blurb must establish genre.  Many readers need to know what sort of book they are getting themselves into.  Readers are less concerned with the monetary investment, anywhere from $1-$15.  But they are concerned with the time investment.  Readers do not want to spend weeks reading a book that does not fit into a genre they typically like.  So the blurb must identify the genre so that it can find its proper readers.

*  The blurb should hint at the style of the book.  Is it a quirky story with fun characters?  Or is it a dark story with serious characters.  Readers have moods too, and a blurb should reveal a book's mood so that a connection can be made.  It can be off-putting to a reader to be in a playful mood, only to open a serious book with a depressing agenda.

*  Be succinct.  This is tough.  I once compared a blurb to explaining why someone married his/her spouse in only one sentence.  A book is a complex thing, and a blurb is meant to whittle it down into a short paragraph.  Though it's not easy, it's imperative to keep the blurb concise.  Some readers will be turned off of a long description, thus knocking your book from consideration before it's even had a chance.

*  The blurb should introduce the main character.  We like books because we can relate to the characters.  Nothing will keep us turning pages like a character we care about.  So, let's meet this intriguing character.  As soon as possible.  First impressions are important, so make sure your character is dressed accordingly...

*  Don't give away too much.  This is the biggest problem I have with film previews.  Too many previews reveal the major plot points, which can diminish the affect of the story.  When I was a kid, I remember seeing the preview for Jurassic Park.  It showed a storm, a dark forest, a footprint, and the roar of a T.Rex.  That was it.  And that was all that was needed to get me into a theater to see the movie.