How do you write a book description?
- Four-part structure: hook, setup, complications, teaser.
- Ebook description: 200-300 words.
- Print back cover: 150-200 words.
- KDP allows up to 4,000 characters in the description field.
- The first 2-3 sentences are what most readers actually read.
A book description (the back-cover copy that sells the book) follows a four-part structure: a hook (one sentence), a setup paragraph (60-100 words establishing protagonist and stakes), a complications paragraph (60-100 words raising the stakes), and a teaser ending. Total length: 200-300 words for ebook, 150-200 for print back covers.
Chapter i·Why it matters
The book description is the second-most-important sales asset (after the cover). Most readers decide to buy or pass based on the first 50 words. Authors who improvise their descriptions or copy generic templates leave 20-40% of potential sales unrealized. A well-structured description is the difference between scroll-past and click-buy.
Chapter ii·What to include
- Hook: one sentence that names the most interesting thing about the book.
- Setup: 60-100 words on protagonist, world, and inciting incident.
- Complications: 60-100 words raising stakes and obstacles.
- Teaser: 1-2 sentences hinting at the climax without spoiling.
- A genre-appropriate tone: dark and tight for thriller, warm for romance.
- A "test out loud" round: does it sound like the book?
Chapter iii·Example
A working thriller author’s 240-word description: hook ("Detective Sarah Chen has 72 hours to catch her father’s killer — before he catches her") + setup (one paragraph on her small-town return) + complications (her mentor is hiding evidence) + teaser ("The truth isn’t just buried — it’s still killing"). Three weeks of revision before launch.
Chapter iv·Related questions
WriteLoom’s Market studio drafts book descriptions from your project’s existing notes — premise, comps, voice anchor.
See the Market studio