If your book has a villain, introduce him here. In short: What does your protagonist want? And what’s preventing her from getting what she wants? What the Central Conflict of the Story Is Tell your readers something that will help them instantly relate to your main character-or at least get them excited about his story. Is he an ultra-suave British superspy? Is he a sensitive soul? Is he a pariah in his family? Is he deaf? Who Your Main Character Isĭon’t just tell us your protagonist’s name. No matter if you’re writing book jacket copy, a synopsis for your back cover, a blurb for your front cover, or just a catchy logline you can use for promotional purposes, you’ve got to be able to convey a huge amount of information in just a few words.Ī good book summary should tell your reader four key things about your novel: 1. ![]() Your summary is your sales pitch, and while your book’s title and cover might make the first impression on would-be readers, it’s your back-cover blurb that does the heavy lifting of convincing them your book is worth their time.īut an enticing lure isn’t enough to do the job. Nevertheless, being able to accurately and engagingly summarize your writing is an essential skill for any writer. This leaves you with a dangerous dilemma: Outlining all the thematic heft and complexity of your novel might make for a ponderous summary, but omitting these elements from your summary betrays the strengths and spirit of your book. You might start out with a concise concept, but as you add to and deepen your story, as its themes and characters grow more complex and fluid, your original “elevator pitch” can get swallowed up by the complicated creature your book ultimately becomes. That sounds nutty, doesn’t it? I wrote the darn thing after all, so I should be the one best suited to summarize it.īut the truth is, books change and evolve over the writing process. It’s often a puzzlingly difficult question to answer with any sort of brevity. ![]() As an author, what’s the number one question people ask you about your writing?įor me, that question is, “What is your book about?”
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