A Goodreads user asked Bruce Beckham:

Do you write your own back cover synopsis? If so, how do you, as a writer, decide what to include in order to influence a reader to purchase and or read your novels?

Bruce Beckham Good question! The short answer is yes. As to deciding what to include, this is definitely tricky - some people (and I'm one) don't like there to be any spoilers at all!

I'm just reading 'After the Funeral' by Agatha Christie. Here's the blurb from the back cover:

"Cora Lansquenet had always been tactless… and her well-bred family chose to ignore the remark she made after her brother Richard's funeral. They remembered it next day, when Cora was murdered with a hatchet… and several days later when someone sent Cora's companion a sliver of wedding cake steeped in arsenic."

Now this blurb lets several cats out of the bag - taking the story all the way to page 120 of 250!

Knowing that these events are coming must surely influence the way in which you read the book - though I can't say it has spoilt my enjoyment. (I'm on page 190 and still haven't a clue!)

So I guess the answer is to give away just enough to make the mystery sound compelling, and the subject matter intriguing - how well I've succeeded I'm not sure - but would welcome any direct feedback on this subject!

One thing I can say is that I start making notes for the synopsis about halfway through the writing of a book - hopefully by then I have worked out quite what is going on and who is going to be the murderer!

Thanks for the question!

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