Previous Finalists

Blurbs

After our recent newsletter went out, more than 100 authors got in touch about one particular problem:

Writing blurbs.

The general consensus? Writing blurbs is a bl**dy nightmare.

The problem is, a LOT of independently published books have blurbs that simply don't do the book justice. And, as most of you know, the blurb is the number one reason why readers decide to buy (or not buy) a book.

So, we thought: why not ask the readers?

We spoke to 30 of our readers, and they've agreed to help us create a simple, reader-focused blurb service for authors.

Here's how it works:

If you have a book that's already on sale but isn't selling as well as you'd hoped or a book that's nearly finished and hasn't yet been published simply send us:

• A PDF of your book
• Your intended readership (for example, men over 50, female YA readers, crime fans, romance readers, etc.)

We'll send your book to a group of suitable volunteer readers who match your intended readership.

We'll then ask them two very simple questions:

What isn't working about the current blurb?

How could it be improved?

Or, if the blurb has not yet been written, what is it about this book that will make you want to read it?

Once we've gathered their feedback, one of our editors will use those reader insights to write THREE completely different blurbs for your book.

We'll then send those three blurbs back to the same target readers for another round of feedback.

After a few final tweaks, we'll send the three finished blurbs back to you.

And, because every book needs a bit of extra sparkle, we'll also include a catchy marketing quote you can use on your website, social media, Amazon page, etc.

And the cost?

Just £40 ($54) for members and non-members.

That's purely to cover the editor's time.

Because we're a not-for-profit organisation, we can offer the service at a very, very, VERY low cost.

And one important thing...

We will NOT be using AI.

Every part of the process will be carried out by real readers and real editors.

No algorithms. No robots. No mysterious computer deciding that your thriller is "an unforgettable rollercoaster of emotions".

Just people who actually read books.

So, if you've got a book that deserves a better blurb, send us the PDF (thewishingshelfawards@gmail.com) and let's see if we can get it selling a little bit better.