What Is a Blurb? Meaning, Examples & 10 Expert Tips

• Jan 30, 2024
• 4 min read

• Tags: Fiction, Fiction Writing, Language, Novel, Writing Tips

Do you want more readers to buy your book?  Creating a powerful blurb can attract more readers to purchase your book. In this article, discover how to write a blurb for a book to increase sales! We’ve also given amazing examples of blurbs from famous novels. 

So what does a blurb mean? To grasp the basics, let’s first quickly define blurbs. 

What is a blurb in a book? 

A blurb is a brief, compelling book description designed to arouse the curiosity of potential readers. The blurb is printed on the back cover of the book, giving readers a short glimpse of the story. It introduces the main characters, offers a brief plot outline, and highlights unique story themes. It can also consist of intriguing quotes from the book. 

A blurb aims to create suspense among readers. However, this is done without revealing the entire story and the main climax. 

To define blurbs isn’t enough. It’s also important to know what is a blurb’s length. Let’s find out! 

How long is a blurb? 

A blurb is typically between 100 to 200 words. Blurbs are usually concise and do not offer a detailed summary of the book’s contents. Instead, they provide just enough detail to arouse the reader’s curiosity.

After learning about a blurb’s length, let’s understand how to write a book blurb in detail. 

10 Tips to create a compelling blurb 

1. Create an attractive hook 

Ideally, the hook must feature within the first line of the blurb, nudging the audience to read more. It can be an intriguing question, a shocking statement, or a life-changing moment faced by the protagonist. 

2. Introduce mystery elements 

If your book centers around an element of mystery and intrigue, you can spotlight these elements upfront in the blurb. For instance, if the story is a whodunit, your book blurb can build suspense about which characters might have done it.

3. Use powerful adjectives 

The use of powerful adjectives can lead to more credibility and excitement in your narrative. Adjectives should be specific rather than generic. Here’s an example: Isabel, a young ambitious archaeologist, stumbles upon a hidden manuscript that reveals a tale of painful betrayal. 

4. Include an exciting plot twist 

Introduce a specific turning point where the plot thickens, and a regular story gets more interesting. For instance, it could be an unexpected incident that triggers a life-altering challenge for the protagonist. 

5. Highlight unique story elements 

Providing specific details on the characters and storyline makes your book stand out from others with similar plots or within the same genre. Focus on distinctive characters, situational, and circumstantial details such as unique choices made by characters, a shocking plot twist, or an unexplored theme that instantly generates interest. 

6. Briefly describe the setting 

Provide a brief description of the setting of the story details such as the historical time and backdrop. For instance, which place and culture is the story set in, or the profession and age groups of the main characters.

7. Avoid giving spoilers

Disclosing the ending might influence the reader not to buy the book. Hence, be cautious not to reveal the outcomes of key plot twists. Also, avoid providing so much detail that readers can predict the outcomes.

8. Highlight difficult choices made by characters

Readers often connect to characters that they relate to, and they see themselves in their actions and outcomes. Introducing a subtle detail of a turning point where a character is confronted with two difficult choices can arouse interest in the characters and their narratives.

9. Touch upon the themes explored

If your blurb highlights multiple interwoven themes of a story, this approach can help build appeal amongst a wider audience. It also strengthens the narrative. For instance, a blurb can spotlight the challenges faced by a single woman who adopts a baby. 

10. End with an intriguing question

A strong way to end a blurb is to pose a question that seeds anticipation in the reader’s mind. The question can offer a hint, seed curiosity in a reader’s mind, and trigger a sense of urgency as to why the book must be read. 

Now that we know how to write a book blurb, let’s see some amazing examples of novel blurbs. 

Best book blurb examples 

Here are 2 amazing examples of novel blurbs that demonstrate the blurb definition: 

1) The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins

Genre: Mystery 

EVERY DAY THE SAME

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day, she rattles the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck daily. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

UNTIL TODAY

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel goes to the police. But is she as unreliable as they say? Soon, she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

2) Outlander By Diane Gabaldon 

Genre: Fantasy 

Scottish Highlands, 1945. Claire Randall, a former British combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach — an “outlander”— in a Scotland torn by war and raiding clans in the year of Our Lord…1743.

Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of a world that threatens her life and may shatter her heart. Marooned amid danger, passion, and violence, Claire learns her only chance of safety lies in Jamie Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior. What begins in compulsion becomes urgent need, and Claire finds herself torn between two very different men in two irreconcilable lives.

We hope the blurb definition, examples, and practical tips have inspired you to brainstorm for your book blurb.  You can also bookmark this article for future reference about what is a book blurb. If you want to create a professional blurb, you can seek help from the best self-publishing companies that offer blurb writing services.

At PaperTrue, we craft compelling blurbs for authors along with providing a wide range of self-publishing services. These include editing, creating a book cover design, online distribution, eBook conversion, getting an ISBN, and creating a copyright page. 

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Tanvi

With a foundation in Life Sciences, Tanvi enjoys curating technical writing tips tailored for ESL students. When she's not translating complex concepts into bite-sized nuggets, she can be found playing with dogs or painting landscapes.