10 Tips On How To Write A Blurb For The Back Cover
10 Tips On How To Write A Blurb For The Back Cover
What is it that influences a reader to buy a book? On Amazon, a reader will look at the description that’s posted on the book’s detail page or they will flip to the back of the book and read the blurb about the book.
The purpose of the blurb, that brief description found on a book’s back cover, is to entice readers to purchase your book.
KINDLE EBOOKS
But what about Kindle ebooks? Do you need a blurb for the back cover?
When a reader looks at a paperback they glance at the cover and title and then they turn the book over and look at the back cover. So the focus is on cover design not only for the front cover but also for the back cover so there needs to be a blurb to capture the reader’s attention.
On the internet, however, readers go to the Amazon book’s listing page to find out more about the book. There they see the book’s description, the price, information about the author, reviews and so on. So the listing page or the sales page takes the place of the back cover blurb.
For Kindle ebooks, then, the blurb is the description that you see on the eBook’s purchasing page.
Unlike physical, print books, Kindle ebooks have no spine and no back cover; they have dynamic layouts formatted with reflowable text.
While you could put an image of the back cover into the Kindle ebook manuscript most publishers do not bother with a blurb on the back cover.
It’s the description on the ebook’s detail page that functions as a blurb.
CRAFTING A BLURB FOR THE BACK COVER
Before you start writing a blurb do some analysis of other bestselling books in your niche. Select 3-5 bestselling books and examine the way their books descriptions have been done.
Build up a file of book descriptions and blurbs so that you’ve got a reference point from which to develop your own book description and blurb writing skills.
Crafting a blurb for the back cover is a marketing exercise. The focus needs to be all about the prospective customer and meeting their needs and expectations.
Its main purpose is to highlight the reasons your readers should purchase your book right now; it’s not about giving them an abstract or a synopsis of all that they can find inside the book.
10 TIPS FOR CREATING A BLURB
A back cover blurb for a non-fiction book should:
1. provide a hook to get the reader in
2. have an attention-grabbing opening line
- which could be a question,
- address a reader’s problem,
- make a promise
- testimonial
- statement from a review
3. it should be short – approximately 100-250 words
4. written in the third person
5. be punchy and interesting
Example:
[Title] is the self-help book for those wanting to have a better life but who don’t want to end up broke and down and out
6. appeal to the specific interests of your target market
7. Demonstrate the benefit that readers will get out of your book
8. have 3-5 bullet points
Example:
In this entertaining how-to guide … [author] provides 10 short, succinct chapters which will help you to:
- Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviours that stop you from getting what you want.
- Create a life you’ll totally love.
- Generate an income of the magnitude you’ve never experienced
9. Tell the readers what they’ll take away as a result of reading the book
Example:
By the end of [the title], you’ll understand why you are how you are, how to love what you can’t change, and how to create the life and income you’ve always wanted
10. Include, if possible, some kind of positive endorsement from a distinguished person but don’t stress if you can’t.
Writing a good blurb can be easy once you get the hang of these tips. Start collecting some of your favourite blurb examples and then incorporate these ideas into creating your own.
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Author & Coach