Complete with Strong Language BSB 113

Blurbs Sell Books

Today on the show, BPF trainer and writer John Phythyon and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.

To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.

Here are this episode’s read-along selections:

Blurb:

Rich and Sexy: An Alpha Male Billionaire Romance Collection Love Alpha Billionaires? This “feel-good” short story collection gives you an “insider look” at the jet-set lifestyle in glamorous New York City. Meet Nina Brown, doe-eyed optimist virgin whose beauty and innocence captures the eye of the most coveted Alpha Male Billionaire in Manhattan. And “say hello” to Mandy Lane, spirited, fresh-faced, “escort” to Manhattan’s exclusive international glitterati. Only one of Mandy’s Alpha Male Billionaire clients knows her secrets ….

Targeted Takeaway

Your blurb needs to feature strong language. No, not naughty words. Emotive verbs that show what a character is feeling and doing rather than telling the reader. By making choices like “yearns” instead of “wants”, “hammers” instead of “hits”, or “envisions” instead of “sees”, you’ll paint a picture that reveals the heart of your characters and the tension of their conflicts.

But it’s not enough to use strong language to convey those emotions. You have to complete the blurb by giving the readers a good idea of what they can expect. You can’t simply stop after you’ve painted a pretty picture. You need to follow through with a selling paragraph that gives readers a motivation to buy. Let them know that your book contains exactly the sorts of tropes they love, so they’ll want to dive in.

When you craft a description with powerful words that informs the reader that everything they love about your genre can be found between your covers, they reward you with strong sales.