Do you know how to write a good book description?

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell

You know the kind I mean.

It’s a small blurb that goes on the back of your book. 

Then another one a bit longer that will sell your book. At least we all hope so. 

amazon book descrip gen

I only wrote about a dozen before I settled on one that I thought was pretty good. Then I had to write a short version and a long version. 

In all honesty, I may rewrite it again before I give the final okay to publish. It’s hard to know when something is good enough. You know what I mean?

I’ve read and read what makes good copy. Everyone has a different opinion, but most agree that the description needs to hook the reader.

Again with the hooks. Seems this term is one of the most important in writing. It pops up everywhere.

With all my reading and rereading books like mine in addition to successful writer tips, here is my takeaway on a decent book description. Fingers crossed mine is good enough to catch a reader.

  • There’s no magic formula. Too bad, I had high hopes.
  • First sentence – make sure people know what your book is about.
  • Don’t bore the reader to tears. If the description is boring, no one wants to read the whole book.
  • If possible end your description with a cliffhanger.
  • Think ad, not summary. Make it pop and sizzle.
  • Make it short and simple.

I hope these tips helped. Like I said, I keep tweaking mine.

Do you have any tips to add?

Please share!

Talk to me, the lights on and comments are now open.

Keep reading great links at the bottom of the page!

You can find me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdelland Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

THE 11 INGREDIENTS OF A SIZZLING BOOK DESCRIPTION by Mark Edwards
Creating Promotional Copy That Works: Book Descriptions by Marcy Kennedy

 

27 thoughts on “Do you know how to write a good book description?”

  2. As always you offer the best advice and you actually make it sound so simple when I know how difficult it can be, for me anyway. writing blurbs, queries and the dreaded, I mean dreaded, did I say dreaded … synopsis is the worst part for me. I’ve been doing what one of your other readers suggested and reading a lot of the blurbs written by bestselling authors. I’ve also been searching back through PW to get ideas then I compare and contrast. Thanks for the tips. I’ve bookmarked another one of your helpful articles.

    Melissa Sugar @
    Melissa Sugar Writes

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Usually, I’m right there with you, but one of my manuscripts started as a blurb and I wrote the book because I was sold by my own pitch. That was a good day. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  10. What I found was to compare and contrast what bestselling authors were doing. How they phrased things, presented the tale. I used my favorite examples as a springboard and found it’s quite effective.

    Liked by 1 person

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