Writing a novel tests an author, but crafting a back-cover blurb may be the greater challenge. For The Strandlock, I wrote over 92,000 words to tell a fantasy story and had fun doing it. Creating the blurb took more revisions and rewrites than I expected, and was worth it.
What is a Back-Cover Blurb?
A blurb is a short marketing piece of writing on the back cover of a print book to promote the story. Its aim is to entice readers to acquire and read the book.
Online retail descriptions can be longer than back-cover blurbs. Digital and audio-books rely on these descriptions because they don’t have a place for a blurb.
Parts of a Blurb
Most blurbs contain certain key parts.
| Hook | Capture the reader’s attention |
| Main Character | Give the reader someone to follow |
| Situation | Establish the story’s starting point |
| Conflict | Define the central problem that drives the story |
| Stakes | Show why the conflict matters; the emotional heart of the story |
| Intrigue | Teasing sentence to encourage the reader to continue |
Crafting One for The Strandlock
The opening hook of the blurb is:
The strandlock is failing.
Since the reader does not know at this point what a strandlock is and why failure matters, the next line adds that explanation and a sense of what’s at stake:
The ancient wizard imprisoned within it is already reaching beyond his prison, releasing violent storms across the world of Spira.
The hardest part was deciding how much of the magic world to include without overwhelming readers with unfamiliar fantasy terms.
With that done, the blurb turns to introducing the main character and giving her a goal:
Dark clouds and hail sweep across the plains, reaching Tima, a girl the Elders call cursed. Forced to hide her silver hair and treated as an outcast, Tima is determined to leave the primitive plains camp.
Then the central problem that propels the story is presented:
When she makes a pledge that risks her spirit, she becomes bound to Lord Dranger, a moody shapeshifter with secrets of his own. Together, they embark on a daring journey to save the strandlock before the wizard escapes.
To survive, Tima must accept the magic she has spent her life hiding, face the unbreakable pledge she made, and discover the truth about her destiny.
Finally, the end of the blurb offers an exciting summary of what The Strandlock offers:
A thrilling fantasy adventure of hidden magic, dangerous secrets, and a world on the brink of disaster.
The Full Blurb
The strandlock is failing.
The ancient wizard imprisoned within it is already reaching beyond his prison, releasing violent storms across the world of Spira.
Dark clouds and hail sweep across the plains, reaching Tima, a girl the Elders call cursed. Forced to hide her silver hair and treated as an outcast, Tima is determined to leave the primitive plains camp.
When she makes a pledge that risks her spirit, she becomes bound to Lord Dranger, a moody shapeshifter with secrets of his own. Together, they embark on a daring journey to save the strandlock before the wizard escapes.
To survive, Tima must accept the magic she has spent her life hiding, face the unbreakable pledge she made, and discover the truth about her destiny.
A thrilling fantasy adventure of hidden magic, dangerous secrets, and a world on the brink of disaster.
Reader Reactions
Every sentence in the blurb has earned its place on the back cover. However, reader reactions will determine the blurb’s effectiveness. Let me know in the comments if this blurb makes you want to read The Strandlock.
Next time, we’ll meet Tima, the main character of the novel.
Previous: World Building for The Strandlock
Next: Tima: The Unexpected Main Character of The Strandlock
