I was thinking this the other day. Oftentimes when I pick up a book, it has a lot to do with an interesting blurb. This almost always has something to do with some kind of concept I really like that is mentioned. For example Jay Kristoff's "Japanese steampunk " would attract me more as a modern reader than "a fantasy adventure." I'm not sure why that is, but concepts that are different to me in some way often attract my eye when I'm looking for new books.
I often hear people say on the forum that they don't mind so much being original and that they want their writing to speak for itself. I believe this is important of course. But I'm just curious, how do you get people to read your writing without a concept that can hook them first?
I was just looking at something posted yesterday about the Top 12 Books of 2013. Based on short descriptions of some of these books, I already want to read them. Some of this has to do with words that "pop" to me. This could be a genre name, a creature, a type of character, whatever.
For instance if I see "steampunk," "berserker," "centaur," and "stock market" all in the same book description, I'm going to say "What in the hell is that?" This, for me, is a good reaction. However, if I see the words "adventure," "destiny," "magic," and "sword" it just doesn't evoke the same feeling from me. The second novel may be the superior one and the first novel may be a jumbled mess. But something about certain words just catches my eye. Like The Golem and the Jinni. I'm interested in this book based on the title alone, but the blurb is equally interesting for me:
Lots of words pop out at me here. "Golem," "Kabbalistic magic," "jinni," "Syrian desert," "New York harbor 1899." I just wonder if other readers approach books the buy in the same way. And how as writers can we make our blurbs showcase our writing to the best of our ability?
Should your blurb show what you have different to offer in order to hook new readers or is a more "economical," straight forward blurb good enough?
I often hear people say on the forum that they don't mind so much being original and that they want their writing to speak for itself. I believe this is important of course. But I'm just curious, how do you get people to read your writing without a concept that can hook them first?
I was just looking at something posted yesterday about the Top 12 Books of 2013. Based on short descriptions of some of these books, I already want to read them. Some of this has to do with words that "pop" to me. This could be a genre name, a creature, a type of character, whatever.
For instance if I see "steampunk," "berserker," "centaur," and "stock market" all in the same book description, I'm going to say "What in the hell is that?" This, for me, is a good reaction. However, if I see the words "adventure," "destiny," "magic," and "sword" it just doesn't evoke the same feeling from me. The second novel may be the superior one and the first novel may be a jumbled mess. But something about certain words just catches my eye. Like The Golem and the Jinni. I'm interested in this book based on the title alone, but the blurb is equally interesting for me:
Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life to by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic and dies at sea on the voyage from Poland. Chava is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York harbor in 1899.
Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire born in the ancient Syrian desert, trapped in an old copper flask, and released in New York City, though still not entirely free
Ahmad and Chava become unlikely friends and soul mates with a mystical connection. Marvelous and compulsively readable, Helene Wecker's debut novel The Golem and the Jinni weaves strands of Yiddish and Middle Eastern literature, historical fiction and magical fable, into a wondrously inventive and unforgettable tale.
Lots of words pop out at me here. "Golem," "Kabbalistic magic," "jinni," "Syrian desert," "New York harbor 1899." I just wonder if other readers approach books the buy in the same way. And how as writers can we make our blurbs showcase our writing to the best of our ability?
Should your blurb show what you have different to offer in order to hook new readers or is a more "economical," straight forward blurb good enough?