A curious blend of vanity and fatigue, I'm thinking, explains the attitudes of many writers once they've completed their book. As far as many of us are concerned, once we're done, the book speaks for itself. And, really, after all that work, it's an understandable reaction. It really should speak for itself.
Our book can only speak for itself, though, once someone reads it. And reading it requires buying it. You see where this is going.
Elsewhere I've provided some other valuable tips about how to optimize the author tools for self publishing on Amazon, toward this end. While all those tips have big-time value, most importantly, and most challenging, among them all, is getting your book description right.
Once they've invested in your book, most readers - unless they just hate it - will give you at least 20 pages or so to win them over. In your book description you literally have about 20-30 seconds to win them over.
Failing to capture their attention will have them clicking away and a potential book sale lost. So, the question is, what does your book description need to do to keep prospective readers interested? And, how do you do it? Basically, you have about three sentences to impress such prospective readers in three important ways: tell, entice and show.
First: Tell them what the book is about. Don't confuse this with rehearsing a plot line. It's about given the genre details as concisely as you can. Is the book fiction or non-fiction? Let's say the latter. Then, is it mystery, romance or thriller? Is it set in the present the past or some speculative future? For the more discerning reader, you might want to inform if it's a first or third person narrator. Some kind of evocative comparison could be helpful: e.g., in the tradition of John Grisham; Tolkienesque; Toni Morrison-like.
#2 Entice your potential reader with the benefits accruing from reading your book. It may be the case that non-fiction writers enjoy a certain advantage on this one. It's hardly self evident to me, however, that the majority of self-published non-fiction writers actually leverage this advantage. Presumably, though, all non-fiction aims to meet a specific need. Minimally it wants to increase topic-specific knowledge. Pretty much, always, though the goal is more focused than that and you should be as focused as possible. Emphasize the benefit of your book to potential readers. How will their life be better, easier, or wealthier as a result of reading your book?
For fiction, it can be a bit trickier. I suggest emphasizing the conflicts confronting your characters. Try to tap into the potential reader's own experience of such conflict: they may want to better understand it, relive it, or simply live it vicariously. The more vivid and impacting you can make it in a few short sentences the more likely it is to resonate with them.
#3 Last, but far from least, you have to show them what they'll be getting. This is probably the most challenging of the three. It can though be the clincher in selling them on the promise of your book. I find it useful to approach this aspect of the book description as a micro road test of your writing style and ability. If your book claims to explain how to do some practical job, say, website building or making smart investments, use the book description to showcase your ability to make a difficult point clear, in just a sentence or two. After all, they've never heard of you before; why should they feel confident in your ability to explain this complicated topic? Show them why.
If you are publishing an atmospheric novel, use the kind of evocative language in your book description that you use in the book. If you have a moody, cloak and dagger spy novel, open with a description of the anxiety of sheltering in a doorway on a rain drenched cobblestone street, awaiting a dubious contact who, for all you know, may have sold you out already. Or, if it's a teen love story, open with your best two sentence description of that moment of stomach turning wonder, when your protagonist suddenly sees "the one."
Here then is the challenge of writing a great book description for self publishing on Amazon: tell what the book is, entice with the benefits it provides, and illustrate the style and tone found between the covers. Make no doubt: a tall task lies before you. It is though precisely because of how difficult it is that authors who do it well harvest great rewards.
Let's not pull any punches here. Three to five times more rewrites of your book description than your actual book wouldn't be surprising. So, if that's what it takes, don't be discouraged. Getting it right is a taxing skill; it will take a lot of work. Even at that, of course, there's no guarantee of making your book an Amazon bestseller. After all, contrary to the self-serving claims of marketers, nobody can be made to buy what they don't want.
What we can do, though, is persuade prospective readers, who are open to what we have to offer, that our book is the one that will give them the goods they're after. Therein is your opportunity to sell a book and create the potential for a return reader.
It all starts, though, with not having them pass you over as inadequately interesting from the start. So, sorry, but finishing the book wasn't the completion of your writing requirements. Sharpen up that pencil.
