Your book description is the most important sales copy for your work. Authors use book descriptions on covers and retail product pages. Book descriptions are NOT the same as book summaries. A summary simply states what a book is about. But a good book description compels book browsers to take action—that is, to read a sample or purchase your book. Until AI came along, the best book descriptions were written by professional copywriters, people who write promotional content for a living. It’s a very specific skill. Book descriptions produced by copywriters can cost hundreds of dollars and take a week or two to write. AI offers effective copywriting at a fraction of the cost and time.
What makes a book description effective? For fiction, an effective book description should evoke an emotional response around the reading experience that the book provides. This reaction should align with reader expectations in the book’s genre and categories. For example, a horror book description should make the reader feel nervous or afraid; a romance book description should make readers go weak at the knees; and a thriller book description should, well, thrill the reader. You get the idea. High level character relationships and plot twists can be mentioned, but effective book descriptions should be 200-250 words, no longer. Each sentence should pack an emotional punch, leaving the reader intrigued and wanting more.
For nonfiction, a good book description presents an effective response to the target reader’s needs while building authority for the author. For example, if the target reader is the CEO of a company that is struggling with its culture, the book description should speak to that CEO’s pain point and explain how the author is the best person to advise on this issue. If the target reader is an individual who struggles with self-esteem, the book description should address that concern directly, show how the book will help the reader address this problem, and explain how the author is an authority on the topic. Credentials and experience matter. Nonfiction descriptions also often have bulleted lists of high-level topics or themes covered in the book. Always keep the reader and his or her concerns top of mind when writing these lists.
Another way we strengthen our book descriptions at Bublish is by bolding a short excerpt from an editorial review or an award at the top of the book description. It’s a quick way to demonstrate the book’s value before readers see the book description.
A great way to learn about book descriptions is to study the product pages of top titles in your book’s genre or category. After you read a few top descriptions, you’ll start to recognize key elements.