By: Stephanie Burkhart
We've done it – we've written a great novel. It's going
through edits with a publisher and then we get the email that makes us bite our
nails to little bits:
Can you write a back cover blurb no more than 150 words and
a 25 word short blurb?
Blurb writing is not easy. You've got a novel/novella/short
story that you've got to sum up in a couple of paragraphs and you've got to
make it sound jazzy so it will entice a reader to buy and read.
I try the following: I introduce the hero/heroine (main
characters), state what the challenge is and what's at stake. My goal is to write paragraphs. It seems like a
lot, but it all comes down to verb choice for me. After I write an initial
rough draft blurb, I circle my verbs and strive to find stronger ones.
"Went" and "was" are two that I try to replace. If I have
an adverb, I try to eliminate it. Then I examine my adjectives and look for
punchier ones – tormented, hunted, captivated, destroyed, ruined, enthralled,
enchanted are all stronger words that come to mind.
When writing a short 25 word blurb, I try to state who my heroine
(or hero) is and the challenge they face.
I'd love to hear your tips and what works for you.
Author Bio: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD.
Married with two boys, she lives in California. In her spare time, she's a
soccer mom, dance mom, cub & boy scout mom, and a writer. Her story,
"Made in America," won 8th place in Mainstream Fiction in
the 82nd Annual Writer's Digest Contest this year. You can find my story on my website under "short stories" at: http://www.stephanieburkhart.com
