Writing A Book Description By Thinking Like A Copywriter

Writing a book description to hook new readers is not an easy task.

A good book description is definitely one of the most critical elements in your book promotion.

It is the first thing a potential reader or book buyer will read before deciding if they think your book is worth buying.

That’s why you should spend time and take a lot of care when writing it to help increase your book sales.

Writing a book description is a skill

Writing a good book description is a unique skill because it takes an excellent writer to capture a story in only a few words.

Perhaps it seems easier than it is. But you will have to grab the attention of potential readers from your opening line.

Writing a manuscript is one thing. Understanding and communicating the contents of a book is something else.

Copywriters are usually very good at writing concisely. Let’s have a look at how they might go about writing a book description.

1. Forget the summary

It’s not a summary of the story or an author bio.

You want to concentrate on how your blurb will help promote and advertise your book.

Your book description is a short and sweet advertisement.

Yes, you need to mention what your book is about, but most of the text will concentrate on enticing a reader to buy it.

2. Create an outline

When you create an outline, it helps in structuring your writing.

A good copywriter would start by planning each section of the writing project, perhaps with a few bullet points.

An outline will give you a clear idea of what you want to include and where to cover it, even in a short text.

If you do not do anything else, do this. It will help you order your thoughts and simplify writing your book description.

3. The opening line

Copywriters know the importance of a great opening line.

You can either get the reader’s attention or lose it in a few short seconds.

Make sure you start with a bang and put a lot of thought into your first sentence. Don’t forget that it can be a question.

You want to keep the reader’s attention after that, but the first few words are where you need to hook your potential buyer.

4. Short and to the point

You can’t and shouldn’t mention every angle of the story.

One hundred and fifty to two hundred words is about right for a book description.

You don’t have to stick to this number precisely, but it is a good rule of thumb.

If you write four hundred words, it may not have an adverse effect. But remember, you’re writing a short description, not a book.

5. Use the third person

Your book description shouldn’t be from the author’s point of view.

It’s all about selling your story.

Using the third person is usually the best point of view. You can write using the present tense, which is often the best choice. But you could you past tense if you wish.

When someone reads your Amazon book description, you want them to get a quick sense of the story. Using the present tense is sometimes more effective for certain genres.

If you are unsure what to use, look at some book descriptions of bestselling books in your genre for clues.

6. Connecting emotionally

Emotion might be the most challenging part for a new writer.

But a copywriter understands the importance of connecting with people through writing.

When it comes to this point, it is beyond writing a manuscript.

Readers need to know what they will experience when they read your book.

Tell them about the emotional effects they will feel when traveling on the journey through your story.

7. Don’t give too much away

If you want people to buy your book, you want to get them excited and leave them hanging.

You need to make them so curious that they just have to know what is going to happen next.

Perhaps use an intense scene from the book and then abruptly end your description.

You can also use questions to get a reader thinking.

You want to get the reader to the point where they decide to buy the book immediately.

8. Simplicity

Always keep in mind that a lot of people will read your book description.

You are writing for regular people and not describing a piece of academic writing.

If you write the way you speak, you can connect much better.

9. Keywords

As with all promotional writing, you need to use effective keywords.

They are not just for helping get your book discovered online but are also effective communication hooks.

You want to use keywords that grab the attention of the reader and connect with them.

When trying to sell your book online, keywords will help you a lot.

Consider what a reader might search for and include a few words as keywords.

Do not overuse keywords, though. You want your writing to stay natural.

10. Ask for help

There is nothing wrong with asking for help if you need it.

Many copywriters offer services such as writing effective book descriptions.

If this is not your expertise, perhaps it’s time to get some help from professionals.

You want to do all you can to promote a quality product to your book buyers.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness but rather a sign of professionalism.

Conclusion

It’s not all that difficult to write a great book description. But yes, it can take time to get it right.

But if you have any doubts, get a professional on the job.

Your book description and cover art are the two most critical factors for readers considering purchasing your book.

I would prefer to spend a little money and get these two elements right.

However, don’t underestimate your abilities, and at least give it a try.

When writing a book description, don’t think of yourself as the author but as the promoter, publisher, or salesperson.

It’s all about book marketing.

Related Reading: 21 Questions You Can Ask To Help You Sell More Books