Learn How To Write A Compelling Book Description And Hood Your Readers Today!
By Bing Chat and John Monyjok Maluth
Introduction
A book description is one of the most important elements of your book marketing strategy. It is the first thing that potential readers will see when they browse your book online or in a bookstore. It is also the last chance you have to convince them to buy your book before they move on to another one.
Related: Self-Publishing Ultimate Guide
But how do you write a compelling book description that hooks your readers and makes them want to read more? In this article, we will share some tips and examples to help you craft a book description that sells your book.
What is a Book Description?
A book description is a short summary of your book that highlights its main features, benefits, and appeal. It is not a synopsis or a plot summary, but rather a sales pitch that entices readers to pick up your book and read it.
A book description usually consists of three parts:
- A hook: This is the opening sentence or paragraph that grabs the reader’s attention and makes them curious about your book. It can be a question, a quote, a statistic, a statement, or a promise.
- A body: This is the main part of your book description that provides more details about your book, such as the genre, the premise, the characters, the conflict, and the stakes. It should also convey the tone, style, and mood of your book. It should not reveal too much of the plot or the ending, but rather leave some mystery and suspense for the reader to discover.
- A call to action: This is the closing sentence or paragraph that urges the reader to take action, such as buying your book, reading a sample, or leaving a review. It can also include a testimonial, an endorsement, or an award that validates your book’s quality and value.
How to Write a Compelling Book Description
To write a compelling book description, you should follow these steps:
- Step 1: Research your target audience and market. Before you start writing your book description, you should know who your ideal readers are and what they are looking for in a book like yours. You should also research your genre and market to see what other successful books are doing and how you can differentiate yourself from them.
- Step 2: Write a hook that captures your reader’s attention. Your hook should be catchy, intriguing, and relevant to your book. It should also convey your unique selling proposition (USP), which is what makes your book different from and better than other books in your genre or niche. You can use various techniques to write a hook, such as:
- Asking a question that sparks curiosity or interest in your reader.
- Using a quote from your book or from a famous person that relates to your book’s theme or message.
- Sharing a surprising or shocking fact or statistic that relates to your book’s topic or problem.
- Making a bold or controversial statement that challenges or provokes your reader.
- Offering a promise or a benefit that appeals to your reader’s emotions or needs.
- Step 3: Write a body that provides more details about your book. Your body should expand on your hook and give more information about your book’s genre, premise, characters, conflict, and stakes. It should also showcase your writing style and voice. You should use clear and concise language that avoids jargon, clichés, and spoilers. You should also use words that evoke emotion and create imagery in your reader’s mind. You can use various techniques to write a body, such as:
- Using bullet points or short paragraphs to break up long blocks of text and make it easier to read.
- Using sensory details and descriptive words to paint a vivid picture of your book’s setting and atmosphere.
- Using dialogue or quotes from your book to demonstrate your character’s personality and voice.
- Using rhetorical devices such as contrast, comparison, repetition, or parallelism to emphasize key points or create rhythm in your writing.
- Using testimonials or endorsements from reputable sources such as reviewers, critics, celebrities, or experts to boost your credibility and authority.
- Step 4: Write a call to action that urges your reader to take action. Your call to action should be clear, direct, and persuasive. It should tell your reader exactly what you want them to do next and why they should do it. You can use various techniques to write a call to action, such as:
- Using imperative verbs such as buy, read, download, or order to indicate urgency and command.
- Using incentives such as discounts, bonuses, or freebies to motivate and reward your reader.
- Using social proof such as ratings, reviews, or testimonials to influence and reassure your reader.
- Using scarcity such as limited time, limited stock, or limited edition to create fear of missing out (FOMO) and encourage immediate action.
Examples of Compelling Book Descriptions
To illustrate how to write a compelling book description, let’s look at some examples from different genres and analyze their hooks, bodies, and calls to action.
Fiction Book Description Example: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Here is the book description for The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, a bestselling psychological thriller:
Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.
And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough.
Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar.
Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train…
- Hook: The hook starts with a simple statement that introduces the main character and her routine. Then it introduces a contrast between her life and the life of another couple that she observes from the train. This creates curiosity and sympathy in the reader, as well as sets up the genre and tone of the book.
- Body: The body continues with a sentence that reveals the inciting incident: Rachel sees something shocking that changes everything. This creates suspense and intrigue in the reader, as well as raises questions about what she saw and what will happen next. The body also hints at the main conflict and stakes of the book: Rachel wants to become part of the lives she’s only watched from afar, but this may have consequences for her and others.
