Blurbs, pitches, loglines, and other book marketing necessities I suck at (#IWSG)
For those of you who aren’t masochists don’t write fiction, here’s something about the writing world that you may not know: authors have to be marketers. Yes, even traditionally-published authors, because apparently even the big publishers don’t invest a lot in marketing authors unless they are big names. I’m going to admit 2 things up front that will color the rest of this post:
- I find this fact frustrating. With a family and a day job, I barely have enough time to write, let alone learn how to market my writing. When I first started writing, I thought that’s what publishers got paid to do, seeing as how they have marketing departments and all.
- I suck at marketing.
But before we get into my complaining about marketing: This post is part of the Insecure Writers Support Group monthly blog hop. On the first Wednesday of each month, I and my fellow insecure writers post something related to writing, and then we visit the blogs of our fellow members and read and comment on their IWSG posts. This month’s optional question is, What’s harder to do, coming up with your book title or writing the blurb? Thanks to this month’s IWSG co-hosts, Kim Lajevardi, Victoria Marie Lees, Joylene Nowell Butler, Erika Beebe, and Lee Lowery.
As you can probably guess from my opening whine, I find blurbs (and any other marketing copy) much more difficult than titles. My books and short stories tend to title themselves, at least most of the time, and usually during the first or second draft. I had to dig a little deeper for a horror story I recently finished. It stubbornly refused to title itself, so it ended up getting a title about 2 days before I submitted it. Thankfully, most of my stories are more cooperative.
Blurbs–and pitches and log lines and queries and comp titles–on the other hand, are excruciating. I have no flippin’ idea how to sell books. (I’m a librarian. We lend books for free.) But I’m supposed to tell a potential agent or editor how to position my book in the literary marketplace? Seriously? Apparently I’m also supposed to read new titles in my genre (a challenging and expensive proposition since I write in at least 3 genres) and identify titles similar to mine. I get the need for pitches and queries to pique an agent’s interest, but the rest feels like too much, like we as authors are being expected to do work for which we are entirely unqualified.
Yeah, I know, I’m whining again. But it’s just not fair! [stamps foot]
Anyway. Fair or not, it’s the reality for everyone who isn’t named Stephen King, so I need to quit whining and get over it, especially since I’m about to jump back into the querying trenches to try to find an agent for my first novel, Vanishing, Inc. Fortunately, there are tons of great resources online, as well as classes from writing organizations to help non-marketers like me improve our skills.
For example, here are a few of the best resources I’ve found for writing pitches and loglines:
How to write a one-sentence pitch
- How to Write a One-Sentence Pitch – Write Wild
- Here’s the Pitch—It’s a Hit! Crafting Your Novel’s Pitch Line – Fiction University
- Pitch, Please! – Three Tips to Improve Your Elevator Pitch – Fiction University
- One Simple Way to Sharpen Your Pitch – Writer’s Digest
- The Secret to Building a One-Sentence Pitch – Patricia Simpson
- Twitter Pitch Loglines Part 1: Key Ingredients – Carissa Taylor
- Twitter Pitch Loglines Part 2: Recipe Ideas – Carissa Taylor
How to write a logline
- How to Write a Logline for Your Novel – The Writing Cooperative
- Writing a Killer Logline – Graeme Shimmin
- What are loglines? 6 tips to write strong summaries – Now Novel
Thanks to these and other resources, here’s my current logline for Vanishing, Inc.:
An abused wife hiding in a tiny Arizona town meets a time traveler from 1910; when they fall in love, they must overcome the century between them—and the stalker ex who wants them both dead.
When I get some time, I may write a separate post on queries. As for blurbs and comp titles, does anyone have any good suggestions for help on those? Because I sure need it.
12 Comments
Jordan
Hi Janet, thank you for using Now Novel as a reference resource.
It’s so true what you say about many people not realizing that authors have to be marketers, too. I like your logline for ‘Vanishing, Inc.’ All success to you in querying!
Janet Alcorn
Thanks for the good wishes and for stopping by my blog! Now Novel is a wonderful resource.
joylenebutler
I know, I know! I’ve read everything ever written about how to write a blurb and I still find it painful. Good luck finding an agent, Janet. Yes! Let them do all the hard work.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks!
Bobbiem91
Take that new shiny log line and expand it to 150 words or less. Add the main character’s name, the situation, the setting and what they have to loose. It’s that simple. To be honest, what you have there pulls me in, so make it into a blurb using that devious mind of yours.
You can do this. I know you can. I can’t come up with a title, but I can do log lines and write a query letter–go figure.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! I think I finally have a decent query letter, so I have some material to work with for the blurb. But dang, that stuff is a pain to write.
alexjcavanaugh
The blurb is all right and I do well at the log line – but I suck at titles. One word that will rock reader’s worlds? Crap!
Janet Alcorn
Right? No pressure at all there.
Ally Bean
And this post explains one of the reasons why I’ve never wanted to write a book. I worked in marketing at one time and I know that it’s tricky enough to promote a blog, let alone a novel. I wish you well and know you’ll do great because you have the drive. Carry on
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! I started my first novel before I knew anything about book marketing, and I’m glad I did. I’m not sure I’d have bothered if I knew about all the marketing expectations.
HeidiAngell
For queries, take a look at the top sellers in your genres and see what they have in common. Are they identifying tropes (or trope twists), focusing on the stakes, using questions to drive interest or focusing on their characters? Then see how you can mimic the style to fit your own story. If you’d like to get second eyes on it, I love the facebook group Authors Anon. They are so supportive!
Janet Alcorn
Thanks for the tips!