Writing the Amazon Blurb
Excerpt from internal documentation (Manuscripts, LLC) and intended for writers in Manuscripts’ programs
Fiction
Fiction blurbs are simple enough to craft. Take the main plot, the key characters, and the main conflict, then boil them down to a few lines. As long as the “big reveal” isn’t spoiled, the end result will contain all of the three aspects of an elevator pitch. For example, to continue with the alien story above, here’s what an Amazon blurb could look like:
A father and daughter take a journey on horseback through the Mojave to look for signs of an alien invasion, but only one of them believes they’ll actually find something. With their horses dangerously dehydrated, and without salvation in sight, the pair’s perilous journey into the desert soon becomes a battle of survival—and not just from the elements.
For those who enjoy heroic tales such as Piranesi by Susanna Clarke or The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro, dive into the story of father and daughter in Aliens at Mojave.
Big things to notice here are structure and length. Start with the biggest idea, and gradually narrow as the paragraph goes on. End on a punchy note that hints at a plot point the writer reveals as the book progresses. Finally, the whole thing should end on the call to action so the reader has a point of comparison for the content, and will be more likely to invest in the book.
CNF
CNF blurbs for Amazon follow a similar structure to fiction, but there are some big differences. First of all, we aren’t dealing with made up plot points. We’re dealing with events in someone’s life, in most cases. So, rather than using the plot as our starting point, we want to lead with the pivot point.
A pivot point refers to a moment in someone’s life that drastically changes their way of thinking, or way of life. For example, getting into a car accident. The “before” and “after” of a traumatic event like that will likely shape how the writer lives and thinks about certain things. Of course, this doesn’t always have to be something traumatic, but it does need to be life-changing. A big move out of state, working in the White House, marriage, etc. These pivot points form the basis of the Amazon blurb.
The second thing to consider is point of view. Because of the nature of CNF, it’s likely the writer is going to be using 1st person throughout the book. However, the Amazon blurb should not be in 1st person. Unless you’re working with Joan Didion or David Sedaris, the blurb should be in 3rd person. This allows the reader to really take in what the book is about rather than give them the feeling that they are reading a Facebook post about your writer’s life. Here’s an example:
When Joe Schmoe planned to scale Mt. Everest, he thought all he would gain was the satisfaction of completing one of the world’s most difficult endeavors. However, when he reached the top and looked out into the open air, all he could think about was who he left behind to get to the top. With the beautiful sky in front of him, he felt oddly dissatisfied.
In this inspiring memoir about pushing yourself to your limit, Schmoe discovers what actually drove him take on such an impossible feat. It’s what he learned on the way that truly gave him the courage to face his demons head on—and how you can face yours too.
The arc here relies on tension and change. The reader knows Joe Schmoe has gone through a transformation of some kind, he did it at the top of Mt. Everest, and he can teach them how to transform too (without needing to scale Mt. Everest).
