There is a new review for Shadows of the Past at the hale authors blogspot -
www.haleauthors.blogspot.com Why I am mentioning this is that the reviewer
says I have given too much away in the blurb,although the review is positive about the novel.
It got me thinking and I have to admit that I am lousy at writing blurbs. I would rather write 20,000 words of a novel than one blurb. So what? I might hear you cry - so you don't do blurbs well, who cares? Well blurbs are pretty important. The cover attracts the eye, the hand strays to the book and what does the potential reader do? They read the blurb! The blurb is our advertisement, it has to be right.
Really, I think blurbs should be in the hands of the advertising or publicity departments at the publishers. After all these are the people who can write on a dime, so to speak. They know how to shrink something and yet still make it attractive.
So for me, a visit to the dentist or write a blurb? No contest...I will try the blurb but phew it was a close one!
8 comments:
Congratulations on the review, Margaret! You make a very interesting point about blurbs. They are incredibly important as a marketing tool. I don't write the blurbs for my books but I do write them for my website and I cudgel my brains over how to be concise and intriguing. I think I agree with you - dentist or blurb-writing - it's a close run thing!
Hi Nicola, Thank you for taking time out from your busy schedule, to drop by.
I do remember being told by an Harlequin editor that they wrote the blurbs for their authors, and I thought, are they lucky people. They get to concentrate on what's important - what's inside the cover, which you do so successfully.
It would be lovely if we had someone else to write our blurbs--preferably someone who has read and liked the book.
Unfortunately, most of us don't have that option. Writing blurbs is tough but oh so necessary.
Yes, John, necessary but oh so painful, especially for me.
I always think of a better blurb, when it's too late!
I think I'd rather right a blurb than a synopsis -- that is right up there with the dental appointment.
sure is - kathy. yeah mary - me too.
excuse lower case have broken my wrist
Hey, blurbs are fairly easy for me, it's the one liners and synopsis that I dread!
Mary, I can relate to your comment.
Post a Comment