Allison Symes's Blog - Posts Tagged "blurbs"
What Defines a Good Book for You?
A good book, as far as I'm concerned, has to:-
1. Have characters I care about (though I don't mind if some are "slow burn" characters so I grow to care about them. I am prepared to give them time but I feel cheated if by the end of the book, I haven't been made to care about the characters.).
2. Have characters I can get behind and either "root" for their success or, usually if a villain, hope they get their comeuppance. (I do love finding out how they do!).
3. Give you a sense that the author has said all that has needed to be said but oh how you wish there was more of the story because you enjoyed it so much.
4. Give you a sense of a wonderfully created world, leaving the way for prequels or sequels, whether or not the writer actually does write these.
5. Have a gripping plot, obviously.
6. Have an easy to remember blurb. It makes it easier to recommend the book to others because it gives you the main point, which drew you to reading the book in the first place.
7. Have a title that intrigues or you can see a few different directions in which the title could take you. That opens up all sorts of possibilities for the story itself and makes me want to crack on and read it!
8. If within a really popular genre, such as crime or fantasy, being able to offer something different to the "mix" so the book stands out.
9. You could see a decent film being made out of the plot as long as the movie people stick to the plot of the book, given it is so good.
10. You want to re-read it at least once a year. Always a good sign that.
1. Have characters I care about (though I don't mind if some are "slow burn" characters so I grow to care about them. I am prepared to give them time but I feel cheated if by the end of the book, I haven't been made to care about the characters.).
2. Have characters I can get behind and either "root" for their success or, usually if a villain, hope they get their comeuppance. (I do love finding out how they do!).
3. Give you a sense that the author has said all that has needed to be said but oh how you wish there was more of the story because you enjoyed it so much.
4. Give you a sense of a wonderfully created world, leaving the way for prequels or sequels, whether or not the writer actually does write these.
5. Have a gripping plot, obviously.
6. Have an easy to remember blurb. It makes it easier to recommend the book to others because it gives you the main point, which drew you to reading the book in the first place.
7. Have a title that intrigues or you can see a few different directions in which the title could take you. That opens up all sorts of possibilities for the story itself and makes me want to crack on and read it!
8. If within a really popular genre, such as crime or fantasy, being able to offer something different to the "mix" so the book stands out.
9. You could see a decent film being made out of the plot as long as the movie people stick to the plot of the book, given it is so good.
10. You want to re-read it at least once a year. Always a good sign that.
Book Covers
I think everyone does judge a book by its cover. How else can you do so? You need something to draw you in initially and that is the cover's job.
I like a cover to be appropriate for whatever it is I'm reading and, ironically for a writer, I want the picture to do most of the work.
I've sometimes given opinions on book covers before the books concerned are published and the ones with lots of text merely look cluttered. Far from giving me more to read on the cover, too much text here switches me off.
Where I do want the text is on the back for the blurb. Have you ever read a book, enticed by the blurb and cover, but the story fails to deliver on its promise? I think most of us have and you just feel let down. (All writers beware here!)
The great thing here though is that despite the cover and blurb being really important, it is STILL the story that matters most of all. And what we are all after is a story that entertains, educates, keeps us gripped to the final page and so on.
Happy reading!
I like a cover to be appropriate for whatever it is I'm reading and, ironically for a writer, I want the picture to do most of the work.
I've sometimes given opinions on book covers before the books concerned are published and the ones with lots of text merely look cluttered. Far from giving me more to read on the cover, too much text here switches me off.
Where I do want the text is on the back for the blurb. Have you ever read a book, enticed by the blurb and cover, but the story fails to deliver on its promise? I think most of us have and you just feel let down. (All writers beware here!)
The great thing here though is that despite the cover and blurb being really important, it is STILL the story that matters most of all. And what we are all after is a story that entertains, educates, keeps us gripped to the final page and so on.
Happy reading!
Hooks into Books
I seem to have a "thing" for rhyming titles at the moment. Sure it will be a passing fad...!
What attracts you to a book? Is it the title, the blurb, the cover, or a combination of the lot?
For me, the cover draws me in but the blurb is what clinches a sale for me, whether I'm reading on Kindle or a paperback. If I like the premise of the blurb, I will "look inside" a Kindle book or look at the opening page of a paperback. If it seems to deliver, I'll go ahead and buy.
There is no such thing as a foolproof system but this works for me!
Of course, another great hook is reading a book by an author whose works you know you like. I love series novels and my favourite of these has to be Discworld. Each book original and entertaining but there's enough familiarity with the world to make you feel right at home as you continue to enjoy the series.
Whatever you read, enjoy!
