AuthorHi, I'm Ray Evans. I'm a certified copyeditor and proofreader. Archives
September 2023
Categories |
Back to Blog
What is a book description anyway?Most people will tell you that a book description is a summary of your book that appears on the back and on the page on Amazon. A book description appears on the back of the book and sales page, but it's not a synopsis. A good book blurb is sales copy. It's supposed to help you sell more books. This is not the same as a summary of your book. A summary explains what happened in the book. The sales copy will explain why people should read it. The goal of sales copy is to entice the reader. The reader should be interested in finding out more after reading your book blurb; and they'll find out more buy purchasing your book That is why you should consider your book blurb as a sales tool rather than a summary of your plot. Writing a Fiction Book Blurb that SellsFirst, avoid giving away too many plot points. This is not a book report, and it should not go into great detail about the story. Second, you want to up the ante. Make the importance of the story clear to the reader. The reader will be more interested in what happens if the stakes are high. Here are 4 tips writing better book blurbs: Be ConciseCopywriting is not the same as writing a book. When writing copy, you should make every word count. Remove anything that isn't necessary so that you can communicate what you need to say in as few words as necessary. Use KeywordsWhile you should avoid cramming your blurb with keywords, using a few terms or phrases that consumers are likely to use in Amazon searches never hurts. Write as if You're the PublisherIt is critical to note that your blurb is not a synopsis of your book. It is a marketing tool. When writing your book description, pretend you're a publishing company looking to make a best-seller rather than the author. Find What's Already Working and Emulate ItIf you're having problems creating your blurb, my biggest recommendation is to look for other novels in your genre that have done well. Specifically, look for independently-published books that are doing well (since traditionally-published books are typically lackadaisical with their book descriptions). Then, look at the structure of each sentence and the role it plays. Make your book description similar to those examples.
0 Comments
Read More
Back to Blog
How to Get a Great Book Cover in 3 Steps11/5/2022 This advice comes from an author client of mine and is her surefire way to get a beautiful book cover. Let's get right into it:
The contest is two rounds: 4 days for round one and 4 days for round two and then you have 10 days to work with the designer to finalize it. That 18 days in total and then you're stuck with the design. It's important to have the following before you start the contest, as these will affect paperback book:
Hope that helps! Now go out and make a awesome book cover and launch it into space so it's the first sign that aliens find of intelligent life!
Back to Blog
4 Tips to Add Humor to Your Writing11/3/2022 First step is acceptanceWhile you might not have been the class clown in school, everyone has the potential to be funny. Find a voice for your humor—maybe your primary character. Comedic TimingComedy writing consists of little narratives that climax with a punchline. If you properly create a narrative and pay it off, the audience will laugh at the punchline. Be thoughtful and deliberate and don't try to add too many jokes. Know Your AudienceHumor is very subjective. A joke that works for one audience may not work for another. What works for a middle-class Jewish audience may not be funny to lower-income Black audience or to a group 20-something frat boys. Always be clear on who your readership is and be sure that your jokes and humor are something that they can relate to. Use the element of surpriseGood comedy is unpredictable.
Mix ideas. The rule of three—a bit with three beats—is a common pattern in comedic writing. The first two build a pattern of comparable ideas. The punchline breaks the pattern with an unexpected statement. Here's an example from the stand-up comedian, Larry the Cable guy "I had a buddy call me up that he had just slept with his third cousin. And I'm like, Man, if it upsets you that much then stop countin' them."
Back to Blog
Major characters are a story's backbone. A well-developed antagonist can drive a story in complex and interesting directions. When developing a story, it's crucial to consider the "bad guy's" dimensions as well as the protagonist's. We've moved away from the "mustache-twirling evil man" in genre and literary literature, figures like Gargamel from the Smurfs and all the Evil Queens. Not every narrative needs a redeemable villain. No matter the type of villain you choose, it's crucial to understand the character and their role in your story so they drive the plot like your protagonist. Here are 3 different types of antagonists that work well in fiction The One that We Love to HateThese characters get in your hero's way. This opponent wants to destroy the planet, while your hero wants to save it. Your hero wants to marry the prince, but the villain wants him all to herself — not because she loves him, but because she wants his money, power, etc. This type of antagonist generally has no compelling cause to hinder the protagonist: Protagonist and Antagonistboth apply to same job. They seek the job because they enjoy it, need the money, or are good at it. The antagonist is usually rich, bored, and wants to win for bragging rights. This antagonist hates the protagonist, and not necessarily for a good reason. Star Wars' Emperor Palpatine is a "love-to-hate" villain. Episodes 1-3 show there's a method to his madness, but it still seems he just likes destroying things for money and power. "Love to Haters" exist in literature, too. Take Jason from The Sound and Fury: When alluding to a sympathetic character, he says, "Once a bitch, always a bitch." A few scenes later, when a little kid can't purchase a fair ticket, Jason pulls one out of his wallet, sees the boy's eyes light up, and then burns it in front of him - and laughs. These antagonists enrage readers. Because so much is at risk, readers root harder for the protagonist. Defeating this villain is crucial. A reader may worry if your protagonist is truly so good or if the alternative is so horrible they must cheer for the hero. These adversaries can drive a plot, but don't make them too awful for no reason or they'll become caricatures. The Sympathetic AntagonistBackstory can evoke sympathy for any character. Frankenstein's monster goes on a murdering spree to kill his creator, Victor Frankenstein, but when we learn about his agony and scorn, we understand him better. It could be more than one personAntagonists can be groups. They might be a group, like Mean Girls' alpha females. A community, government, or religion could be the enemy. Don't limit yourself to one "evil person" It's complicatedGood antagonists resemble good protagonists. They require a compelling backstory. Like your hero, your villain needs a world and a life.
Antagonists should be skilled. How else could they compete with your protagonist if they weren't special? Perhaps they're clever, strong, swift, etc. Your antagonist must be powerful enough to beat your protagonist at their best. He or she needs flaws. Good protagonists have flaws. Scarlett O'Hara was selfish, Anna Karenina impetuous. Your villain should be flawed too. Your antagonist's shortcomings don't have to redeem them, unlike a protagonist's. Just as we spend time building our hero, it's critical to remember the villain. Make your protagonist lovable and fight-worthy. The overarching guideline of antagonists is to not allow your antagonist's personality outshine that of your protagonist. |