Your blurb will be an important part of your marketing. It is vital to get a reader’s attention. To write a good blurb, you have to make it short. Cut out sub-plots. Add tension to make it dramatic. Try not to mention more than two character’s names, and promise your audience a read they won’t forget.
I’ve come up with this easy acronym to help you create a blurb. I call it SCOPE. Follow these five steps and see if it works for you.
Setting
Conflict
Objective
Possible Solution
Emotional Promise
Setting: All stories involve characters who are in a certain setting at a certain time.
Conflict: A good story places these characters in a situation where they have to act or react. A good way to start this part of your blurb is with the words: But, However, Until
Objective: What do your characters need to do?
Possible Solution: Offer the reader hope here. Show them how the protagonist can overcome. Give them a reason to pick up the book. Use the word ‘If’ here.
Emotional Promise: Tell them how the book will make them feel. This sets the mood for your reader.
I saw The Edge of Tomorrow today, and I decided to write a blurb using this formula.
London. The near future. Aliens have invaded Earth and colonised Europe. Major William Cage is a PR expert for the US Army which is working with the British to prevent the invaders from crossing the English Channel. Battle after battle is lost until an unexpected victory gives humanity hope.
But the enemy is invincible. A planned push into Europe fails and Cage finds himself in a war he has no way to fight, and he dies. However, he wakes up, rebooted back a day every time he dies.
He lives through hellish day after day, until he finds another soldier, Sergeant Rita Vrataski, who understands what he can do to fight the enemy. Cage and Vrataski have to take the fight to the aliens, learning more after each repeated encounter.
If they succeed, they will destroy the enemy, and save Earth.
This thrilling action-packed science fiction war story will show you how heroes are made and wars can be won. Against the odds.
SCOPE will work for any blurb. Why don’t you try it?
by Amanda Patterson for Writers Write
If you enjoyed this article, you may enjoy How to write a query letter in 12 easy steps and How to write a one-page synopsis
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