This post by Kat Sheridan originally appeared as a guest post on Sia Mckye Over Coffee on 1/14/15.
Last week Sia wrote an article on the trials and hair-tearing frustration of writing blurbs and pitches.
Since I have a business writing blurbs/cover copy, I offered to share some quick tips to make it less frustrating.
Your blurb is your most powerful tool for enticing readers to buy your book. All the good reviews or social media shouting isn’t going to work if a reader doesn’t get excited about the book’s content. You want to lure the reader in, hook them with an intriguing setup, and land the sale by leaving questions open that can only be answered by buying the book.
First, some terminology:
Tagline/Logline: This is the quick summary on the front cover that serves as a hook. It’s usually no more than twelve words, and is best at around six words.
Pitch: Also known as the “elevator pitch” because it needs to be short enough that you can recite it to an agent/editor in the duration of an elevator ride. Aim for no more than about two or three sentences and be able to recite it without blinking. My all time favorite pitch was from Judi Fennell pitching the romance In Over Her Head: “He’s a merman and she’s afraid of the water.” Fewer than ten words. She got the contract.