The short, punchy description on the back of a book designed to hook readers, or a praise quote from another author used in marketing.
A blurb serves two related but distinct purposes in publishing. Most commonly, it refers to the back-cover description that summarizes your book's premise and entices browsers to become buyers. It is not a synopsis. It is a sales pitch in paragraph form, designed to create curiosity and urgency without giving away the ending. The term also refers to endorsement quotes from other authors or public figures that appear on the cover or inside pages. Both types of blurb exist for the same reason: to convince someone to open your book.
Your blurb is the single most important piece of marketing copy you will ever write for your book. On Amazon, in bookstores, and on Goodreads, the blurb is what converts a curious glance into a purchase. You can have a brilliant novel with a gorgeous cover, but if your blurb is flat, readers will move on. It is worth spending as much time crafting your blurb as you spent on your opening chapter.
The blurb drops you into the premise in two sentences and raises the stakes immediately. You know the world, the conflict, and why you should care before you finish the first paragraph.
The blurb leans into atmosphere and genre expectations, promising 'an isolated mansion' and 'chilling secrets,' which signals exactly what kind of reading experience awaits.
The blurb creates intrigue by promising the untold story of a glamorous, secretive Hollywood icon. It sells mystery and character rather than plot, which perfectly suits the book.
Your blurb should not summarize the whole plot. It should set up the central conflict and make the reader desperate to know what happens next. Stop at the moment of maximum tension. Never reveal the ending.
Lead with your character and their problem, not the history of your fictional kingdom. Readers connect with people, not exposition. Get to the conflict in the first two sentences.
Generic phrases like 'a journey of self-discovery' or 'nothing is what it seems' tell the reader nothing. Be specific about your character, their situation, and the stakes they face.
Most effective blurbs are 100 to 200 words. If yours is pushing 300, you are including too much. Cut everything that is not directly building tension or curiosity.
Write two versions of a blurb for your current project. Version one: 50 words or fewer that capture the essence of the story in a single punchy paragraph. Version two: 150 words that expand on the character, conflict, and stakes. Read both out loud and notice which phrases create the most curiosity. Combine the best elements into a final version.