It’s All About the Presentation

Now that the holidays are here, I have been spending a LOT of time wrapping gifts. Whether I use pretty bags, sparkly bows, or shiny wrapping paper, the gifts I give look very cool on the outside! And in some ways that is an important trait for writers to keep in mind as well when it comes to their work. Of course the most important part of what a writer does is the story itself (what’s inside of the wrapping).

However…

If you can’t entice a reader to come pick up that package and shake it a bit, then they won’t open (buy) it. So your book’s cover is vital. It is the pretty paper that attracts a first glance. And the shiny bow? Well that’s your blurb – the paragraph that teases your reader to give your book a chance. A couple of sentences that hints to plot, sets mood, and gives a glimpse of character. And yes, it is very hard sometimes to get that darn blurb right.

As I head toward 2016, I have to think about the covers and the blurbs for my new group of characters and the stories they want told. There will be new adventures wrapped in pretty paper and bows. I’m looking forward to my new series and I hope you’ll be willing to pick up the ‘present’ and give it a shake!