Ever heard of the term “blur”? In fact, a blurb is a line of paragraphs containing a brief description or description of the contents of a book, film, or similar work, which is created to attract the attention of the audience to consume these works. Historically, it is stated that the person who invented the term “blurb” also referred to the promotional media as “flamboyant advertising.” Based on this explanation, it can be concluded that the main purpose of creating a blurb is to encourage the audience to buy, view, or simply support the product being promoted using short paragraphs containing 150 words or less. Want to try writing blurbs? The first step you need to take is to collect as much important information as possible about the product or work that will be promoted, then summarize it in one short and interesting paragraph.
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Part 1 of 3: Gathering Important Information
Step 1. Read various blurb samples
Try to remember your favorite blurbs, as well as things that made you interested in reading them to the end. If you don't already have a favorite blurb, try reading book covers, book reviews, or movie promotional materials in various places to find the blurbs you like best. The richer the types of blurbs you read, the richer your inspiration when it comes to writing your own blurbs.
Step 2. Define your target audience
Who did you make this blurb for? Who should be the audience of your work? Is your work directed at book critics, film critics, children, academics, or the general public? By determining a specific target audience, you will undoubtedly be able to more easily determine the right diction and style of language to attract their attention. For example:
- If your target audience is the general public, we recommend using diction that is informal, interesting, and easy to understand
- If your target audience is professionals such as academics, film critics, or book critics, it's best to use formal, themed diction.
- If your target audience is children and young adults, we recommend using diction that is simple and fun to read
Step 3. Identify the main characters in your work
Make a list of the names of the characters who are in your story, or who have played a very important role. Then, look for a term that can represent their characteristics in the most interesting way possible. For example:
- Warlord, Winston Churchill
- The lively and charming Scarlett O'Hara
- Robert Langdon, the intrepid professor
Step 4. Reveal a bit of the main plot or argument in your work
Remember, the purpose of someone reading a blurb is to dig up a little information about the content of the book or film you are making. To meet this need, compose a short, concise, clear, and interesting sentence or two to guide the audience in understanding the content of your book, film, or other project. Do not use sentences that are too long and/or convoluted so that the potential customers you are targeting do not feel bored and then feel reluctant to consume your work. For example:
- The warlord, Winston Churchill, prepares to face Adolf Hitler, his mortal enemy, in a war that stakes the heart of Europe.
- In this story involving courage, the sweetness of love, and the pain of heartbreak, the agile and charming Scarlett O'Hara is able to navigate the confusing and difficult situation after the Civil War that swept through her country.
Step 5. Define the main thesis in your blurb
identify one or two topics/themes that can summarize the content of your work. Then, combine the topic/theme with one or two emotive dictions so that readers are helped to understand the idea of the story, and are also moved to find out more information about your work. For example:
- Canadian Maritime wind farm
- a touching portrait of a family and country
- a thrilling and harrowing journey along the Silk Road
Part 2 of 3: Turning Information Into Blurb
Step 1. Start the blurb with a sentence that is able to attract the reader's attention
Analogize the first sentence in the blurb as an invitation to a date. That is, the sentence must be smart and interesting enough to be able to capture the attention of the audience, and should not be clichéd so as not to bore your potential customers. By applying this method, the audience will undoubtedly read the blurb to the end, and they will be encouraged to consume your work as a whole. Some examples of interesting sentences to start the blurb:
- For the first time, socialite and party star Anne Helene Lutz doesn't imprison herself in Sardinia's Bacchanalian festivals and lavish bohemian camp parties.
- Seemingly neutral, the International Tracking Organization stands tall at the crossroads of humanitarian reconstruction when war ravaged Europe in 1945. However, equality is often just a cover for the vile.
- No longer side by side with the increasingly wild pace of London's technology in 2020, the Samothrace family decided to leave all forms of comfort offered by modern life and survive with perfunctory possessions, like their ancestors when London was still a dirty and full of fun. terrible for its inhabitants.
Step 2. Tell the reader the snippet of the story you want to tell
If you're writing a novel or film blurb, focus on informing your audience of the elements that are important in characterization and plot aspects. In particular, summarize your story in 1-2 sentences that are not too long to hold the audience's attention, but complete enough to help the reader understand the content of your book or film. In addition to capturing the reader's attention, a short description can keep your book or film mysterious. As a result, potential consumers will be moved to read or watch your work to find out more about the story.
Step 3. Finish the blurb with a hanging sentence
To trap potential customers and to make sure they're looking forward to your full work, try inserting a mysterious element at the end of the blurb in the form of a statement or question that prompts the reader to think, "What happened?" For example:
- Despite their differing political views, Churchill and Stalin united in unimaginable ways to free Europe from the clutches of Nazi tyranny.
- However, must Anna Helene give up her comfortable life to live a routine of farming in the endless fields of Sardinia with Emilio who has captured her heart?
Step 4. Don't confuse the reader
As you write the blurb, try to think, "Am I trying to sell romance or historical stories?," or "Am I trying to write a novel based on philosophy?" Make sure readers don't get confused by the content of your book or film, to make sure they don't turn to other people's work.
Part 3 of 3: Editing Blurb
Step 1. Make sure the blurb content looks short, concise, and clear
Imagine yourself as Ernest Hemingway or another well-known writer while working on the writing and editing process. Take the time to make sure the sentences listed are not convoluted, but still able to attract and capture the reader's attention.
Understand that some readers will only scan the blurb. That is why, blurbs should be kept as concise as possible so that they are easier for readers to scan
Step 2. Adjust the style of language used with your target audience
Use language that is relevant to potential customers and easy for them to understand. In addition, create an atmosphere and/or emotion that is no less relevant to the characteristics of the target audience so that they are interested in consuming your work.
Step 3. Edit the final draft blurb
After completing the blurb writing process, try to get rid of it for a few hours or even a few days. After that, go back to reading the blurb, this time with a louder voice and a clearer mind, to find areas that need to be improved or tidied up. Do not skip this stage so that the resulting blurb is absolutely perfect and in accordance with the needs of your potential customers.
Read the contents of the blurb aloud so you can find errors in it more easily
Step 4. Ask others for their opinion
Show your blurb to coworkers, friends, or even potential customers, and ask them for help with constructive criticism and suggestions. Doing so will help you to produce a final draft that is attractive and easy for your audience to understand.
