Compare yourself to other writers or your book to other books. Writing a childrens book how to publish a childrens. I also do singular illustrations for short stories and poems. Examples of illustrations will be provided upon request. Often referred to as a book description, a blurb is a short piece, around 150 words, to promote your novel. In the blurb online bookstore, you can find unique childrens books for babies, toddlers, and kids from selfpublishers around the world. When youre refining your books blurb, there is a lot you can learn from guides and expert advice. Facebook live and facebook videos are the hottest content on the social network. Most run several paragraphs, but some publishers want them shorter or in a special format so be sure to check with your publishers guidelines before you begin work. Its so tempting to think if everyone is doing x and i.
Book cover blurb examples from good nonfiction books. The jesus storybook bible by sally lloydjones is the best childrens bible ive come across. Writing about yourself is a task that many even full time writers shy away from. Blurbs are the second most important selling tool you have for your book, so. Once drafted, the blurbs could be written on card to stand beside each book and be decorated in the style of each novel. By looking at some of the different aspects of book blurbs, we can see the various effects text can create to interest the reader. Below, i have included a number of fantastic examples of different types of childrens books, including a rhyming picture book, middle grade chapter book, and a regular picture book. Setting conflict objective possible solution emotional promise. Use key words like secret, mystery, betrayal, revenge, magic to whet a readers appetite.
It s a resource that hosts profiles of children s authors and illustrators. I saw the edge of tomorrow today, and i decided to write a blurb using this formula. In the blurb online bookstore, you can find unique children s books for babies, toddlers, and kids from selfpublishers around the world. The most common of these is the series of enthusiastic quotes a. Great production values, tongueincheek humor, and an actual story outline for a cookbook. Back cover blurbs for books tips for wrting blurbs that. Book summary and author bio on the back of the book. How to write a nonfiction book cover blurb that sells. Writing book blurbs and synopses will become a goto tool for any author, newly published or an old hand, as a means for helping you develop your own techniques for blurbs and synopses. You need to draw the reader in quickly and hold their attention. All stories involve characters who are in a certain setting at a certain. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a book s contents.
Follow these five pointers and see if it works for you. Sep 27, 2015 the curious history of book blurbs and why theyre still around those snippets of praise on book covers have been around for over 150 years at least. A query letter is a one page letter with three concise paragraphs. Writing a childrens book how to publish a childrens book. Firstly, highlighting your success in the bookwriting world. Drawing is my passion and i love to do it for people other than myself. Examples of book blurbs outlander by diana gabaldon.
Great ideas to write a blurb that works for your book. If you want to delve into this subject further, try the something about the author database, accessible with your toronto public library card. So that whoever picks up the book reads the blurb and thinks i must. Before you begin, start a collection of what you consider the best book blurbs for your category. Most run several paragraphs, but some publishers want them shorter or in a special format so be sure to check with your publisher s guidelines before you begin work. Mar, 2019 childrens book descriptions and poetry book descriptions are whole other fields.
The 5 core elements of a book blurb and why you should know. Get a more indepth look at these three elements and see examples from real amazon book pages in our post on writing an irresistible blurb for your novel. Nonfiction writers often overuse superlatives, which can come across as insincere and hyperbolic. Make reading fun for that special child in your life with a childrens book from blurb. Michael siemsen is the usa today bestselling author of 6 novels, including the dig, a warm place to call home a demons story, and exigency. Do you read the author biographies on the book jacket. It entices the reader to read a book by promising twists and turns but without giving away the ending. At the end well deconstruct blurb examples for books in seven bestselling nonfiction categories on amazon. The best blurbs come from someone with a reputation in the same space. Ask the class if they know why blurbs are written for book covers. For new writers, these quotes are generally solicited by authors themselves and are from individuals who are recognized as experts on.
