《How to Write Stories People Will Love》Question 11: How to write a blurb
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asks: How can you create a good blurb for your story, one that will draw the reader in without giving too much or too little away?
First, a bit of definition. A blurb refers to to the story description on the back cover of a printed book. Here on Wattpad, it's called "Description". Sometimes I hear the word "summary" thrown around, but that has a different meaning in the publishing world. A summary outlines the plot of the story without trying to entice readers. Literary agents sometimes request this to get a feel for where your story is going.
The structure of most blurbs is typically as follows:
1. Quick sentence or two about Main Character's current life.
2. Another sentence or two about what changes (the inciting incident).
3. New paragraph about the complications/conflict that arise from this (this piques our interest).
4. What obstacles must be overcome (this makes us feel for the character).
5. OPTIONAL: What happens if Main Character doesn't overcome them (the stakes), OR hint at a plot twist or even bigger issue looming on the horizon.
Of course, not all blurbs follow this structure, but most have these elements in them.
I'm no expert on writing blurbs, but to see some good examples, browse some actual published blurbs on GoodReads or Amazon. If you're not sure what to search for, try looking up a few books that I've enjoyed: Tell Me Three Things, Open Road Summer, and Starflight. Don't look up books that have been turned into movies, because those blurbs have been altered to include movie references, and also shortened because they no longer need to draw an audience with story details.
I actually hear this a lot, and some folks here even go as far as to recommend keeping the details vague so as to make it more "mysterious". What happens when you opt for a vague description is it starts sounding like hundreds of other stories we've seen before. It's okay if your story is similar, because it's the details that separate it from the others. This is why we need some details in the blurb.
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I'll use Star Wars as an example so you can see what I'm talking about (neither of these are official Star Wars descriptions. It's just me winging it):
VAGUE - Luke must learn how to master the mysterious Force before he can save the galaxy from the evil Empire. Can he do it?
SPECIFIC - Luke's boring farm life is turned upside-down when his guardians are killed by Storm Troopers serving the Empire. A reclusive neighbor--who turns out to be a long lost Jedi Master--takes Luke under his wing and begins teaching him the ways of the Force, a mysterious energy surrounding all living things.
Luke's training is interrupted when he joins the Rebels in their efforts to combat the tyranny of the Empire. Plans for a planet-killing "Death Star" have surfaced, and if they can't stop it, entire worlds could perish. Luke doesn't think he has what it takes to be a Jedi, but maybe he can give the Rebels the edge they need. Or die trying.
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A lot of people are going to think the second example is giving away too much. But it doesn't actually contain any spoilers. It tells you what exactly the story is about and what he's going to deal with. The first example, however, could describe any number of stories about a little hero who must learn to master something before he can go off and fight the big bad guy.
Note that Wattpad blurbs tend to be shorter than the blurbs of published books. I'm not sure why that is. Don't feel compelled to make yours short unless you want to.
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The Dao of Magic
Here I am, sitting on a mountain so far away from civilisation it might as well be the godforsaken arse of the world, about to ascend. Can't wait to leave this crapfest of a planet... Turns out that the higher ups decided that an unaffiliated rogue like me is too big of a risk to let run around free. Seems like this entire cultivation world is a late stage capitalist money making machine for the powers that be in the higher realms, and me stealing the good loot in front of their descendants and sect disciples noses finally pissed them off enough to take action. First, they sent all the sect masters and hidden dao protectors to off me - which failed, obviously. Heh, afterwards they simply bitch slapped me out of their universe though. That is interesting and all, but I just woke up in a valley watching some critters murder each other while trying not to freak out about how bad it smells here.Soo… where the fuck am I? Why is that deer fighting a feathery squirrel? Why am I teaching this baby rabbit saved from a cannibalistic mother how to kick beings in the face with the power of qi?Releases a couple of times a week! Come stalk me through social media and stuff:Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Discord Please check out my released books!The Dao of Magic: Book I - Amazon | AudiobookThe Dao of Magic: Book II - Amazon The Dao of Magic: Book III - AmazonSkeleton in Space: Histaff - Amazon | AudiobookSkeleton in Space: GalaxSec - Amazon Go read my other story; Skeleton in Space. I took the WriTE pledge, which means I will finish it. Or at the very least not drop it or put it on hiatus. Check here for more info.
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