Wow. It has been a hot minute since this book was updated. I'm older- but probably not wiser- so let's go with that sassy shit you people put up with!
The blurb is an important part of a book, especially here on Wattpad. It is what draws a reader in and makes 'em add it to their reading lists and start reading. But I have seen some awful blurbs here, like Netflix episode description bad. But, alas, I am here to guide you toward the light.
What not to do:
First thing to avoid is explaining the entire plot. Obviously. The blurb is the taster, just a spoonful that leaves readers interested and wanting an entire bowl of delicious book. Introduce main characters, world and the main plot point.
Please, for the love of god, do not use the line "read this book to find out!" Nothing turns me off more. I refuse to read books with that tagline in the blurb. They are usually a response to rhetorical questions asked in the blurb (we approve of rhetorical questions) and it sounds like you think that the plot is so enticing that the readers won't be able to help themselves. In reality it sounds dumb and narcissistic. No. Stop. Stop it.
Do not comment that "I'm really bad at writing blurbs, but the book is good I promise!" Chances are, if you can't make a short paragraph introducing your book good, you can't make your book good. There is an art to writing a good blurb, you may need help writing it and that's okay. Sometimes an outside perspective is good, for all areas of writing. But admitting that you're blurb is a bit shit doesn't excuse a bad blurb. The same way that admitting to a mistake is not the same as an apology.
Don't put an excerpt from the book in the blurb that either doesn't actually appear in the book, or doesn't happen until like chapters 40. Excerpts are good, we agree, we like them. But they need to be from at least one of the first ten chapters and preferably from the first three. If I like what is happening in the excerpt, then I want to read the excerpt. I am not sticking around to wait 35 chapters for the one bit of the book that interests me. And do not include an excerpt that does not make the final draft or edited version of the book. It's false advertising and we dislike.
Anyway, thanks for reading. We have fun here. I am taking down a lot of my books from this profile. I have a few reasons. I have changed my username a few times and older books have continuity errors with past names that I'm not happy using, I also have books I'm not happy with and having grown as a writer I want to edit them, I have a much better writing method now that I want to continue and most of them are a bit shit really. I have also come to terms with my identity more, gender identity, sexuality and so on, and I'm in a much better place to create. The person who wrote the books on this profile was not very happy in himself and I think that reflects in the writing a lot. I will be keeping up just 2 books: this one and Stone Cold (because I'm actually mildly impressed by it). The rest are getting taken down.
If you want to read more of my works, actual novels that I have taken time with and I think are decent, then my new profile is Nathan James @The_Nathan_James here on Wattpad. This account will only be for fun and reading. Thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next one
Cheers!
NJ
YOU ARE READING
An amazing guide to writing, good grammar and spelling
Non-FictionThis book will teach you all you need to know about writing! If it's for school, wattpad or whatever! Through rhymes and sarcasm, you too can become a nerd! Wow all those exclamation marks made me tired just looking at them.
