Hi all!
As promised, this week I'm going to talk about the pros and cons of writing your own blurb. At the end I've also included the blurb for Blood and Water which I will add to my books page, along with promotional artwork I commissioned for the book.
Pros:
No-one knows your story better than you do.
No matter what, no-one can explain your story better than you. You have all the inside details and spoilers, you know what's going to happen. That's an advantage when writing blurbs.
It costs nothing.
Writing your own blurb is free because you have written it yourself. Perfect for authors on a budget.
You can choose what keywords to include.
This is a good thing as if you publish on Amazon you need certain keywords to appear in certain categories. This, in turn, will lead to more sales.
You can choose what to include.
You can leave out certain unimportant characters and plot points that are unnecessary in a blurb.
Cons:
You will forever be editing it.
As writers, we want to make sure our work is perfect. The blurb is the first thing a reader sees after the cover, and you want to make it count.
Compressing your book into a few paragraphs is daunting.
Crafting a synopsis is bad enough. A blurb is even shorter, you might struggle to fit everything in there.
You may not know how to draw readers in.
Using the correct keywords and terms to get readers in the first place is hard. Hiring someone who already knows how to navigate this will make it easier.
It's stressful.
Publishing a book on your own is hard. If you can make your life a little easier by getting someone else to do it for you, then do so. There's no shame in it whatsoever. You've already written a book which is an achievement in itself!
I have added the blurb for Blood and Water below. I hired someone to do it for me as I didn't think I could craft one that's good enough. I'm glad I didn't do it myself as I'm very happy with the final result:
Being an elemental is hard.
Just ask Hazel Adams who at fifteen finds herself being sent off for the next step in her training where she will receive her dragon egg. But, the camp harbours many dangers in disguise, she will soon find out that not all dragons are born equal.
Soon Hazel, along with her new family and friends, will have to learn to navigate the shifting political alliances and social castes that come along with being an elemental. But, among the political turmoil an even greater danger lurks. One that hasn’t been seen in centuries.
Will Hazel be able to raise her dragon and prove that it’s more than meets the eye or will she be defeated by the dark forces working against her?
Find out in Blood and Water, the first book in a new YA fantasy series that is sure to keep you glued to every page.
Check out my books page to see the promotional artwork for Blood and Water! The cover will follow over the next few months.
I am also excited to announce that I am planning on publishing Blood and Water in October 2019 (as long as everything goes to plan). See you next week!
