How Cornelia Funke helped me write a blurb

 One of the YA writers I greatly admire is Cornelia Funke. Writing in her native German, she then has her work translated into English.The result is a uniquely phrased and beautiful way of writing. For my current novel, I wanted some help with getting that all-important premise sorted, before I actually start writing. My usual method is 'discovery'. As I write the book, I find out the character's passion and motivation. Although it unearths many unexpected pleasures, this is a complicated, frustrating way to write, which results in far too many drafts and a lot of confusion. So I vowed I'd do it differently this time. I asked myself, "which of my favourite authors writes a brilliant, concise blurb and has a proven track record?" One book immediately sprang to mind: Cornelia Funke's Reckless.


             
         Here's the blurb:

Through a mirror...

is a dangerous world.

For years, Jacob Reckless has enjoyed its secrets and treasures.

Not any more.

His younger brother has followed him.

Now dark magic will turn the boy into beast, 

break the heart of the girl he loves, and cause chaos to rule forever...

Unless Jacob can find a way to save them.

You thought you knew about fairy tales? Think again.

a sketch from the book

Intriguing, isn't it? You know straight away -

• the main characters
• the setting
• the conflict
• the stakes
• the main character's purpose

Cornelia Funke

And it's all in 65 words. A blurb is not a summary of your plot. It is a taster, a teaser. It's purpose is to get the reader hooked and wanting to find out what happens. Already, I care about Jacob and his brother, just from reading this blurb. I also know something of his character - he likes excitement and he feels responsibility for his younger brother. His name also helps - 'Reckless.' Many questions spring to mind. Why did he go into the mirror world in the first place? Why is it dangerous? What did his brother follow him? What was his girlfriend doing in there too? What are the treasures Jacob found?
In studying the features of this blurb I was able to nail down my own premise. I also used pages one and two of the book to help me with my first chapter, but that's for another day.

cheers, Dawn

Be good to yourself!

local artist, Queenstown New Zealand

We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.

-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) American Poet

 
Sometimes, in our quest to achieve, we focus solely on what we want to do and forget to look back and see how far we've come.

It doesn't help that we live in a world where everything is up-to-the minute and has to constantly prove itself relevant. We might start to wonder if we have been left behind.

That's where friends are so important. They remind us that we are dedicated, talented, persistent and that we will succeed, because we've proven that we have the gumption to keep pushing through obstacles and self-imposed mental/emotional barriers. We think outside the box. We re always looking at things from a unique perspective. As writers, artists or musicians we have already achieved a level of success most people would find amazing. Just reaching out to an audience through our work is a risk. It's deeply personal and we wonder if its worth anything to them. But we have a gift and others rely upon us to express what they cannot.

Here's a really interesting article about the the personalities of creative people in general, not just artistic types. Gary Davis says they are risk takers, enthusiastic, curious, analytical, persistent, confident, intelligent and have a 'tolerance for complexity'.

So, keep pushing forward, but allow yourself to indulge, just for a moment, to pat yourself on the back for what you have already achieved. You're among friends.

cheers, Dawn