Authors set a standard for readers when they add their personal branding into their marketing.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: branding and marketing are not a focus in your author career. You’re here to write books and entertain, not do something as icky as marketing.
However, when it comes to your books reaching the right audience, it’s important to inject your personal branding into your book blurb. Here are some reasons why you need to learn this skill and steps to take to make it happen!
What Is Your Personal Brand As An Author?
Your personal brand is the face you put to the world to share who you are as an author. When you share your personal brand, you share what makes you different from others, what you stand for, and how the culmination of your experiences and talents results in the stories you create.
Your personal brand exists in what you say, what you write, and how you communicate. You can’t avoid it, so why not embrace it?
Why Your Book Blurb Should Reflect Your Author Voice
A few reasons to inject your author voice into your book blurb include:
- To set expectations: Your blurb gives a sneak peek into what’s going to happen in the story, and using your author voice tells readers what to expect.
- To draw in readers: No matter if you’re writing standalone stories or a series, your voice should be reflected in all your writing, which includes your blurb.
- To showcase your perspective: Your voice and way of telling your story, including in your book blurb, will give readers a new perspective on what you have to offer to the genre you’re writing in.
Tips For Making A Standout Book Blurb
If you struggle to sum up your story in just the space needed for a book blurb, here are some ways to approach it while still preserving your author voice:
- Imagine your book as a movie trailer: I like to think about how I might create a movie trailer from a story, including beginning with the classic “in a world” that Don LaFontaine was known for when he would narrate movie trailers. This can be a fun exercise to think about how to sum up the setting of your story, the major players, and the key conflicts that impact them.
- Think about how you would describe it to a friend: Authors often have friends ask, “What’s your book about?” and while this may be harder to do in the middle of writing it, pinning down your pitch after the fact can really help you determine the direction of your book blurb.
- Research what others have done: Often called comp titles, the books you might decide to use for inspiration for your book blurb can be really helpful in setting up the voice and tone you are looking for. Plus, if these authors have written a successful book blurb that entices readers, chances are you can, too!
Connect with a Book Marketing Professional
Having trouble writing your book blurb or need help revising it? Connect with me and we’ll talk about how to make it shine!