Write a Book
Mastering the art of writing a book description that captures interest is crucial for boosting sales and generating excitement around your book.
Consider this: What draws you to a new book in a store? Beyond being a fan of the author, a striking title and captivating cover often catch your eye first. However, to judge whether the book is worth your time and investment, you instinctively turn to the back cover or browse the online description of a book.
Here lies the author’s or book writing services provider’s created “blurb,” providing just enough insight to spark a flurry of questions in your mind. A well-written description is key to luring readers. For authors, especially those self-publishing, creating an irresistible book blurb ensures that your hard work translates into book sales.
This article is your guide to constructing book descriptions that sell, deeply engage, and encourage readers to pick the book up.
Step 1: Hook The Reader
The first sentence when you write a book description is like the opening act of a magic show. It’s your one chance to pull a rabbit out of the hat and make the audience gasp in awe. Here are some tips to craft a hook that’s impossible to ignore:
- Ask a question: Starting with a question makes the reader’s brain tick. It’s like pressing a mysterious button – they just have to know what happens when they do.
Example: What would you do if you discovered your whole life was a lie written by someone you trusted?
- Showcase a unique situation or setting: If your book has a setting or situation that’s out of the ordinary, flaunt it in the first sentence. It’s like showing a glimpse of a secret world.
Example: Clara is the only one stuck on the ground in a city where everyone can fly.
Remember, your hook should echo the soul of your book. Make it so intriguing that the reader can’t help but dive into your world headfirst.
Step 2: Introduce the Main Character and Setting
After reeling in your reader with a stellar hook, it’s time to shine a spotlight on your protagonist and the stage of their story. This is where the book editors give a taste of who the reader will be rooting for and where the drama unfolds.
- Highlight your character’s uniqueness: What makes your protagonist stand out? Even if they’re an ‘everyman’ or ‘everywoman,’ there’s something special about them. Find that spark and present it.
Example: Jake, a baker with the power to imprint emotions into his pastries, finds his quiet life upside down when…
- Paint the setting with broad strokes: You don’t need to dive into deep detail but give a sense of where and when your story occurs. Is it in a bustling modern city, a distant planet, or a magic-filled ancient kingdom?
Example: In the neon-lit streets of Neo-Tokyo, where robots and humans are indistinguishable, lies a secret only she can uncover.
Introducing your protagonist when you write a book description helps the reader feel grounded in your story. The warm-up act before the main event sets the stage for everything that follows.
Step 3: Add the Problem or Conflict
After you’ve set the stage with your hook and introduced your characters and their world, it’s time to reveal what shakes up their existence. Every writer knows conflict is important to incorporate to write a good story. The conflict or problem is the big storm heading their way, and your book is how they weather it.
When crafting this part of your description of a book:
- Make it personal: The problem should hit your main character where it’s most painful. This conflict is their dragon to slay, their mountain to climb.
Example: When Annie finds the mysterious locket at the town fair, she never expected it to whisper her secrets back to her.
- Dive into the emotions: Let the reader feel the weight of the problem. Is it fear? Anger? Desperation? Lace your words with the emotion that drives the narrative.
Example: With every whispered secret, Annie is drawn deeper into a labyrinth of memories she never knew she had—each one more frightening than the last.
Remember, the reader is here for the roller coaster ride of emotions, so make sure they can almost hear the tracks clanking and feel the anticipatory climb before the drop.
Step 4: Raise the Stakes
Now that you’ve introduced the conflict when you write a book description, it’s vital to show readers what’s at risk. What will happen if the protagonist fails to overcome their problem? The stakes are the fire beneath the plot’s boiling pot.
To turn up the heat:
- Show what’s in jeopardy: The character’s life, love, sanity, or the world itself, make clear what could be lost. It’s like the moment in a movie when the hero hangs by a thread over a chasm—everyone’s breath is held.
Example: If Annie can’t silence the locket, her past may unravel her future and the fabric of reality itself.
- Keep it relatable: Even if your story is set in a fantastical universe, the stakes must resonate on a human level. We all know what it’s like to fear losing something precious.
Example: As the locket’s grip tightens, Annie must fight for the truth and the essence of love and trust within her family before it’s shattered forever.
Raising the stakes heightens the tension and ensures your reader is invested enough to want to leap into the pages to join the protagonist in their battle against the odds.
