Blurb Writing 1:1

Blurb writing stinks.

There, I said it. It’s hard. It makes us miserable. And yet it’s vital to get it right.

Why?

Because a stunning cover that fits your genre is only step one. It makes potential buyers click on or pick up your book. But, it’s not why they buy.

They buy because your blurb convinced them this is the book they need right now.

I’m no cover designer, so I can’t make your book stand out. But I can help you write a blurb that sells.

I so enjoyed the process because I learnt so much

Instead of simply receiving something back in an email, I was able to ensure my words and phrases were used and so the blurb fitted my language. Because I was learning the skills needed, I was able to go back to my other books and recraft those blurbs too!

How would you like a one on one with someone who actually knows how to write book descriptions? To see yours being revised live on the screen, showing you the tricks of the trade as they’re being applied?

I’ve spent two years as a copy-writer for an independent publishing house, revising blurb after blurb after blurb. Last year, I took all that experience to develop Blurb Writing 1:1, a service that does not only deliver better blurbs but also shows you how it’s done.

And that for only €149.

How does Blurb Writing 1:1 work?

Through video conferencing, where we discuss and rewrite your blurb together.

Being in the same digital space:

allows me to ask questions about your work wherever I see a gap;
ensures that your new blurb still reflects your voice and the tone and content of your work; and
enables me to share my screen with you, so you’ll see exactly what I’m rewriting as I explain the why behind my actions.

This personalised approach does not only get you a better blurb, it also teaches you a skill you can then apply to your other books.

In the course of an hour, we produced a blurb I’m excited to publish

I’m one of those authors who has read multiple books on writing blurbs and book descriptions, written and published a few myself, and still felt lost and at loose ends when it came to designing effective ad copy for my books. But….in the course of an hour, Mariëlle listened to me, took time to understand my voice and my book, and produced, with me, a blurb that I’m not only happy with, but excited to publish.

A 90-day tweak period

Because writing is never final, Blurb Writing 1:1 comes with a 90-day tweak period. If the blurb isn’t living up to your expectations (or that of your readers), we can have another look.

Likewise, if you have an ‘Aha!’ moment after our meeting and want me to go over your blurb again, even if only for a quick proofread, I’ll happily oblige.

To sum it up

Blurb Writing 1:1:

takes a personal approach,
gets you a better blurb that fully matches your voice,
comes with a 60–90-minute video call,
shows you the tricks of the trade, and
offers a 90-day tweak period,

all for €149.

It was amazing how quickly she was able to see where I’d missed golden opportunities

Mariëlle worked in collaboration with me for over an hour on my book blurb. It was amazing how quickly she was able to see where I’d missed golden opportunities in enticing in my reader, giving them a feel for the book and leave them wanting to start reading!

Want to tackle more than one blurb?

Examples

To see some examples of blurbs I’ve worked on, please check out my Before & After page. Alternatively, you could have a look at this and this blog post, in which I offer a Blurb Writing 1:1 behind the scenes.

Sometimes, you just need someone to take you by the hand

This was the personal touch to blurb writing and one-on-one education that I thrive on. There’s so much mass education out there, and I’ve consumed a lot of it, but sometimes, you just need someone to take you by the hand. Mariëlle can do that, all the while educating you to learn how to do it for yourself.

How do I book a spot?

Send an email to marielle@mswordsmith.nl, including your preferred time frame for the video conference and your original blurb (so I can sneak a peek).
Once we’ve set a date, I will send you an invoice.
Once payment has cleared, I will send you the copy form, which is to be completed a week prior to our meeting.

And that’s it. We’ll have our meeting, we’ll revise your blurb, which you then get to test. If something comes up in the next 90 days, I’ll be here to edit or tweak your blurb some more.

Please note: by paying the invoice, you are agreeing to the terms & conditions.

Testimonials

Karen Guyler

Mariëlle does a phenomenal blurb writing service where she takes your hand and shows you where you could make your bare bones stronger, how to make it read better, more fluently to appeal to readers in your genre. Sharing her process is so helpful, she does it to help you understand how to format the next one so that it’s strong and enticing out of the gate. She was very considerate and kind too—you’re in very safe hands with her. Very many thanks, Mariëlle.

Nicole Grotepas

Mariëlle’s book description writing service is unlike any I’ve experienced or seen–rather than a factory-style process of sending off the concepts of my book to an unknown entity, where a finished blurb comes back without any hands-on coaching or guidance, Mariëlle scheduled a one-on-one Zoom session with me. She did her homework on the book and then when we met, together we went through each line and produced a description that’s full of hooks without being too enigmatic and cliched or too full of spoilers.

Her guarantees are like no other service I’m aware of, and her desire to connect with each client is evident in her approach. I can’t recommend her enough! I’ll be using her for all my blurbs from now on. We all know it’s the blurb that hooks and decides the sell more than any other aspect of a sales page!

Mustang Rabbit

Working via zoom was easy. The screen sharing allowed me to see and follow the process. The way my brain works, I absolutely needed to see that shared screen. I was worried about retaining my voice in the process. Mariëlle demonstrated sensitivity and pose while navigating the complexities. Her questions were on points and showed a true understanding of story and also a deep and experienced perspective on bridging the gap between author and reader. To sum up, this was a kind and gentle service with mastery level awareness and focus on effectiveness.

Emma Dhesi

I so enjoyed the process because I learnt so much. Instead of simply receiving something back in an email, I was able to ensure my words and phrases were used and so the blurb fitted my language. Because I was learning the skills needed, I was able to go back to my other books and recraft those blurbs too!

Becky Halls

I had an amazing experience with Mariëlle’s blurb service. As someone who dreads writing blurbs, I’m always looking for ways to improve, and not only did my Zoom session with Mariëlle drastically improve the blurb we were working on, it also helped me see things I should be including in future blurbs. Mariëlle’s questions help you to really dig deep into the tropes and themes of your book, making sure you are advertising the book in the way you want to, to the right audience.

Mariëlle had done research before our call, and so knew the genre and sub-genre expectations well. She immediately put me at ease and it was a fun and educational experience. I would wholeheartedly recommend this service for anyone who needs to work on their blurbs to really make their books sell!

Sheena Cundy

I had a great experience with Mariëlle last week. Our video call was over two hours long (we had a lot to talk about!).

She worked so hard on digging out the tropes for my genre, which she had clearly done her homework on.

I’m really pleased with the end result, as blurbs are not my strength. Writing the book is one thing, but distilling those words down is another!

I would highly recommend Mariëlle’s help to any author struggling in the same way. Her professionalism combined with an intuitive and friendly approach is just what an author and their book need to receive the best chance of being noticed in the market place.

Bradley Charbonneau

Marty C. Lee

Marielle was a pleasure to work with. She made me look at my story in a whole new way. My blurb now describes my story much better, without giving away spoilers.