Your book description is one of the most important tools for selling your book, besides the cover itself. So, it shouldn’t be an afterthought. When the time comes to write your back cover copy, or book description, you may think that as the author, you’re best prepared to do just that. That may not be the case, though! Not because you’re not a capable writer, but because not all styles of writing are the same. I was reminded of this during an IBPA webinar I watched recently!
There’s a reason the big publishing houses use a whole team including editors, copywriters, and marketers. They’re the ones who write the book descriptions for the books they publish, and not the authors themselves. Below are three essential elements you’ll need to know about your book description.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing Your Book Description
As a writer, you probably already know that readers want certain questions answered in a story, and your book description is no different. Pretty similar to story structure, your back cover copy should let the reader know a variation of the Five W’s(Who, what, where, when, why). They differ a little depending on the genre or type of book, but they serve the same purpose. To answer those questions first ask yourself:
- WHO is your audience and/or who will enjoy or benefit from my book?
- WHO are the characters/the Protagonist?
- WHAT are my books themes?
- WHY should the reader be interested? Why is it special?
- WHAT is the plot? Or what will the reader gain from the book(non-fiction)?
- WHERE is the book set and how important is setting?
- WHEN does this story take place and is it integral to the plot?
- WHAT is the problem that needs to be solved?
Now, you don’t necessarily need to answer all of these questions in your book description. It will depend on the genre and various other factors, but this list is a good starting point for you to flesh out your book description’s important points. It should also be noted that, no, these are not always direct and literal when answered in your actual book description. You have to spin a story, and a succinct one at that.
When you answer these questions, you can get a better sense of where to start. Write a first draft and see how answering these questions help shape your book description.
What Should the Word Count Be for Your Book Description?
Your book description should be 300 words max. That’s the standard for a reason. For one, it needs to fit nicely on your back cover and still be a readable size. It also needs to be just enough information that it can be easily read with a pretty quick glance.
I know we all get excited about every little detail of our work, and sometimes we think the more information we divulge the more enticing it will be. But with your book description, you should think of it as a movie trailer. I’m sure you’ve seen those trailers that basically show the entire movie. Doesn’t it make you think, “Well, I don’t have to see that movie now. Everything was given away in the trailer!” You don’t want to do that.
Besides, your book jacket is simply an ad for your book. Readers want to grab it, skim that back cover book description and decide if they want to read it. They don’t need every detail. They need the right words, in the right combination, to convince them the book is worth reading. You want your book description to entice them, not be a spoiler!
Book Description Industry and Genre Conventions
You’ve probably noticed, when you’re reading book descriptions at the library or book store that certain genres use certain language and focus on certain elements with their wording, right? Well, that’s because all those that came before us figured out those W’s I mentioned above. When we stray outside these conventions, even if the words themselves are good and your book description gives the reader all they need to know, if it doesn’t fall within certain conventions it will be noticed. It may just seem off to them, unprofessional, or confusing.
You also have to consider publishing industry standards, all of which are covered in this post. These things keep your book looking polished and professional. They let readers, book buyers, and others know your book is legitimate and worthwhile.
The Boring But Essential Stuff
There’s also some equally important, but boring elements that your book description needs. These elements are included for marketing purposes and make your book easier to find on online retailers like Amazon. How do they do that?
Well, if you’re selling your book via Amazon and other similar online retailers, you need to use things like keywords and metadata so your book comes up in searches. That’s the simple answer. It’s of course more complicated than that, but the following are crucial to keep in mind.
Metadata and Keywords
In your book description, keywords that relate directly to your genre and theme are what help readers find your book! Here’s a quick example:
Let’s use a Sci-Fi novel. You may use words like, future, dystopia, exoplanet, etc. in your book description. Because these keywords relate to the specific kind of Sci-Fi your reader may be looking for at the moment.
These keywords can also be used as metadata. The simplest explanation of what metadata is, though it sounds pretty complicated, is that it’s words that relate to your keywords. As I mentioned above these can be used to relate to your subgenre and other aspects of your book. They’re also words that are frequently related to your keywords in searches. So, if you write Sci-Fi Romance let’s say, you’d make sure to include a bit of those keywords too. For a full summary of what metadata is, you can go here.
The Hook and Marketing Lingo
Along with all this, your book description needs to contain some hook, we copywriters call it a CTA(call to action), and other marketing lingo. In laymen’s terms, this means that you should have a carefully worded few sentences that really convince the reader they need to know more! Your book description should sell the book. It’s like a restaurant menu. If a menu just tells you what the item is in stark terms, it’s not very appealing. A steak, can’t just be a cut of steak. It has to be a pan-seared strip steak served atop a cauliflower gratin with nutty Manchego cheese. Or something like that. But you get my drift. You have to entice the reader.
As for the CTA, it’s simply those words you see everywhere that compel you to action. Like, “Call us today!”. But with a book description, you have to make it compelling in subtle and indirect ways. You can’t just say, “Read this Book.”
The Right Tone and Authoritative Voice
Finally, when it comes to your book description, the need to distance yourself from the work is necessary. Not everyone can do that though. Like I mentioned in the opening paragraph, you as a writer, may want to describe your book the way you see it, because you know it so well. But your book description should appeal to those that don’t know it so well. That’s the whole point of a book description.
I’ve noticed when working with clients that they often want to write their book description in the same style as the book itself. That’s a wrong move many times. Other common mistakes include:
- Being too wordy
- Using big words, or uncommon vocabulary
- Adding too many details about what happens in the book or its characters(aka, spoilers!)
They want to tell too much because they’re rightfully excited about it. But those aren’t the things the reader wants to know. Though there are different tactics and some debate on how a book description should read, the general conventions stand. A book description isn’t a summary of your book, its plot and character descriptions. Instead, it’s a combination of all the right words, that fit within genre and industry conventions that a reader will recognize, compelling them to want to read your book!
If you’re still feeling a bit lost when it comes to your book description, MCM is here for you. Click HERE to see how we can help with giving your book the love it deserves.
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