When you hear about authors being asked to blurb a book, its this endorsement theyve been asked to provide. As you gather endorsements sometimes referred to as blurbs for you book, youll want to keep a few things in mind. Ive come up with this easy acronym to help you create a book blurb. Like the sound of the book based on the blurb on the back what is a blurb. This short video is brought to you by publishnation. Note that book cover also includes the use of designing the books spine, back cover, inner flaps on hardbound books, and the blurbs. How to write a blurb definition, examples, and more. This article gives you simple steps to follow to write a book blurb, and gives examples of both fiction and nonfiction back cover blurbs. The next thing you do is read the back blurb, or if you are online, you read the first excerpt which is usually the same thing. Testimonies are a longestablished method of spreading the word about our good words. The beautiful illustrations and succinct way lloydjones communicates gods word make it a mustbuy for parents and grandparents alike. If you hire me, i will provide you with excellent service and communication.
Writing a blurb at ks2 by jessica borges vaz on prezi. He is the illustrator or authorillustrator of more than 30 childrens books. For nonfiction, establishing yourself as an expert and differentiating your book from the others written about the same. We get so caught up in delivering an enthralling story or a big idea. Blurb definition is a short publicity notice as on a book jacket. It covers everything from how to determine who should blurb your book and how to find them. Working primarily in watercolor on paper, his art is whimsical, detailed, and clever. Lets look at a few bestselling blurbs and see what we can learn from their successes. Jun 11, 20 sarah kettle, creative copywriter with puffin explains how to write a blurb read a manuscript, note down words and quotes with instant appeal, atmosphere, an air of mystery, a sense of character, a sense of place and put the all together in a coherent and exciting way. So, this little book will hopefully provide you with some useful assistance along the way by offering up 101 actual blurbs written in short form and containing no more than 100 words.
Childrens poet laureate kenn nesbitt, childrens book. Childrens book descriptions and poetry book descriptions are whole other fields. Youll also find some useful links to websites with further information. Entwined by heather dixon wallwork, the near witch by victoria schwab, the iron daughter by julie kagawa, eve by anna care. Heres how to do it right with examples from top authors of the 21st century. Writing a blurb the blurb is the writing on the back of a book. In an article for the british library, professor mo grenby writes, in the 1740s, a cluster of london publishers began to produce new books designed to instruct and delight young. People dont go out in search of a book with no purpose in mind. You find blurbs on the back cover of paperbacks, the inside back cover of a hardback, and on book description pages in online stores. Aug 08, 2009 examples of blurbs to share in your primary classroom. A growing polite middleclass and the influence of lockean theories of childhood innocence combined to create the beginnings of childhood as a concept. There is value in young readers learning that an author. They are loosely edited into ten different subject headings, or writers genre, with ten examples under each heading, except for the last one, where there.
Blurb distinct from the back book cover blurb is this 12 line endorsement of a book by a celebrity or another author that sits on the book s front cover. Here are a few examples of great blurbs for a few of greenleafs recent titles. The book description is the pitch to the reader about why they should buy your book. As already noted, writing a back book blurb is a marketing exercise. See more ideas about books to read, books and good books. How to write an irresistible book blurb in 5 easy steps.
If you say that your book is the greatest resource of all time on a subject, you better back that statement up with some hard evidence. A few simple steps can get an effective bio that will impress interested readers and help sell your book. This article has helpful approaches to writing back cover blurbs. Also, this book received a lot of media attention when it was published, so potential readers might already have some awareness of it. Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Simply click on each image to be taken to amazon, where you can view the descriptions. Aug, 2015 if all of this sounds daunting, consider hiring an editor or marketing writer to help you craft your books backcover copy in the most compelling way possible. Make reading fun for that special child in your life with a children s book from blurb. On back covers of books there is usually a summary which attempts to get the reader interested. Be as careful of the books you read, as of the company you keep. Punctuation or grammar goofs in this highly visible spot broadcast the message that your book was not professionally written. How to write a book description that sells with examples. Print one children s book at a time or print in volume with offset for deeper discounts and a lower per unit cost.
