Dear Fellow Writer,
Next to your tile and cover design, the next most important element in selling your book online is your book description. Your selling page must “convert” viewers to buyers.
In this week’s newsletter I will discuss the key elements of creating a killer book description for both fiction and non-fiction books.
For all books:
Do:
• Make it motivational – get people interested in book
• Easy to read
• Ask them to take action – buy it now!
• Know your audience and what motivates them/ what is important to them
• Remember to use your key words: If your book is on Amazon, then make sure you are using your keywords in your description, as it is searchable.
Don’t:
• List your website or any other website. This will only drive people off your sales page and away from purchasing.
• Use long paragraphs without breaks. This makes it hard to read easily. Remember people want to scan quickly on the internet.
• Talk about yourself too much - what is in it for the reader? People buy because of what is in it for them, not to hear about you. Your bio is the place for that.
The are some special considerations for fiction versus non-fiction.
For fiction:
• Have drama in opening line. The first line is most important – it has to have impact to “hook the reader.”
• Describe a compelling description of plot/conflict and main character(s).
• Share a well-written passage. This is an opportunity to showcase your best writing and impress the potential reader.
• Refer to famous writers or books that are similar to yours. For example, “if you like James Patterson mysteries, you’ll love this book.” Or, “this book has been written in the spirit of ____.” This a great way to define your book and associate it with well-known writers.
• Add any high level review or award.
• Have a call to action. Ask them to buy now. “Order a copy of _______ today and be mesmerized by this science fiction story.”
For non-fiction:
• State/highlight the problem /ask a question. Asking a question forces the reader to engage, because their minds want to answer the question. Want to see how? (See, I just did it).
• Ok, here are a couple examples: Would you like to lose 1lb this week or 5lbs?
• Describe how your book solves the problem. What will your book do for the reader? How will it transform their life?
• Use bulleted points. Identify key benefits with 4-6 bullet points.
• Sum up benefits.
• Call to action: Ask them to buy now. “Order a copy of Weight Loss the Right Way, and start losing weight today.”
• Personal note from author: Consider writing a note that explains why you wrote the book.
• List any awards or high level reviews.
Additional tips:
Look at top selling books in your category or niche and review those book descriptions.
Go the bookstore, pick up the top selling books in your niche, and read the back covers.
Read reviews of top books in your niche on Amazon. What do people like, what are they criticizing? Use this info in your book description.
Action step:
Review your current book description using the information above, and see how you can improve it. If you haven’t written the book description yet, use the hot tip section to do a little research first.
Keep writing!
Next to your tile and cover design, the next most important element in selling your book online is your book description. Your selling page must “convert” viewers to buyers.
In this week’s newsletter I will discuss the key elements of creating a killer book description for both fiction and non-fiction books.
For all books:
Do:
• Make it motivational – get people interested in book
• Easy to read
• Ask them to take action – buy it now!
• Know your audience and what motivates them/ what is important to them
• Remember to use your key words: If your book is on Amazon, then make sure you are using your keywords in your description, as it is searchable.
Don’t:
• List your website or any other website. This will only drive people off your sales page and away from purchasing.
• Use long paragraphs without breaks. This makes it hard to read easily. Remember people want to scan quickly on the internet.
• Talk about yourself too much - what is in it for the reader? People buy because of what is in it for them, not to hear about you. Your bio is the place for that.
The are some special considerations for fiction versus non-fiction.
For fiction:
• Have drama in opening line. The first line is most important – it has to have impact to “hook the reader.”
• Describe a compelling description of plot/conflict and main character(s).
• Share a well-written passage. This is an opportunity to showcase your best writing and impress the potential reader.
• Refer to famous writers or books that are similar to yours. For example, “if you like James Patterson mysteries, you’ll love this book.” Or, “this book has been written in the spirit of ____.” This a great way to define your book and associate it with well-known writers.
• Add any high level review or award.
• Have a call to action. Ask them to buy now. “Order a copy of _______ today and be mesmerized by this science fiction story.”
For non-fiction:
• State/highlight the problem /ask a question. Asking a question forces the reader to engage, because their minds want to answer the question. Want to see how? (See, I just did it).
• Ok, here are a couple examples: Would you like to lose 1lb this week or 5lbs?
• Describe how your book solves the problem. What will your book do for the reader? How will it transform their life?
• Use bulleted points. Identify key benefits with 4-6 bullet points.
• Sum up benefits.
• Call to action: Ask them to buy now. “Order a copy of Weight Loss the Right Way, and start losing weight today.”
• Personal note from author: Consider writing a note that explains why you wrote the book.
• List any awards or high level reviews.
Additional tips:
Look at top selling books in your category or niche and review those book descriptions.
Go the bookstore, pick up the top selling books in your niche, and read the back covers.
Read reviews of top books in your niche on Amazon. What do people like, what are they criticizing? Use this info in your book description.
Action step:
Review your current book description using the information above, and see how you can improve it. If you haven’t written the book description yet, use the hot tip section to do a little research first.
Keep writing!
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