Crittering. Queries aka Blurbs aka Dust Covers

Queries, that all important first marketing tool.

Also known as blurbs or the back cover of a novel, it is your first tippy-toe into the marketplace. 

Convincing a total stranger to read your hard work, that it's worth their time and/or money; it ain't easy.






Send to unicornbellsubmissions(at)gmail(dot)com

Hit me with it. 

Marketing. Are you too busy to do it?

 

I've heard it all before.

I don’t have time to market my book.

Publicity is not my style.

I’m really shy.

Perhaps you’re all of the above. Maybe you have other excuses. But let me tell you this. From the day you put a The End to your beloved manuscript, marketing is All. You’ll. Do.

No one gives a flying fig about your book. No one cares as much as you do. No one can offer a compelling reason to read your book.

Except for you.

At UnicornBell, we talk about critiquing those first chapters, that important first page, and who to send them to. But nothing gets you published if No One Reads It. Not the best written chapter in the history of literature or most alluring book ever. Nope. Nada. Nothing.

To draw people into your world, you must write a compelling hook. I mean, those fish won’t just leap into the boat, folks. You start with a query, a sentence, a unique idea that brings readers to your ms.

Taglines, queries, synopsis, blurbs; these are your first marketing tools. You must learn them in order to be a part of this writerly world. Establish your platform in social media with blogging, websites, Twitter, Facebook, Google, and Goodreads.

And regarding blogging, informative material is All. If no one follows you, if there are no spectators then you are not marketing yourself well. Alex Cavanaugh is one of the best examples of a well-run, informative, and consistent blog. He comments on nearly all of his followers' blogs, a mighty accomplishment to be sure. It creates loyalty and connects him with his followers.

Some believe the real marketing begins after the contract with bling prizes, bloghops, and book tours. And yes, that will be a big part of your life when it happens. But before all that, marketing yourself is the one and only relevant tool in your mechanics box.

If you think writing the novel was the hard part, I want to give you a heads up. If you don’t market your manuscript, nothing will come of it.

Learn how to market. There is no other way.

#2 Taglines/Blurbs

Here is the second submission to our Taglines and Blurbs.

If anyone else is feeling brave, I have another opening this week. Send your tagline and/or blurb to:

unicornbellsubmissions at gmail dot com

Tagline: 

Jane Austen's Persuasion meets 1984--A love story set on a planet colonized according to Plato’s Republic.

Outstanding! Love this. And anyone who says they don't know what Plato's Republic is needs to Google right now. Then find a copy. 

Blurb: 

Original-

When David notices the tiny tattoo hidden beneath his girlfriend's hair, he realizes Catrine is next in line for a hereditary throne that should not exist on their planet. Their society is supposed to value merit, not birthright. Loving her will bind him to a deceitful government David is unsure he can change from within. Distance will set him free. But how long can he evade those who are determined to lure him home? Catrine might just be the bait he cannot resist.

Blurb: 

With comments/suggestions in red-

When David notices the tiny tattoo hidden beneath his girlfriend's hair, he realizes Catrine is next in line for a hereditary throne that should not exist on their planet. Their society is supposed to value merit, not birthright. Their society values merit not birthright. At least in policy. Loving her will bind him to a deceitful government I’m missing definition of the problem here. Is there something more than just a government’s deceit regarding birthrights and merits? I think you should expand or find something that warrants the term ‘deceitful’. Something in line with conflict and consequences  David is unsure he can change from within. I don’t understand the ‘within’ part. What does he need to change? Distance will set him free. Set him free from what? Love? But how long can he evade those who are determined to lure him home? But others are determined to lure him home using Catrine as bait. Catrine might just be the bait he cannot resist.

I need more consequences and outcomes. David can’t stay with Catrine. Why? What are the consequences if he does? Why would he return? For love? Not good enough. Look for something unique in their relationship to make the blurb pop.

#1

Due to much begging and pleading, the author of Dear Katherine has submitted her tagline and blurb.

My comments are in red.
Tagline:
If only falling in love was as easy as falling off a planet.

OutFreakin’Standing. This tells me the story is about romance, conflict, and sci-fi. Good job! The term "falling off a planet" grabs my eye immediately.

Blurb:
After years falling on and off any planet she chose, Katherine can't imagine settling on a single one. But love's pull is stronger than gravity and it threatens to bind her to a place she's not prepared to call home. The price of freedom is another person's caged life--Katherine just needs to choose who.

A big Wow until the last line. It stopped me completely and I’m still not sure I understand. The price the MC pays for freedom might be judged as a cage to another?

Can you say this better? Since I don’t know the story, the following is a simplistic example:To some, freedom is another word for cage. For Katherine, if she chooses poorly, the cage is all too real. 

What do you think followers?

A Cry for Help

Let me set the scene:

You are at a family reunion and your Know-It-All uncle sidles up to you.

“So I hear you’re writing a book,” he says around a piece of cake. “What’s it about?”

Quick. What is it about?

Your answer must be concise yet descriptive. Therefore, “Uh...” will not suffice.

On tap for this week, it’s taglines and blurbs.

Taglines are short, quick little bits of info.

Examples:

• An adventure 65 million years in the making. - Jurassic Park
• There can be only one. – Highlander
• A romantic comedy. With zombies. – Shaun of the Dead
• A lively comedy about a guy who isn't. – Weekend at Bernie’s

Blurbs are usually a little longer, more like the first paragraph in a query letter. Here is the blurb for my book Wilder Mage:

Iowa is a perfect hideout for a wilder mage like Justus Aubre. The living is great, not a lot of earthquakes and no other wizards to bring him back to the Guild. A mage on the run spoils his idyllic zone. And she’s not alone.

Now here is where I need help. I need a tagline for it.  Here is what I have:

Magic. It’s in his blood.

But it needs a hooky thing at the end, something that pops but isn't more than two to four words extra. 

Assignment for this week

#1. Send me your taglines or blurbs and we’ll crit them. (I especially want to see Dear Katherine)

#2. Help supply a tagline for Wilder Mage.

Okay. Let's roll up our sleeves and make some magic. Posts go up on Tuesday.