Writing a Book Description?
Here are some ideas that might help. I’ve shared my book description (blurb) for DESCENT, the first novel in The Stone Mountain Mystery series, below and outlined how we arrived at the final description.
Step One: Decide what you want to tell the reader. You want to give away enough to intrigue the reader but not so much that you take away from the suspense. I was tempted to put too much information in the description and pulled back a bit.
The goal of DESCENT’s description is to give the potential reader the idea that:
- Kalin Thompson is the protagonist
- The story takes place in a remote mountain resort
- The crime is a murder
- The victim is a talented ski racer
- Ongoing conflict between Kalin’s boyfriend and her boss will be a struggle for Kalin
Once you know what you want to say, write, rewrite and rewrite again.
Step Two: Decide who your audience is. For me, I want an international audience. How does that affect the description? I’d used RCMP in the description? You’ll see below that RCMP is now cops. RCMP is a very Canadian acronym. My bad for assuming it was a world-wide term 🙂
Step Three: Get feedback from anyone you trust. Then write, rewrite and rewrite again.
Final Product: The idea behind the two paragraph description below is if we need a short version, we can use the first paragraph only. The first paragraph is designed to end with a hook just in case that’s all we use. I hadn’t thought of that in my first try at a description.
When Kalin Thompson is promoted to Director of Security at Stone Mountain Resort, she soon becomes entangled in the high-profile murder investigation of an up-and-coming Olympic skier. There are more suspects with motives than there are gates on a super-G course, and danger mounts with every turn.
Kalin’s boss orders her to investigate the murder. Her boyfriend wants her to stay safe and let the cops do their job. Torn between loyalty to friends and professional duty, Kalin must look within her isolated community to unearth the killer’s identity.
Now as with other changes, I have to wade across the internet and change everywhere I’ve put a blurb out for DESCENT.
If you haven’t read my blog before, I’ve signed on with Imajin Books and intend to blog about my publishing adventure. I’ll share what I learn and hope it helps someone out there get their novel published.
Thanks for reading…
Creative Story Editors 
I’ll be thrilled when I’ve the point I need a back cover blurb! Thanks for the info. Maybe I should write it before I’ve finished the novel:)
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Nancy, it’s a good idea to have a running blurb while you write your novel. You keep adding and taking away as you write. Then it won’t be as much work at the end. Thanks for commenting.
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I will use your suggestions. I especially appreciate the idea of the hook at the end of the first paragraph in case you need a short blurb. Thanks.
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That idea came from Imajin Books. I can’t take credit for it 🙂 Hope it helps.
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