I never really thought I was great at writing blurbs, you know, but now I have a sense for how truly terrible I am at it. For one thing, I usually only read the first two sentences of a blurb on a novel I'm thinking of reading. I do this not because I'm impatient (well... maybe that too) but because I hate when blurbs have spoilers in them. And they almost always do. And basically a lot of the advice I've been getting from the folks at AW is leading me to do some of that with my TCD blurb. This so goes against my tastes. But let's face it, writing, "This is a really great novel. Trust me. You'll like it. You don't want me to give anything away why, right? Just trust me." Isn't going to work. So I'm biting the bullet and writing a new blurb that says a lot more about the story than the original blurb did.
In my latest attempt, I went and looked at the blurb for Kushiel's Dart
, since it was one of the books that I thought of when I was coming up with my ideas for TCD (Cynthia Voigt's Jackaroo
was another, as were a couple of Marion Zimmer Bradley
novels). I followed the Kushiel blurb line by line, trying to come up with what the equivalent would be for TCD. That was interesting, and some of the AW peeps say they like this latest version the best. Now, of course, I'm going to rework it, both to incorporate the newest feedback but also to change it enough that it's not so close to the Kushiel blurb.This process is frustrating and tiring and may be interfering with my regular writing energies. In any case, I haven't worked on the WiP in a couple of days. I haven't wanted to, which is disappointing because for a while there I was chugging right along. Today, though, I did think of something that was missing in the story, so with luck, I'll find the energy for it again tomorrow.
When you read blurbs, do you like there to be a lot of information about the story, or do you avoid finding out a lot, like I do?
What qualities do the best blurbs have?
Bonus points for the bad ass image, though!
ReplyDeleteI don't like blurbs that give too much info or go on for more than a simple 5-10 sentence paragraph. The best blurbs entice us into the story, especially the beginning of it, without spoiling anything major. And they should be accurate. Too many blurbs are inaccurate and/or just a lot of hype. I sometimes like blurbs that ask questions. And I'm probably not the best blurb writer either.
ReplyDeleteI'm like you, Rick. But I think you and I may not represent the majority.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I meant to add... Kathryn, that's apparently "Tolstoy in Hell." :)
ReplyDeleteWhy Tolstoy?
DeleteI don't really know! Although I gather he wrote some books about Hell.
ReplyDeleteBlurbs... I, and probably most people, can tell with 90% accuracy (i.e., well enough) whether I will be bored by the book within two sentences of the blurb. If I'm still reading beyond that, i.e., if I haven't the book down in disgust, it's because I want to get a sense of what the book is about, and therefore a certain expectation of where the story is going.
ReplyDeleteBut more than that, as I'm reading a book, if I'm feeling unhappy with the direction the plot seems to be going, I will often look to the blurb for reassurance. Of course, the plot should make the blurb rapidly redundant.
And I'm not looking for spoilers. It's more about the aesthetic - about whether I can trust the author to give me the story I want.
Interesting perspective, Frank! I wonder if my blurb achieves that aesthetic you talk about.
DeleteYes, although I must confess I dislike it. The first sentence is so convoluted that the meaning of it gets lost. Later the talk of revenge creates the impression that revenge is a major theme, when it isn't really. Reference to the revolution is not necessary, really, and the final peril (second use of the word) is so vague it's pointless. Besides, by that point your blurb is referencing plot developments very late in the story.
DeleteWell, I don't like referencing the plot so much either. Maybe I'll have a look at it again. :/
DeleteAll is not well in Myamar Sölbói's world. The new ruler and his high priest have upset the balance of the gods, establishing a severe patriarchy and outlawing many basic liberties. After a decade of managing the family estate in the provinces, with only the rarest visit from her husband Reister, Myamar is suddenly uprooted and brought to the island capital. Her son Bersi is torn away from her, and she is forced into society, ignorant and grief-stricken, a pawn in the political games of others.
DeleteSickened by the injustices she witnesses and by the horror of the new unnatural order, she resolves to escape with her son, even if it means adopting the guise of the legendary Raud Gríma - and even if she has to tear apart the whole world to do it.
The City Darkens is set in a decopunk world where semiautonomous robots are commonplace but cars are rare and propeller-driven light aircraft are the latest tool of warcraft. It is a world where society and nature are linked inextricably with the gods, who are as real as they are ephemeral. It is a world ruled by Helésey, an island city where the aristocracy live decadent lives and play politics with gossip and sex, while the poorest of the poor live in shanty towns underground. It is a world ripe for revolution - all it needs is a spark, and all Hel will break loose...
Thanks, Frank! I'll have a look at how to use what you've got here alongside some changes I had in mind, as well.
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