by Melissa Tagg, @Melissa_Tagg
First of all, can we talk about how the word “blurb” is kinda funny? I mean, say it enough times and it sounds like you’re trying to mimic an animal. What animal, I don’t know. Nor do I know why a person would sit around saying “blurb” over and over.
But still.
Recently several friends and I helped each other out with a couple book blurbs in preparation for a contest. A few tips came to mind as we emailed back and forth, so I thought I’d share them today.
- Avoid needless descriptors.
Blurbs are meant to be brief…and punchy. And nothing pokes holes in “brief and punchy” like needless words. The usual culprits are –ly adjectives and adverbs. Many of us have already had that drilled into us, but this also comes into play in other ways.
For instance, we don’t need to know if your book is set in central Iowa. Just say Iowa and voila, you’ve saved yourself a word. Is your story about “a mysterious antique box from 1918?” Well, you can skip the word “antique” because if it’s from 1918, that’s a given.
- Follow the Hero/Heroine-Goal/Desire-Problem/Challenge Rule.
It’s true that in most cases, formulas make me want to cry. Why? Because where there is a formula, there is also likely math and/or science. *shudder* But in this case, a formula actually makes something easy!
The formula goes like this:
[Main Character]
…wants/desires/dream about
…[Main Character’s main objective in the story]
…BUT
…[What’s the biggest challenge or obstacle the character faces? What gets in the way of the objective?]
If you’ve got both a hero and heroine as POV characters, then do a paragraph for each.
Depending on the use for your blurb, your formula may stretch into three or four sentences for each POV character.
- Get someone else to write it for you.
I’m totally serious! If you’ve got a craft partner or close-knit writing group that knows your story, then ask someone else to write your blurb…or at least help you write it.
I think sometimes we are SO close to our own stories, we have so many details, layers and subplots jumbled up in our brains, that winnowing our story down into a simple blurb feels more overwhelming than it should. And while it’s true nobody else knows your story the way you do, someone on the outside looking in just might be able to drill down to the main thread. After all, they’re not bogged down by the side effects of 95,000 words.
So there you go-three tips that hit me as my friends and I worked on blurbs. Happy blurb-ing!
All This Time (Walker Family Book 4)
Bear McKinley’s past refuses to let go.Ten years ago, Bear gave up everything—his freedom and his reputation—for his mess of a family. But after years of distance and too many attempts at starting over, he finally has a new life doing noble work in Brazil . . . until his past catches up to him once again. Suddenly he finds himself back in Maple Valley, charged with the care of his missing brother’s children, convinced he’s out of second chances to make his life count. And yet, with every day that passes, these kids, this quirky town and the woman he never stopped missing help patch the holes in his heart. Maybe this is the fresh start he’s been longing for all along. But as his newfound hope grows, so does the mystery surrounding his brother’s activities—and when the threat reaches into the lives of those he loves, it’s clear he can’t run away this time.
Fear holds Raegan’s future captive.
Raegan Walker is fine. She’s happy working a slew of part-time jobs, still living in her childhood bedroom and rarely venturing from her hometown. At least, that’s what she tells everyone . . . and herself. But she can’t help wondering what might’ve happened if she hadn’t abandoned her art so many years ago—and if Bear McKinley had never left. When Bear returns and she’s commissioned for a painting that just might revive her artistic ambition all in one week, it’s time to finally reach for more than fine. But doing so means facing the fears that have held her back all this time, including admitting the secret she’s kept from Bear and her family. With her dream and her heart on the line, how much will Raegan have to risk to finally chase her happy ending?
Melissa Tagg is the author of the popular Walker Family series, the Where Love Begins series and the Enchanted Christmas Collection. She’s a former reporter, current nonprofit grant writer and total Iowa girl. Her spring 2016 release, Like Never Before, was named to one of Publishers Weekly’s Top Ten lists and her fall 2017 release, All This Time, is a Romantic Times 4.5-Star TOP PICK. When she’s not writing she can be found hanging out with the coolest family ever, watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next book. Melissa loves connecting with readers at www.melissatagg.com and on Facebook and Instagram.