To answer a question someone asked me about how I devise my book blurbs, I will contrast the concept-based blurb vs. the character-based version for Decisive Moment. Plus I show off an updated cover!

First of all, if you’re looking to me, you know, like I have this wired and dialed-in down to the nanometer, temper your expectations. Blurb-writing sends me into convulsive fits of anxiety-laced incompetence. While not claiming expertise, I’ll go ahead and share how I’m experimenting with refining my blurbs. By way of example, I thought I’d tackle redoing my blurb, out here in public, for one of my previously released titles whose flagging sales may suggest a spiff-up might help.

Now let’s take a look at the blurb I’m currently using. For lack of a better term, I’ll call this type of blurb the ‘character-based’ version (character/plot-based might be a more complete descriptor). It introduces us to the protagonist and alludes to a couple of other characters. The concept sifts through, but a blurb like this seeks to connect the prospective reader with the conflict a (hopefully) sympathetic protagonist faces and elicit interest in where the story is headed.

Fine-art photographer Roger Morris should not have taken a paparazzo job to fill in for his brother. He shouldn’t have used his military training to pick a perfect sniper’s perch from which to aim his telephoto lens at movie star Vivian Matisse and her Mexican cartel boyfriend, and he shouldn’t have photographed them murdering her movie producer. Now Roger must decide whether to turn the photos over to the police or sell them to the highest bidder so he can pay off his brother’s violent bookie. Through what follows Roger will struggle to hold on to his new life as an artist, suspecting that as he runs out of options, the only way out traces along the barrel of his sniper rifle.

I selected this blurb because I think it’s one of the best I’ve written. Cough. I know. Cough. A lot in there. A lot of plot, certainly, just enough to entice the reader without spoiling the story. But does it grab enough? Or does it over-expose the story and dilute its key elements? How about if we focus only on the concept, or at least go at it more narrowly? Something like…

Some moments come full of joy and potential. Special moments come only once and often vanish in an instant, so you best stand ready to grab them as best you can. Photographers understand that. They train, gear up, and prepare to wait for that moment and capture its fleeting image forever. Except not all moments are like that. Some of them you best leave alone. Some of them you’d rather miss altogether. Like for instance, a movie star and her cartel boyfriend murdering her producer. Because photographing a decisive moment can get you killed… or turn you into a killer.

That last line, actually, I’ve pre-pended to the character-based blurb up to now—perhaps subconsciously sensing I needed to grab the reader’s attention with something other than plot points. At any rate, there you have it: character-based vs. concept-based blurb.

Which one works best? Palms up, I shrug. Maybe I should lead in with the concept-based blurb, then go into the character/plot-based version?

Some parting thoughts, mainly how I go about devising my blurbs (CDT=Connect-Distill-Tease):
1. Connect, hook: What principal point will the reader care about most?
2. Distill, reduce, minimize: Which bare minimum details effectively preview the story?
3. Tease, entice: How can I leave the reader wanting to know more?

I’m always looking for reader feedback on this sort of topic. Which of those two teaser-blurbs did you prefer and why? What do you look for in a book summary? Leave me a comment to let me know!

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