Episode 158: Tips for Writing Your Book Description

In this solo episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I’m excited to share what has helped me write my back cover and my longer book descriptions. I even give an example of the description from my book that came out in December called “Your Book Matters: 52 love notes from my creative heart to yours.”

On the surface, writing your book description seems pretty simple…but it is super common to struggle with this task because you need to condense so much into a short space! To write a compelling book description, you need to 1) give the reader a sense of what your book is about; 2) introduce the reader to your own authentic voice and style; 3) sell your book; 4) grab the reader’s attention and leave them wanting more!

I dive into:

• The distinction between your book description and your back cover description.
• Some exercises that are really helpful with taking away the pressure and stress of writing the description of your book.
• Why I recommend writing your book description before you reach the end of your manuscript.
• How to grab the reader’s attention in your book description.
• A little trick I use to hone in on how to write to the ideal reader of your book.

‍

Check out the back cover description from my new novel BEFORE & AFTER YOU & ME, coming May 7th from @OwlHollowPress & now available for pre-order!! #linkinbio

Emma blames herself when a freak accident at a pool party leaves Hunter, the town’s rising track star and her former boyfriend, paralyzed from the waist down. As she struggles with anxiety, loneliness and regret, she begins to obsessively paint portraits of legs and feet—Hunter’s legs and feet—and for the first time receives critical acclaim and notice for her artwork.

But what started as therapeutic for Emma ends up deepening her guilt. Does creating meaningful art require retreating inward toward self-expression, or striving outward toward recognition—or can it somehow be both?

Searching for one whole, authentic identity, Emma grapples with love, ambition, grief, homecoming, and—ultimately—redemption.

‍