On wattpad, one of the hardest things I have to deal with is writing the blurb. That's because we basically have to write the blurb before finishing the entire book. Grr.
[1] Do's of the Blurb
-Reference the genre and central theme
-Create intrigue around the main conflict
-Dive right in and introduce your protagonist
-Keep it short and punchy
-Reference your book-writing or professional status, it it relates to your blurb
[2] Don'ts of the Blurb
-Give away any spoilers, doesn't matter how tempted you are
-Give a summary of the first chapter
-Open with "In a world," or any other overused phrase
-Give away everything (I hate having to say this, but I swear some people on wattpad)
-Say how amazing your book is
-Compare yourself to other writers or your book to other books
[3] Formula for the Blurb
I think this is probably the best way to write a blurb for your book. It creates just the right amount of everything.
[a] Situation
Your story has to start somewhere. All stories do. But your story has to have your characters in some sort of circumstance, describe them as simply as you can, right here.
[b] Problem
Once you finish describing your character and how their circumstances are, this is where you should describe the problem. This part of the blurb usually starts with the word,"But..." or "However..." or "Until..."
[c] Hopeful Possibility
Here's where you should describe the potential to overcome the crisis/problem. This potential can be the "cool thing" or a "long shot opportunity" that makes the reader want to continue to read your book.
[d] Mood
This should be the tone or spirit of the story. Your audience wants to know how they'll feel while reading your book. They want to know if it's a dystopian romance, a tragic murder, or a humorous chic-flick.
[e] Formula in Action
Now that you know the formula, let's see how it works with the blurb of Spirit Warriors: The Concealing by D. E. L. Connor.
(a) Sixteen-year-old Emme Belrose has it all: four best friends, her own horse, a hidden teepee hangout, and a blossoming romance with tall and handsome Charlie. These friends also have a secret. They can move their spirits into animal bodies: an Osprey, a Mustang, a Grizzly, a Mountain Lion and a Coyote. (b) But when Charlie, who has a gift for seeing the future, has a vision of Emme drowning in the icy Yellowstone River, (c) the Spirit Warriors must train their animal bodies to kill an enemy they know is coming... but know nothing about. (d) Suspenseful, romantic and awash in Native American magic, Spirit Warriors captures the enchantment of the American West and the power of friendship.
[5] Make it Dramatic
Because you don't want a real long blurb, you're going to have to make it dramatic and snappy. They want drama. They want tension. If your book doesn't hook them, they'll assume your book won't hook them either.
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A Guide to Writing
Non-FictionOk, so I know that there are a lot of these books out there on Wattpad. The reason I decided to write this book was because I found it hard to find actual guidelines on the internet for this kind of stuff. So I put together what I learned from many...