Our book can only speak for itself, though, once someone reads it. And reading it requires buying it. You see where this is going.
Elsewhere I've provided some other valuable tips about how to optimize the author tools for self publishing on Amazon, toward this end. While all those tips have big-time value, most importantly, and most challenging, among them all, is getting your book description right.
Once they've invested in your book, most readers - unless they just hate it - will give you at least 20 pages or so to win them over. In your book description you literally have about 20-30 seconds to win them over.
Failing to capture their attention will have them clicking away and a potential book sale lost. So, the question is, what does your book description need to do to keep prospective readers interested? And, how do you do it? Basically, you have about three sentences to impress such prospective readers in three important ways: tell, entice and show.
First: Tell them what the book is about. Don't confuse this with rehearsing a plot line. It's about given the genre details as concisely as you can. Is the book fiction or non-fiction? Let's say the latter. Then, is it mystery, romance or thriller? Is it set in the present the past or some speculative future? For the more discerning reader, you might want to inform if it's a first or third person narrator. Some kind of evocative comparison could be helpful: e.g., in the tradition of John Grisham; Tolkienesque; Toni Morrison-like.
#2 Entice your potential reader with the benefits accruing from reading your book. It may be the case that non-fiction writers enjoy a certain advantage on this one. It's hardly self evident to me, however, that the majority of self-published non-fiction writers actually leverage this advantage. Presumably, though, all non-fiction aims to meet a specific need. Minimally it wants to increase topic-specific knowledge. Pretty much, always, though the goal is more focused than that and you should be as focused as possible. Emphasize the benefit of your book to potential readers. How will their life be better, easier, or wealthier as a result of reading your book?
For fiction, it can be a bit trickier. I suggest emphasizing the conflicts confronting your characters. Try to tap into the potential reader's own experience of such conflict: they may want to better understand it, relive it, or simply live it vicariously. The more vivid and impacting you can make it in a few short sentences the more likely it is to resonate with them.
#3 Last, but far from least, you have to show them what they'll be getting. This is probably the most challenging of the three. It can though be the clincher in selling them on the promise of your book. I find it useful to approach this aspect of the book description as a micro road test of your writing style and ability. If your book claims to explain how to do some practical job, say, website building or making smart investments, use the book description to showcase your ability to make a difficult point clear, in just a sentence or two. After all, they've never heard of you before; why should they feel confident in your ability to explain this complicated topic? Show them why.
If you are publishing an atmospheric novel, use the kind of evocative language in your book description that you use in the book. If you have a moody, cloak and dagger spy novel, open with a description of the anxiety of sheltering in a doorway on a rain drenched cobblestone street, awaiting a dubious contact who, for all you know, may have sold you out already. Or, if it's a teen love story, open with your best two sentence description of that moment of stomach turning wonder, when your protagonist suddenly sees "the one."
Here then is the challenge of writing a great book description for self publishing on Amazon: tell what the book is, entice with the benefits it provides, and illustrate the style and tone found between the covers. Make no doubt: a tall task lies before you. It is though precisely because of how difficult it is that authors who do it well harvest great rewards.
Let's not pull any punches here. Three to five times more rewrites of your book description than your actual book wouldn't be surprising. So, if that's what it takes, don't be discouraged. Getting it right is a taxing skill; it will take a lot of work. Even at that, of course, there's no guarantee of making your book an Amazon bestseller. After all, contrary to the self-serving claims of marketers, nobody can be made to buy what they don't want.
What we can do, though, is persuade prospective readers, who are open to what we have to offer, that our book is the one that will give them the goods they're after. Therein is your opportunity to sell a book and create the potential for a return reader.
It all starts, though, with not having them pass you over as inadequately interesting from the start. So, sorry, but finishing the book wasn't the completion of your writing requirements. Sharpen up that pencil.
About the Author:
Self publishing authors who want to keep up on the hottest news and tips need to follow the Self Publishing on Amazon site. Lance Fallbrook is a frequent commentator on writers and writing. See his provocative piece on famous American authors -- the dead list!
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