You might have heard of Occum’s Razor as a principle for logic and problem-solving. Wikipedia says, “… among competing hypotheses, the hypothesis with the fewest assumptions should be selected”. It is often the simplest answer, as long as it’s also the most logical, that is the best. We can apply it to all sorts of things; I like to apply the principle to book description writing, aka book blurbs.
You are inside your world, writing your book or your blog articles. In so doing, you may assume a lot of people have the foundations of your knowledge. They probably do not, so don’t confuse readers with long-winded book descriptions (blurbs) to furl their mind.
Writing Good ‘Book Cover Copy’ – What’s in it for Me?
Finding the simplest way to say something means looking at it from the buyer’s perspective — not yours. This kind of writing will engage them in the subject at hand. We want simple, but we do not want boring. Generalities also do not grab their attention.
Hubspot shows many examples of smart marketers who relate to their prospective clients by answering their questions within the business’s website copy. Hubspot check people’s desired questions in searches with the tool, Search Console (or Answer the Public). These two are also good for researching questions readers are seeking the answer to.
Also try Google Trends for topic comparisons, and have a crack at keyword research. You’ll see popular terms come up on Amazon.com’s search box. Amazon is like a big search engine of its own, and certain software tools have popped up to make sure serial authors can get their research done in a jiffy. (e.g. Kindle Rocket, K-lytics).
Here are some back cover examples that I had a hand in.
You may not be able to see it properly, but here I am following author coach Judy Cullins’ advice on including nine hot selling points. Except I include about six.
If it’s not already obvious, I mention who I am writing the book for, e.g. solo service providers, Mum and Dad investors, or small business owners.
Writing the Book Description, for Retail Use
When writing the sales blurb, you can include a little about your background to help set your authority on the subject. Life experience is also available as well, so don’t discount your own challenges you have risen to and results you have achieved.
Some action words can liven up a non-fiction book cover description or book sales page. Lately I have used these words to encourage readership:
~ Discover how yoga can greatly assist…
~ Deepen your understanding of…
~ Build awareness and gain confidence…
These action words are also benefits for the student.
What kind of action phrases can you include in your next book or lead magnet? Remember not to say too much in the book blurb/sales description, as in over-telling.
Let the blurb create some curiosity and inspire action but not overly explain the fundamental problems.