- Call to action: The call to action ends with a sentence that uses repetition and contrast to emphasize the transformation and challenge that Rachel faces. It also uses a semi-colon to create a pause and a dramatic effect. The call to action implies that Rachel is not just a passive observer, but an active participant in the story, and that she has something to prove or reveal.
Nonfiction Book Description Example: Atomic Habits by James Clear
Here is the book description for Atomic Habits by James Clear, a bestselling self-help book:
No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving–every day. James Clear, one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.
If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you’ll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.
Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field.
Learn how to:
- make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy);
- overcome a lack of motivation and willpower;
- design your environment to make success easier;
- get back on track when you fall off course;
- …and much more.
Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits–whether you are a team looking to win a championship, an organization hoping to redefine an industry, or simply an individual who wishes to quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, or achieve any other goal.
- Hook: The hook starts with a sentence that states the main benefit of the book: it offers a proven framework for improving every day. It also introduces the author’s credentials: he is one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation. This creates interest and trust in the reader, as well as sets up the topic and genre of the book.
- Body: The body consists of several paragraphs that provide more details about the book’s content, approach, and value. It explains the main problem that the book solves: bad habits are caused by a wrong system, not by a lack of desire or willpower. It also explains the main solution that the book offers: a simple and effective system that can help you form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. The body also showcases the author’s writing style and voice, which is clear, concise, and engaging. It also uses testimonials and endorsements from various sources to boost the credibility and authority of the book.
- Call to action: The call to action starts with a sentence that summarizes the main benefit and value of the book: it will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits. It also specifies the target audience and scope of the book: whether you are a team, an organization, or an individual who wishes to achieve any goal. It also uses bullet points to list some of the topics that the book covers, such as how to make time for new habits, overcome a lack of motivation and willpower, design your environment to make success easier, and more. The call to action ends with a sentence that uses an imperative verb (learn) and an ellipsis (…) to create a sense of urgency and curiosity in the reader.
Children’s Book Description Example: The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Here is the book description for The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss, a classic children’s book:
Poor Dick and Sally. It’s cold and wet and they’re stuck in the house with nothing to do . . . until a giant cat in a hat shows up, transforming the dull day into a madcap adventure and almost wrecking the place in the process! Written by Dr. Seuss in 1957 in response to the concern that “pallid primers [with] abnormally courteous, unnaturally clean boys and girls’ were leading to growing illiteracy among children, The Cat in the Hat (the first Random House Beginner Book) changed the way our children learn how to read.
- Hook: The hook starts with a sentence that introduces the main characters and their situation: they are bored and stuck in the house on a rainy day. This creates empathy and relatability in the reader, as well as sets up the genre and tone of the book.
- Body: The body continues with a sentence that introduces the main plot twist: a giant cat in a hat shows up and turns their day into a wild adventure. This creates excitement and curiosity in the reader, as well as raises questions about who the cat is and what he will do. The body also provides some background information about the book’s origin and purpose: it was written by Dr. Seuss in response to a concern about children’s literacy and it changed the way children learn how to read. This adds context and significance to the book, as well as showcases the author’s credentials and influence.
- Call to action: The call to action is implied rather than explicit in this book description. It assumes that the reader is already interested in reading the book based on the hook and body, and does not need further persuasion or instruction. However, it could be improved by adding a sentence that invites the reader to join the fun and discover the magic of The Cat in the Hat.
Conclusion
A book description is a powerful tool that can help you attract and hook your readers. By following the tips and examples we shared in this article, you can write a compelling book description that sells your book.
If you want to learn more about how to write a compelling book description and hook your readers, you can also check out some of the online courses and podcasts that we recommend:
- How to Write Bestselling Book Descriptions by Bryan Cohen: This is an online course by Bryan Cohen, a bestselling author, copywriter, and coach. The course teaches you how to write captivating book descriptions that increase your sales and conversions. You will learn how to craft hooks, bodies, calls to action, keywords, headlines, subheadlines, testimonials, blurbs, bios, and more.[14]
- The Copywriter Club Podcast by Kira Hug and Rob Marsh: This is a podcast by Kira Hug and Rob Marsh, two experienced copywriters and mentors. The podcast features interviews with some of the best copywriters, marketers, and entrepreneurs in the world, who share their insights, tips, and stories on how to write copy that sells.[15]