Step 5: Give a Hint of the Plot
With the stage set, characters introduced, and stakes established, it’s time to pull back the curtain just a bit more and offer a sneak peek at the journey ahead. You want to build a bridge of intrigue that the reader can’t help but cross.
Here’s how to tease the plot without revealing too much:
- Outline the journey: Give a hint of the protagonist’s path. It’s like showing someone the start of a treasure map but keeping the X that marks the spot a mystery.
Example: To unlock the locket’s riddles, Annie is thrust into a scavenger hunt through her history, which will lead her to places she’s only seen in her dreams.
- Mention the challenges: What hurdles must your character leap to succeed? It’s like hinting at the massive walls and treacherous rivers that lie ahead on an epic quest.
Example: From the hidden corners of her grandmother’s attic to the forgotten caves beneath the town, Annie will face puzzles that test her smarts and scares that test her courage.
Keep in mind that this part of your description of a book is about movement and momentum. Plant enough curiosity seeds so the reader can’t wait for them to sprout.
Step 6: Inject the Atmosphere
Every book has a heart that beats to the rhythm of its atmosphere. The feeling your story evokes can be just as important as the plot. When you write a book description, it should give a flavor of this to set the mood.
Here’s how to infuse atmosphere into your description:
- Choose your words wisely: Your word choice sets the tone. Are your words dark and brooding, light and airy, or tense and quick? They’re not just explaining the story but painting the emotional landscape.
Example: In the shadows of the attic and the echoes of the caves, Annie’s journey is bated with breaths of suspense and washed with whistles of whimsy.
- Reflect on the genre: Your atmosphere should nod to the genre. If it’s a mystery, weave in a sense of enigma. If it’s an adventure, the scent of distant shores should linger in your sentences.
Example: Every clue Annie unravels is a thread pulling her deeper into a tapestry of mystique and wonder, coloring her world with shades of danger and discovery.
Creating a vivid atmosphere not only shapes the reader’s expectations but also draws them deeper into the world of your story, ensuring they’re not just reading your words but living them.
Step 7: Add Some Praise
If you’ve got glowing comments or reviews about your book, this step is your time to let it shine. Praise can be the golden word of approval that nudges a reader from consideration to purchase.
Here’s how to include praise effectively:
- Be selective: Choose the most impactful and relevant praise you’ve received. It’s like picking the ripest, juiciest fruit from the tree — it will be the most satisfying for the reader.
Example: Hailed as “the summer’s must-read that will enchant and terrify in equal measure” by bestselling author Mary Thompson.
- Keep it humble: While it’s important to showcase praise, make sure it doesn’t come off as bragging. Think of it as a friend recommending a great movie rather than a salesperson pushing a product.
Example: Readers call it “a journey marked by heart, heat, and the haunting whispers of an unforgettable heroine” – ShareYourStory Reviews.
Including praise helps build credibility and trust. It tells potential readers that this book has been on an adventure— through the hands and hearts of others who have loved it.
Step 8: Close with a Bang
Like the final scene in a fireworks show, your closing sentence should leave readers with that ‘wow’ sensation that lingers. The encore has them clamoring for the full performance, which, in this case, is your book.
Here’s how to create a memorable closing:
- Echo the hook: Bringing your description of a book full circle by echoing elements from your hook can be very satisfying for readers. It’s like ending a song with a gently familiar chorus that has everyone humming along.
Example: Will you unlock the secrets of Annie’s past? Step inside her tattered old book of life and turn the page.
- Use powerful imagery or a call to action: Encourage the reader’s imagination to take flight or invite them to jump into the adventure. It’s like holding your hand and whispering, “Come with me.”
Example: Take the key to the past and discover what magic and monsters lie hidden in the pages waiting for you.
A robust closing ties everything up with an emotional bow and convinces the reader to take the next step — reading the book.
Remember, when you write a book description, each point entices and intrigues you. By building upon each step carefully, you’re not just presenting a product; you’re offering an escape, an experience, and an emotional journey.
Conclusion
Writing a book description isn’t easy, but don’t worry, these steps will guide you through, much like having ghostwriters by your side to demystify the process. Remember, like a magician’s reveal, the best descriptions lay out the show but keep the secrets. Now go on, shape your reader’s curiosity, and make them need to read your book like they need to hear the end of a mysterious tale.
