The Blurb

louise

Is impossible to write!!

:(

I've got to condense my book into 50 words.

Carol

Try starting with the main plot premise, and go from there.

louise

I have this so far:




Imagine living in an enclosed space with your boyfriend. Imagine living in an enclosed space with your ex boyfriend.

Jennifer Daykin, scientist and astronaut with human frailties, escapes a life of failed relationships and joins a three-manned crew into deep space. Matt Green is part of the crew and he makes it plain he hasn’t forgiven her for her cruel dumping of him.

Eden is re-awakening from a long icy winter, but Jenny falls in love with the untouched world. Exploring, the three discover a crashed UFO.

‘You don’t think alien beings could still be in the ship?’
‘But we’re not talking any*body*, are we?’

A story of survival, romance and horror as three people become stranded far from the safety of Earth, and with only an unfriendly alien for company.

Eden – a romance.
Eden – a sci-fi.
Make of it what you will.

It is a story of discovery.


???????????????????????????

Tessadragon

try telling me, conversationally, what is your book about? What happens in it?

and try not to be melodramatic, try not to be 'sensational'....sensational language sucks in a blurb and makes the audience think that the author's blowing their own trumpet.

Carol

Try something along the idea of-

Jennifer Daykin, scientist and astronaut escapes a life of failed relationships by joining a three-man crew in deep space; one is ex-boyfriend Matt Green who still blames her for their broken relationship, and the other her new boyfriend x.
There can only be trouble ahead, and it's called Eden, with a crashed UFO, and a less than friendly alien.

A story of survival, romance and horror as three people become stranded far from the safety of Earth, with only an unfriendly alien for company.

Concise info- just depending on how much you need to lose or can add.

louise

That's good Carol. :)

It's a mixed genera (I know, I know) of romance and sci-fi. But If Stephenie Meyer and Karen Marie Moning can get away with it than I want to try!! ;)

Three people, two of which used to be lovers, are on a mission to explore a newly found planet. They find a UFO with a very unpleasant alien, and in the confusion Jenny is left behind. She has to struggle to survive (I'm thinking Blue Lagoon, Robinson Crusoe and Cast Away). The alien turns out to be quite gorgeous, and helps Jenny. But the others come back for her and finds the idea of her prostituting (they think) herself disgusting.
All ends well though. Jenny and the alien are in love. Old boyfriend reluctantly lets her go....

Carol

Ahhhh :)

Then you can turn it to help you in the blurb- work on it.
You want the reader of the blurb to think one thing, but the last bit to suggest that the alien is very friendly.
Or you opt for playing on the three 'males' issue.

Jay Mandal

Don't give the ending away in a blurb. If it's people, it's "two of whom".

Fiona

Carol, you should do this professionally :)

Carol

Thank you Fiona. :)
It's just another selling tool we need to learn to use.

Liz

Because you mention a crew of 3, I presumed Eden was one of them...! The anybody bit didn't make sense to me. I would remove the first sentence, as it actually has nothing to do with your story, and uses up precious words. The second sentence is all you need, and it's stronger without the first.

Carol

Yes, I can see how Eden might confuse, Liz.

mcbemused

I think Carol is great at blurb-writing and should make a career out of it! When I am ready, I shall come to you to write mine, Carol :)

Carol

Ah, I will make suggestions if asked, but the rest is up to you :D

This is actually a good subject to discuss.
I read enough romances so I have a fair idea of what is preferred.
But I'm sure that beyond the basic requirements each genre may have a particular style- be it how characters are described, or the gruesomeness of the plot revealed.
So is the blurb for a crime novel very dfferent from a mystery- for example?
And for our published authors here, does your publisher have a formula for you to write the blurb to?

Liz

Aah, I didn't realise that one of them was her new boyfriend... so that's not clear either...i thought it was case of comparing how much worse the second scenario would be...

Carol

That was why I suggested she say the other was her boyfriend x (insert name here) so it makes it clear who the third person is.

Daisy

I've not had to write my own blurbs before. Is that unusual? Probably just as well though. I did have to say what I wanted in a 'About the author' bit once. I did that in about eight sentences and then they changed it anyway!

Carol

Seems to vary, some do, some don't.

Stirling

That's an interesting question Carol (I'm off to find two books, two seconds . . .)

The Mystery (who-dunnit) Blurb - Drop Shot, Harlen Coben

"A young woman is shot in cold blood, her lifeless body dumped outside the stadium at the height of the US Open. Once her tennis career had skyrocketed. Now the headlines are being made by another young player from the wrong side of the tracks.

When Myron Bolitar investigates the killing he uncovers a connection between the two players and a six year old murder at an exclusive club. Suddenly Myron is over his head. And with a dirty senator, a jealous mother, and the mob all drawn into the case, he finds himself playing the most dangerous game of all . . ."

The Crime (heist plot) Blurb - Doors Open, Ian Rankin

"Mike Mckenzie is a self made man with too much time on his hands and a bit of the devil in his soul. He is looking for something to liven up the days and perhaps give new meaning to his existence. A chance encounter at an art auction offers him the opportunity to do just that as he settles on a plot to commit the 'perfect crime'. He intends to rip off one of the most high profile targets in Edinburgh - the National Gallery of Scotland.

But soon after he enters the dark waters of the criminal underworld he realises that it's all too easy to drown . . ."

Louise, check out the synopsis' on Amazon with similar books.

Carol

Thanks Stirling, they are different- the Door Open blurb seems much tighter, and in someways it seems more effective than the one for Drop Shot. Perhaps that is because of the market they are appealing to.

Stirling

I definitely preferred the Doors Open blurb.

Carol

I agree with you.

Stirling

I'm looking forward to reading it - a requested birthday present, where as Drop Shot was bought (from a charity shop) as 'research'/checking out the competition for my next book. Wouldn't have bought it normally, abandoned it after a while because I just couldn't imagine a top tennis player learning to play in down town New York. Imagine Andy Murray aged eight smashing a ball around a Glasgow Council Estate . . .

Carol

Doesn't sound believable somehow- unless Central Park is down town New York! ;)