What attracts you to a book? Is it the title, the blurb, the cover, or a combination of the lot?
For me, the cover draws me in but the blurb is what clinches a sale for me, whether I'm reading on Kindle or a paperback. If I like the premise of the blurb, I will "look inside" a Kindle book or look at the opening page of a paperback. If it seems to deliver, I'll go ahead and buy.
There is no such thing as a foolproof system but this works for me!
Of course, another great hook is reading a book by an author whose works you know you like. I love series novels and my favourite of these has to be Discworld. Each book original and entertaining but there's enough familiarity with the world to make you feel right at home as you continue to enjoy the series.
Whatever you read, enjoy!
Effective Blurbs
The book cover is usually the thing that attracts my attention to a potential new read, of course, but following that comes the blurb.
I like a blurb that is (a) short, (b) intriguing and (c) gives an idea of what the story is about without giving everything away.
My blurb for Tripping the Flash Fantastic reads as “Allison Symes loves reading and writing quirky fiction. She discovered flash fiction thanks to a Cafélit challenge and has been hooked on the form ever since. In this follow-up to her "From Light to Dark and Back Again", Allison will take you back in time, into some truly criminal minds, into fantasy worlds, and show you how motherhood looks from the viewpoint of a dragon. Enjoy the journey!”
Was it easy to write that? Not particularly!
The stories were easier to do but many authors find that. It is hard to capture the essence of your work without giving too much away.
After all, the idea is to entice the reader in to read your book, not leave them feeling as if they have read it all from what you’ve put on the back cover!
Is it worth taking time and trouble over to get right? Oh yes.
Put yourself in the reader’s shoes. What is it about your book that they would want to know to make them want to find out more?
It is all about triggering interest and from that a wish to know more.
Happy (blurb) writing!
I like a blurb that is (a) short, (b) intriguing and (c) gives an idea of what the story is about without giving everything away.
My blurb for Tripping the Flash Fantastic reads as “Allison Symes loves reading and writing quirky fiction. She discovered flash fiction thanks to a Cafélit challenge and has been hooked on the form ever since. In this follow-up to her "From Light to Dark and Back Again", Allison will take you back in time, into some truly criminal minds, into fantasy worlds, and show you how motherhood looks from the viewpoint of a dragon. Enjoy the journey!”
Was it easy to write that? Not particularly!
The stories were easier to do but many authors find that. It is hard to capture the essence of your work without giving too much away.
After all, the idea is to entice the reader in to read your book, not leave them feeling as if they have read it all from what you’ve put on the back cover!
Is it worth taking time and trouble over to get right? Oh yes.
Put yourself in the reader’s shoes. What is it about your book that they would want to know to make them want to find out more?
It is all about triggering interest and from that a wish to know more.
Happy (blurb) writing!
Drawing In The Readers
If there was a simple way to guarantee drawing in the readers, then someone somewhere would be a very wealthy person for selling the secret to that!
Speaking with my reader hat on, I am drawn to a book by (a) its cover, (b) its blurb, and (c) if I have already read the author’s work. If it is someone whose work I know and love, then it is pretty much guaranteed I will go for their next one.
Out of the cover and the blurb, I have to say I think the latter is the most important. That has got to get me wanting to read more.
Yes, sometimes, a good book cover will catch my eye and I will want to check it out but if the blurb isn’t up to scratch, I’m not biting!
Once I’ve got the book though I want the characters to keep me reading. I have got to want to find out what happens to them and to care about the outcome.
I think you can only do that with realistically portrayed characters whose goal you can understand.
I also want my characters to be “worthy” of winning through in the end. I don’t want it just to fall into their lap, so to speak. I want them to contribute significantly to their success, even with the help of others.
I think you should also be able to see why the others would help the lead character with their goal rather than just leave them to it.
Speaking with my reader hat on, I am drawn to a book by (a) its cover, (b) its blurb, and (c) if I have already read the author’s work. If it is someone whose work I know and love, then it is pretty much guaranteed I will go for their next one.
Out of the cover and the blurb, I have to say I think the latter is the most important. That has got to get me wanting to read more.
Yes, sometimes, a good book cover will catch my eye and I will want to check it out but if the blurb isn’t up to scratch, I’m not biting!
Once I’ve got the book though I want the characters to keep me reading. I have got to want to find out what happens to them and to care about the outcome.
I think you can only do that with realistically portrayed characters whose goal you can understand.
I also want my characters to be “worthy” of winning through in the end. I don’t want it just to fall into their lap, so to speak. I want them to contribute significantly to their success, even with the help of others.
I think you should also be able to see why the others would help the lead character with their goal rather than just leave them to it.
