How To Make An Eye Catching Book Blurb

When you walk into a bookstore, and peruse the non-fiction section, what do you do? 

You scan the shelves for a book that catches your eye, maybe you are drawn in by a keyword or a good cover design or a problem that needs solving, and then you immediately flip to the back cover and read the blurb. You give it about ten seconds or two sentences of your time. If it catches your attention and speaks to you, you keep reading. If it doesn’t, you put it back. 

Now what makes you buy the book? 

You buy it if you can’t stop reading it. If it speaks to some part of you so directly that you feel like you need to keep reading to unlock one of the puzzles of your life. You buy it when you haven’t even cracked it open yet because it already gave you a tidbit of knowledge that made you feel seen or helped you look at the world a little differently.  

That little blurb on the back cover of your book? It matters. 

Why It Matters

Maybe you don’t go to bookstores, so don’t think the back cover blurb is relevant anymore. But it doesn’t just matter in person. It’s the blurb that will feature in your book description on Amazon, you’ll probably use it on your website, and it’s how your book will be introduced on any newsletter, list, press mention or podcast you get onto. 

It’s probably the most important piece of sales copy associated with your book and once you write it, it will accompany your book everywhere it goes. Here’s how to make it great.

Think of Your Audience in the Book Blurb

Before making any major decision around self-promotion, think of your audience first. When they engage with this piece of promotion, what are they looking for? When it comes to the back cover blurb, there are two common mistakes we see authors make:

1. They summarize the book. 

This doesn’t work. Readers are not intrinsically interested in the book itself. They’re interested in what it can do for them. They want to know if the book can solve a problem they’re facing or guide them towards an outcome they don’t know how to reach on their own.

2. They include a high-level inspirational passage that can apply to anything and anyone. 

Connection is in the specifics and a general statement or a vague solution is not going to make a reader feel seen. If you can point to an experience that makes the reader feel as though you’re talking right to them, they will keep reading. 

This point is so important that every ghostwriting project we do at Alliance begins with the reader. Before we outline a single chapter, we clarify who the book is for and what problem it solves for them so that every piece of content, including the back cover copy, is written aligned with that mission.

What to Include in Your Book Blurb:

1. Lead with a hook. You only have a few lines to grab the reader’s attention so make the first few sentences count. They should speak to your target reader and give them a good sense of what problem the book addresses and of the value it can deliver.
2. Speak to a problem. Clarify what your reader is experiencing and why it matters. Let them know they’re seen.
3. Offer a solution. Communicate the promise the book delivers and why you are the author they can trust.
4. Make it specific. Speak directly to your intended audience. If the book is part of your sales funnel, the copy should clearly address the reader your business serves and the unique challenges they face. The more specific, the better.

What to Avoid in Your Book Blurb:

1.  No Summaries. Don’t paste in your introduction or summary. A blurb is not a recap. It’s a sales pitch.
2. Don’t rely on vague inspiration. “This book will change your life” never made any sales.
3. Don’t tease value. Offer it up. If a passerby can pick your book up and get a truth bomb or valuable nugget of information immediately, they will likely either buy your book or look you up. 
4. Don’t skip the CTA. The final line should inspire action. It should point to the transformation the reader is seeking and invite them into the next step of the journey.     

Final Note

Most of the clients we work with are interested in writing books that will enhance their business. The book is often an asset to help generate leads, demonstrate credibility, offer a deeper dive into their work, or to leverage into workshops and speaking engagements.

The blurb is meant to attract your target client to you and your work, and the best way it can do that is by delivering value starting with the very first interaction. 

If you’re not sure where to start, look at the blurbs of top-selling nonfiction books in your space. You’ll notice a pattern: the strongest ones speak directly to the reader’s needs, struggles, and hopes, then offers a fresh perspective immediately. So should yours.