OK, actually, in the song it goes “Burn, baby, burn” and I just used the song’s punchline in a (some would think) genius, twisted way. But I felt like I needed to write about blurbs. Also- check out the song- it will have you on the disco-wave for days! And, I mean – D.A.Y.S!

This post has been sitting in the drafts for a while, and today, after receiving and update from one of my favorite authors, I thought- the time is right, and there’s an added bonus for me (and you!) because I get to share with you 3 example blurbs! Go check them out!

Also- WARNING! The word “blurb” appears a lot in this post! 🙂

Everyone knows there are all kinds of, all sorts of different blurbs out there. Some better than others. Some make you buy the book, some make you grimace, some lie, some tell too much of the truth. I was trying to group the different blurbs the way I  generally see them. Feel free to let me know of any other blurb types in the comments.

  1. “I am the whole book”-blurb: This blurb is a really short, yet complete re-telling of what awaits the reader. You read the blurb, it’s absolutely awesome and you think- my, my, my, the book is going to blow my socks off. But… it won’t happen. Because the blurb gave away the whole story line, everything. So, you wonder- Why did I bother to buy the book if all I had to do was read the blurb and get the full picture? It’s like those movie trailers that draw you in, make you go to the cinema and sit in between dodgy characters only to find out that the only watchable part was in fact the 5 minutes they showed you in the trailer.
  2. “I am the Wallflower”-blurb: This blurb is the human equivalent of a person who doesn’t dare to shout for the spotlight. The blurb is simply too reserved and created 10 shades less-awesome than the book is capable of delivering. If you think of it, that mousy blurb will not set the reader up for disappointment. Then again, the risk of the book not getting picked up, because the blurb won’t tickle, is real. A dilemma pops up then: how much of a sales pitch in a blurb is just the right amount? Can/Should a sneaky twisted hook be weaved into the blurb to get results? Would some consider it a lie while others would be able to read in between the lines and translate the twist so that the link to the story makes sense? Over-thinking it?
  3. “Who cares about the blurb a.k.a  The Excitement”-blurb: Yup, that unicorn does exist. Yes! Who cares about the blurb, when the author has proved themselves to the reader? The author created a book and delivered it to you, the reader, with quality content, no typos, witty story line, unforgettable characters and that bit of magic that worked for you. As a reader, you may want to hide the fact that you’re a lunatic fan (because you’re really just a responsible adult paying bills and portraying yourself as a sophisticated specimen, hmm?) but you really won’t read the blurb with your Decision Making Hat on. You read that blurb with the “I’m so excited I could give myself a stroke”-Hat on. Because it’s your favorite author and you just want to read whatever they publish.