No, the bible isnt a book of rules, or a book of heroes. To honor the best books for young adults and children, time compiled this survey in consultation with respected peers such as u. Today more than ever, testimonies are a necessity for your platformincorporation on the front and back covers of your book, in the first pages, and, of course, on your website. Are they mere marketing for adults or do kids enjoy them too. Here are six rules to be mindful of before you put pen to paper on your back book cover blurb. If youre looking for great nonfiction book blurb examples, youve come to the right place. There are so many examples of how book descriptions lead to huge changes in sales. Of course if the bookauthor is an international bestseller. Buy children s books online at blurb and open a world of imagination.
Successful query letters and winning examples writing and. Gathering effective testimonies depends on several things. Writing a short book blurb is not only fun, but great practice for writing promotional copy of any kind. Nov 11, 2016 winner of the gyldendal prize for the best scandinavian childrens book i am david anne holm. Then ensure you incorporate them into your back book jacket blurb.
In this article, youll find out why blurbs are critical to the success of your book sales and youll learn how to craft the perfect blurb. The modern childrens book emerged in mid18thcentury england. Buy childrens books online at blurb and open a world of imagination. Nov 19, 2010 you pick up a book because the cover or title looks interesting. Print one childrens book at a time or print in volume with offset for deeper discounts and a lower per unit cost. He lives in northern california with the wife, the kids, the dog, that cat, and he occasionally wears pants. Below are a few examples of back cover copy for fiction. The space on the back cover of a book for blurbs, which are brief promotional paragraphs, is one of the more valuable spots for book promotion. Sell your selfpublished childrens book or ebook on your own website and on social media through blurb, or sell through amazon.
This one is from jack mamos the marriage code book, which we worked on this cover blurb is 179 words. Mar 10, 2019 book cover blurb examples from good nonfiction books. October 22, 2015 by diana urban writing your author bio can be a daunting task, but a wellcrafted bio can help readers learn more about what makes you and your books so interesting. Before writing your back book blurb, choose 35 of the bestselling books in your genre and make a note of stylistic similarities. A useful worksheet to help your children understand book blurbs and help them write their own. As the head book buyer at kramerbooks, he decides what stocks the shelves at the washington, d. A blurb is the book description you find on the back of a book or online to describe a books contents. Alternatively, the book might call for a very brief and punchy blurb. Unlike a synopsis, a blurb does not outline every major plot point of your story, and it doesnt give spoilers. But, in our opinion, there are few better ways to figure out how to do something than by seeing how the professionals do it. Examples of blurbs to share in your primary classroom. Front covers are carefully designed by publishers to attract our attention see my previous post here, but the back cover can be a quick way of telling whether a book will interest us or not. Tips for nonfiction when it comes to telling readers what your nonfiction book is about, its not the time for a birds eye view.
While theres no perfect formula for writing the best blurb for your novel, there are some patterns worth noting. Here is an example of a shout line, taken from one of my own books. How to write a fiction book cover blurb that can make your. You know exactly what youre going to get from the cookbook in terms of style, and youre probably laughing so hard you cant help but want to learn more by reading the book, even if you dont need new chicken recipes. Also, these steps mainly focus on the front cover design of the childrens book. My children were introduced to his work in the 1980s by their bookloving granny, my motherinlaw. Childrens book blurbs geo ashton a blog for aspiring. Introducing blurbs, endorsements, and testimonials. If you plan to selfpublish your novel, the most important thing you will ever write is the cover blurb for your book. Jan 09, 2017 of course if the bookauthor is an international bestseller. Mar 02, 2016 great ideas to write a blurb that works for your book.
Jan 15, 20 successful query letters and winning examples the goal of query letter is to elicit an invitation from an agent or editor to send in sample chapters or the whole manuscript. The third example shows how part of the back cover copy the author bio, in this case can show up on the inside flap of a hard cover book. Publishers can put more information here to persuade us to buy the book in the form of a blurb or brief summary of the. Book blurbs is designed to help you navigate the sea of literature available to your children. In the short guide below, we offer a birds eye view on how to make a book cover.
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