In the writing world, there are different ways to promote your material…and they differ based on their targets. Trying to get a potential reader to buy your book is the job of both the Logline and the Blurb, whereas a Pitch is designed to convince Agents or Acquisition Editors to take you on. If you’re into Self-Publishing, then you probably won’t need a Pitch as much, but if you ever plan to sell your work to someone you don’t know, you’ll need a good Logline as well as a Blurb. We covered a step-by-step process for creating Loglines previously, so this time we’ll take that Logline and expand it into a full blown Blurb.
A Blurb is defined as a short description that praises your work so that people will want to buy it, but there are two different kinds: the ones written by others…and the one we are going to create here…written by you. In either case, you’ll use it on your back cover, so readers who have been attracted to your front cover…or title…will be convinced that they need to read the whole thing.
Build a Blurb from a Logline
Starting with a Logline of fewer than 50 words or an Elevator Speech of 50-75 words, we are going to build up a Blurb, perfect for your back cover. Although we covered Loglines in depth when we discussed the difference between Loglines and Taglines, let’s go over a quick description first as a reminder. A Logline consists of:
- A short description of your Main Character (no name)
- A bit of setting
- A reference to the Inciting Event
- A twist to the story
- A reason to care about the characters
- The stakes involved
- A ticking clock
In that previous post, we had developed the following Logline.
- A former boy scout, now in his early twenties, is finishing up college and arranges one last great adventure with some fellow scouts. Using some experimental technology, they plan to travel far to experience a new world where they discover more about themselves than they expected. They have to make some crucial decisions to ensure that all return safely before the door to the new world closes.
Add More
We have the bits…just need to expand the concepts. A blurb can be a few short paragraphs, 300-400 words, so we have plenty of room to include more info…the first of which is the main character’s name.
- Benjamin, a former boy scout
We can also bring in the Antagonist…whether he’s a single person, an organisation, a force of nature, or some other issue. In this case, the Enemy is unidentified, though we can bring up the fact that they are no longer under the influence of the current world.
- rules no longer apply…no social restraints and no one watching
We can show a scene filling in details about the Inciting Event, explaining why now is the time for a change in their lives. We can also introduce some secondary characters along the way…explaining more of the situation.
- some of his old scout buddies
- before they go their separate ways into the adult world
- Eric, the nerd of the group, offers some technology
- a Door that opens onto a new world
- a week-long hunting expedition to explore
We can also expand on the stakes. What will happen if the Protagonist doesn’t achieve his goal? In this story, their safety is at risk.
- keep the group together
As well as the twist…something that makes the story interesting and unexpected…possibly increasing the obvious conflict or adding a new struggle to contend with.
- some experimental technology
- plan to travel far
- experience a new world
- they discover more about themselves than they expected
Finally we can expand on the clock, giving more information about how it all works.
- hoping to make it back to the Door when it opens
That should complete the expansions.
Put it all together
Now that we’ve expanded the info, we need to put it together into a distinct whole, adding connections.
- One last great adventure…that’s all he wanted, so Benjamin, now in his early twenties, gets together with some of his old scout buddies to make plans before they go their separate ways into the adult world. Pushed by Eric, the nerd of the group, they accept his offer of some experimental technology he has access to: a Door that opens onto a new, distant world.
- The scouts agree to a week-long hunting expedition to explore this new world, but when they arrive, they realise that the rules they’ve lived with no longer apply…there are no social restraints and no one watching. With this new freedom, they discover more about themselves than they had thought possible.
- Ben struggles to keep the group together as factions split the friends apart. In the attempt to reunite the troops, they all have to make crucial decisions to ensure that everyone makes it back safely to the Door when it opens…and that they get through before it closes.
This one is a bit short, giving us plenty of room for the other type of Blurb: quotes from others…either someone who has read the book or someone who knows that we are the only one who could have written it. We could ask fellow authors, specialists in the field, or reviewers to give some ideas to use (here is not where you put your mother’s commendations!).
- “The struggles these characters face are the same as society as a whole faces daily.”—Sociology Expert.
- “The way Eric talks is so entertaining…sounds like a walking encyclopaedia.”—Gushing Fan.
- “Could be the start of a series…I look forward to this author’s next works.”—Dedicated Follower.
Try to Avoid
Although she really means it, and you really like it, try to avoid including any obviously gratuitous quotes.
- “I love the way the author has put this story together and would be thrilled to read anything else he writes.”—Author’s mother.