Writing a 'blurb' for your story

Writing a blurb is probably about ten times harder than writing a synopsis, but back-cover blurbs are one of your main selling tools. In my case, I’d say that it’s the blurb (rather than the cover) that influences my decision to buy or not to buy.

 

First of all, go into your local bookstore – or, even easier, open the Amazon site – and look at the blurbs of the same genre books as yours. What attracts you to a book? What puts you off? What clues did the blurb give you about the characters and the setting? Did it give you too much information, or not enough?

 

Here I’m going to talk about the blurb for romance novels, since that is what I write. Blurbs for thrillers, science fiction, paranormal etc may be different, of course.

 

When I was writing romance in the sixties and seventies, the publisher wrote the blurb for me. My first novel had this back-cover blurb:

 

Christine thought it was too good to be true when Don Bowden, whom she had loved for so long, confessed that he felt the same way about her. It was too good to be true ...

 

Short, but straight to the point – and, of course, it raises an immediate question in the reader’s mind. Why was it too good to be true?

 

The setting for this story wasn’t mentioned in the blurb because, in this case, it didn’t form a pivotal part of the story. The two main characters were teachers but they could quite well have been in any other profession, since the emphasis was on the relationship between them and not on the setting.

 

In my second novel, however, the setting was paramount to the story, and this was reflected in the blurb, which was longer this time:

 

Janet Harris and Philip Morton were on opposite sides of the fence. The future of Janet's beautiful Lakeland village home was at stake, and she put the blame squarely on Philip. Falling in love with each other should have been the solution. But somehow it only complicated an already tense situation. Then Fate took a hand. But was it too late?

 

Even though it’s over forty years since those blurbs were written, this is one occasion where things haven’t changed much over the years. Blurbs continue to be the ‘sales’ pitch, and should arouse curiosity. You’re seducing the reader and persuading them to buy your book. Give enough to whet the appetite, and don’t give too much away.

 

For romance novels, the blurb needs to concentrate on the characters—who they are, the first major ‘plot point’ of the story, and what stands in the way of their happiness together. If the setting or their occupations are a contributory part of the challenges or conflicts facing them, then these get a mention too. The blurb should also leave the reader asking questions (even if you have to spell it out for them!).

 

This is the blurb I wrote for ‘His Leading Lady’:

 

Jess Harper’s predictable life is turned upside down when she discovers that Lora, her twin sister, has disappeared. It’s just a week before rehearsals are due to start for a new West End musical in which Lora has the lead role. Jess decides to pose as her sister in order to save Lora's career, and this brings her into close contact with arrogant theatre director Kyle Drummond. Attraction sparks between them but there’s also evidence that he had been dating Lora. So is Jess simply a substitute – in real life as well as in the show? And what will happen when Lora eventually returns?

 

Two years on from when I wrote this, I can already see ways I could improve it! But the salient points are there – characters, first plot point, reference to the setting/occupations, the potential conflict(s), and finally, the question.

 

Basically, the blurb ‘leads’ the readers into the story, but without giving too much away, and provides a ‘hook’ which hopefully will leave them wanting to know more.

 

Here's the blurb for my latest release, Changing the Future:

 

 

How do you write your blurbs?

 

Six of my Favourite Places

I have been to so many amazing places, especially in the 15 years since I took (early) retirement. Places I thought I’d never see, places which surprised me, places which seemed so familiar because I’d seen so many photos of them, and places which made a lasting impression on me.

Impossible to pick out any six ‘best’ so I’ve decided to list some of the places I’ve used in my stories, which happen to be among my favourite places.

1. The English Lake District.

This was the setting for Fragrance of Violets and, to a lesser extent for Changing the Future, and it’s also where my current ‘work in progress’ is set. I love this area which is about 70 miles from where I live. Beautiful scenery, with the lakes and mountains, and so familiar too, as I went up there a lot over a period of about 30 years when we had a caravan there. The Langdale Valley is my favourite spot, although sitting on the shore of Coniston Water with a large ice-cream comes a close second.

2. Paris

Abbey joined Jack there for a weekend in Fragrance of Violets. I first went to Paris when I was 18, and have lost count of how many times I have been there since. It really is a beautiful city, seen best (in my opinion) from a bateau mouche on the Seine. And, of course, there are all the pavement cafes where you can sit for as long as you want. Ideal for people watching!

3. New York City

Lisa and Paul have two days in NYC in Changing the Future. New York is one of those places that always seems familiar because, of course, you see it so much in movies but I’ll never forget the first time I was there (in 1980). We walked along 59th Street from our hotel and reached a road junction where the street sign said ‘Broadway’. I could hardly believe I was standing on THE Broadway! Since then I’ve been to NYC several times, but it’s always as exciting as it was that very first time.

4. Egypt

My next release (in November), Her Only Option, is set here and the story was inspired by the Nile Cruise I did in October 2010. Although I’d been to Cairo just for a day about 20 years ago, I always wanted to see Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, so my 2010 trip was the culmination of a long-held dream. I felt I had travelled back in time when I was in the Valley, seeing all the tombs of the Pharaohs, so that’s where my hero works. The other awe-inspiring place was the Abu Simbel temples on the shores of Lake Nasser. Sunrise there was an experience I shall never forget – and of course I took my hero and heroine there.

5. London

London is the setting for His Leading Lady, especially the area known as the West End, which is the theatre district (equivalent to NYC’s Broadway). I first visited London when I was seven and remember being so excited when I heard Big Ben strike the hour. At the time, in the pre-television era, I had only heard Big Ben on the radio. Since then, I’ve been to London dozens of times but, like Paris and NYC, it always seems ‘special’. I love its tourist sights, especially the 1000-year-old Tower of London and Westminster Abbey where history seems to come alive.

6. Ireland

I haven’t set any of my novels here (yet!), but I’m including it because it featured in the first story I wrote when I returned to writing fiction about 6 years ago. I was a fan of ‘The West Wing’ and discovered the world of fan-fiction. A chance comment from a friend set me off on writing a fan-fiction story about Jed and Abbey (the President and First Lady), which I set in Ireland. As a direct result, I went to the west coast of Ireland in 2007, and have been back a dozen times since then. I love Ireland’s scenery and heritage, not forgetting, of course, the REAL Irish pubs, and the friendliness of the people. One day I will set one of my contemporary romances there.

A Great Read

I have only one thing I want people to connect with my name as an author – a great read.   

If my readers consider I’ve given them that, then I shall know I got it right.  A heroine with whom they can empathise, a hero they can fall for, plus enough twists and turns in the plot to keep them reading until the believable and satisfying happy ending. 

And that’s why I was delighted to receive this email last Saturday from one of my American ‘West Wing fan’ friends who has read my fan-fiction stories in the past.  I can rely on her to give an honest opinion and, bless her, she must have been one of the first to download a copy of ‘His Leading Lady’.  With her permission, I quote from her email to me:

“I had to stay home today while we were dealing with plumbing problems. So I finished reading your story. It was a great read. (hip hip hooray!) The deeper I got into the story, I was kind of hoping that I wouldn't be called to help with the plumbing (I wasn't much) because I wanted to see how things ended. I've not read any books in the romance genre before, but I was assuming that there'd be a happy ending :-) so I was just enjoying all the obstacles you were throwing in front our heroine and wondering how you were going to work things out.

So congratulations with this novel and I look forward to your next one. I can't believe I have to wait more than 6 months.”

My first 'review' – and I’m over the moon!  A great read – that’s exactly what I want people to say about me and my stories! J