I am overwhelmed to say that after one month on here I have acquired an amazing 303 followers! Thank you guys so much for coming on this journey with me, I am really enjoying spending time getting to know you all through your own blogs and am so thrilled that you have taken the time to read mine πππ
I would like to take this opportunity to ask you to have a quick read of the blurb for my upcoming novel Chained. I have found it insanely difficult to write a blurb that I feels sums it up in the right way without giving too much away but hopefully I’ve managed it. I’d love to hear your feedback on it and what you think the book is about based on it π so here goes…
Terrified of the contamination and the creatures it has created, humanity hides behind The Wall. No one knows what lies beyond the wasteland. Maya has never thought much about what might still be out there, lurking in the forgotten places. But when she’s thrust into the unknown, she is forced to question everything she has ever been told. Not everyone outside died, some of them became something… else. As her heart is torn in two, every choice she makes is harder than the last. What she discovers will change her forever. She knows she will probably die, but Maya has seen enough of death and she won’t let it have her without a fight.
I hope you liked it, I asked my husky Koda to have a look but he can’t read βΊοΈ
I’ve given this some thought over the years, and I think it is having to distill your own work right down to a handful of punchy sentences that makes it so insanely hard!
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Thank you so much! ππxoxo
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The blurb sounds amazing! Congrats on hitting 303 followers btw!πππ
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You’re welcome!
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Thanks πxoxo
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Yes, it is a very different skill. I’m far from perfect at it – LOL – but my experience writing abstracts for scientific papers and executive summaries for reports helped me learn to write blurbs – along with a very good professional editor. Looking forward to the book!
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Not at all! That’s really great thank you, I never thought much about blurbs until I realised it was time to write one and it’s like a whole different kind of writing lol Koda doesn’t walk on my keyboard but he does like to sit next to me with his head in my lap and nudge my elbows! xoxo
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I know! Why the hell are they so difficult? Thank you so much for this, it’s so hard to see it objectively and the feedback is so helpful βΊοΈ xoxo
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Gorgeous dog! And I bet he doesn’t walk on keyboards like my cats. So here’s my honest feedback on your blurb (and I hope this doesn’t offend you); it’s too wordy and not punchy enough, in my opinion. Perhaps try something like this:
In the wasteland beyond the Wall roam the creatures created by the contamination; inside the Wall are humanity’s only survivors β or so Maya has always been taught. But when she is thrust into these forgotten and terrifying lands, she discovers a different truth, a truth that will demand difficult choices and tear her heart in two….if she can live long enough.
I really hope you aren’t insulted by these suggestions – it’s just honest feedback from one writer to another.
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Hi Susanne – I like your blurb, but I do think you could tweak it a bit. Consider losing the first sentence. It’s a tad clunky and frankly, I don’t think you need it. I also think that without lurching into spoilerland (and huge congratulations for not doing so, by the way) I do think we need to have at least a bit more about one of Maya’s issues. But it has certainly piqued my interest and I’m looking forward to reading it!
I’d rather write two novels than one blurb/synopsis!
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Thank you! He is a big snuggler lol, we adopted him when he was nearly a year old and he’d been locked in a concrete yard his whole life. He’s the best most sweet natured dog and we love him like crazy! xoxo
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303! That’s a lot! Congratulations π Koda is so cute, I always wanted to have a husky of my own β€
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Lol xoxo
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Whether or not it is before the end of the year is another story. (Writer’s pun)
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Thank you π you’ll get there before you know it! xoxo
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Congrats! I have not gotten to 300 YET. But keep on writing! (Or in the phrase I use “Write on!” ) I’ll keep you up front and as popular as I can.
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Thank you so much! It’s such a strange/difficult thing to write somehow and I was really worried about it so it means so much to hear that πxoxo
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Reading your blurb made me want to pick up the book instantly! It’s great! π
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Yeah exactly or you think it’s in there then realise is wasn’t and was just in your head lol xoxo
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I know what you mean! I’m revising my novel right now and it’s a constant stream of “oh…I know that information but I should probably put that in the actual book. For other people.” Outside perspectives are so helpful! π
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It’s so hard to see it from the perspective of someone who hasn’t read the book because I know it so well lol so it’s really great to get the feedback from other people π xoxo
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*Cheesy grin*
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My pleasure
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Honestly, it’s a really good blurb, but I put in the 2 cents just because you requested feedback. π
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Thank you so much for the feedback I’ll try to add a few more specifics to get you more invested in the world/story π xoxo
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I love your blurb! I think it wouldn’t hurt to have one more concrete sentence about what Maya is doing beyond the Wall or what specifically would be tearing her heart in two. Your blurb has a lot of suspense but not a lot to grab onto without being able to jump right into page 1. π It sounds interesting!
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Haha I was having a complete mind blank trying to think how I’d explain it lol thank you for following πxoxo
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Scratch that, worked it out
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Hi, can’t work out how to follow…
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Thank you so much that really means a lot to me πxoxo
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Well why write something you aren’t super passionate about? Lol. It only makes the most sense.
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I love the blurb! It’s definitely intriguing. Can’t wait to read the book! π
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Yeah I think mine are too recently, I definitely write what I love lol xoxo
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Yay! My mom writes, so I understand how important it is for other people to get the word out. And it’s always the more the merrier. I am pretty excited about it because it sounds right up my alley of reading. I swear half my books are dystopian one way or another.
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Thank you so much! I would love you to do a review for me, I’ve got it really close to being ready so hopefully it won’t be long now π it is indeed dystopian and the rest of your guesses are definitely close (I cannot confirm or deny incase of spoilers lol) and I love the questions that it raised for you too! xoxo
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Congratulations! I recently just started following you and am glad that I did.
For the blurb, the first sentence has me almost 100% sure it is a dystopian. It sounds like the world you created was overcome by pollution so people were forced into clean cities. Obviously something is going to happen to Maya that makes her go out past the wall into the polluted areas. And the people that are still living there have mutated, I’m not sure if my brain wants them to be grotesque or have super powers. It’s sort of a mix between the two. Is she trying to get back behind The Wall? Is she even allowed back after being in the polluted areas?
I would read it and would love to do a review for you. (I am trying to change how I do my reviews without spoilers. I haven’t quite perfected it yet though.)
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