Summary/Blurb:
Your summary (or blurb) is one of the most important parts of your story.
It is usually the only thing a reader will look at when they are deciding to read your story.
Don't rush through this section. It often takes me at least half an hour to write my summary and polish it up to my satisfaction.
In general, you don't want to dump too many details onto the reader, but you want them to have a good idea as to what the story is about. Is it a romance, or do zombies crawl out of the ground? You don't want to give away the entire story, but readers are usually looking for certain qualities in a book and this will help them determine if your book is what they want to read.
You want to include details such as: who your protagonist is (main character), their goals, and what is keeping them from reaching their goals (often the antagonist or whatever force is opposing them).
You want to include some mystery or suspense so the reader wants to find out what happened. This can be done in various ways, such as mentioning some details that make them wonder what happened or how something will turn out. (Try looking at other summaries and see which ones made you want to read that book, then consider why it made you feel that way.)
I often add sneak peeks (excerpts) below my summaries to help create a "hook" (this is optional). I usually choose a suspense-building scene in the first five chapters. If you add it to your story, label it as a sneak peek or excerpt so the readers know it's an excerpt.
I also usually turn the first line into a separate 'catch phrase' to catch the reader's attention. It will include elements from the main storyline without giving away major plot twists or the ending. It is commonly phrased as an opened-ended statement that leaves readers wondering the outcome. (Examples farther down)
This should all come together in such a way that a reader has an idea of what the story is about and wants to keep reading. It often touches on a detail or two about why your story is special or what makes it stand out from similar books.
Carefully proofread it for spelling errors or grammar problems. This is your pitch to the readers, and you want it as perfect as you can get it. Tip: Read it out loud since it can help and this is one area you want polished.
Examples of catch-phrases from my books:
How hard can it be to locate your sister? Well, in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse, that might be easier said than done, especially if you're a zombie. (From The Virus Within)
No one ever said what would happen when dragons and aliens meet. And no one told me that I would be in the middle of it. (From Upon Wings of Change)
As an example of summaries, I'll pick on a rather overdone werewolf cliche storyline. Which summary sounds better?
Example #1:
Jessica put on her red dress. She turned 16 today and could now find her werewolf mate and she was very excited. She was sure he would stop the bullying that she went through on a daily basis. She wasn't sure why she was bullied, she was a white wolf after all, even if they didn't know it yet. There was only one white wolf at a time and they got their amazing powers when they turned 16.
Her mate turns out to be the alpha, but he rejects her. She runs away hurt, but will come back far stronger and he will regret his actions.
Example #2:
Even the most powerful can be brought to their knees when their heart is broken. Learning to rise and love again could very well test their heart and strength to the limit.
* * * * *
I shook out my white fur. Its unique color was more of a hindrance since I wouldn't get my powers until I turned sixteen tomorrow. I apparently had to recolor it again since the brown had worn off again. I used hair dye to hide its true color, but I had to reapply the dye every few days.
The last white wolf had died sixteen years ago, so many power-hungry wolves were searching for the upcoming one. I had no desire to be kidnapped, used, or forced into doing someone's dirty work. No one knew my secret either.
I was looking forward to tomorrow, but also dreading it. I planned to skip school just to make sure that I had my soon-to-be powers under control. As much as I wanted to find my mate, I didn't want to set someone on fire if he currently had a jealous girlfriend. It took a lot to get me mad, but if I did... Well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty.
Sneak peek:
His eyes, his scent... I couldn't look away. No wonder everyone wanted to find their mate.
His eyes widened before closing as if in pain. He took a deep breath before forcing the words out, "I am sorry. I have an upcoming arranged marriage that will keep the Shadow Wolves from wiping our pack out. If I kept you, they would kill us all. If I reject you, then at least we will both live. So. I Nathaniel Timberland reject you Jessica Dawn."
Time froze and I literally heard my heart shatter.
The words were said and could never be taken back. A rejection could never be undone.
See? The second summary is longer, more detailed, and is much more likely to draw in readers. Even though they relayed a fair bit of the same information. (And, yes, both had grammar errors and some other problems with the wording).
Tags
Don't forget to add at least a dozen tags to your story.
Tags will help with rankings as well as when people are searching for a book.
I always add the tag for the story genre. Wattpad will sometimes suggest more common tags as you are typing.
Open up books with millions of reads that are similar to yours and see what tags they used. Some tags will be more effective than others. Example: 'badboy' vs 'campfire'. Sure, both may be in your book and relevant, but some tags are more likely to be searched for.
There are millions of books on wattpad, so you have to stand out in the crowd: