Many might not consider writing an ebook description as part of the writing process, assuming it’s simply an added step. Truth to be told, writing the description of your ebook can be a lot of fun and can also serve as an essential guide for customers who are browsing your products online. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the various aspects of the description and how to make it catchy and engaging.
The Basics
Traditionally, the job of an author was limited to writing the story and perhaps doing some of the art work. These days, as digital nomads make their living entirely online, the job of an author can extend far beyond just writing the book. Besides putting pen to paper and binding books, they now have plenty to do with the technology they’re so good at utilizing.
Just like with any other marketing tool, getting the right description for your ebook takes some time and effort. And just like any other part of your marketing plan, you need to be consistent in your efforts, or else you’ll have exhausted your potential audience, and your ebook won’t make the impact you’re hoping for.
The Elements That Make up a Great Description
As you’re preparing to write your description, you’ll want to keep in mind a few key elements that will make your writing stand out. To that end, here are a few tips on how to write a great description for your e-book.
1. Use Specific Details
The first rule of thumb when writing a description of any kind is to be as specific as possible. This doesn’t just apply to e-book descriptions; it applies to anything in life. The more you can convey with specific details, the more powerful your writing will be. Besides, using specific details will help your audience understand your writing better. For example, you might want to write, “This book will teach you how to grow your hair long and stylishly.” Now, if you’d written, “It teaches you how to grow your hair in a way that’s fashionable,” your reader might not have as much understanding of what exactly you’re talking about. They might guess that you’re talking about hairdressing or grooming, which isn’t what you’re actually trying to convey. Specific details help create context, which is vital in any type of writing.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have generalizations. These are statements that can be made about a category of people or things, but they don’t provide any specific details. For example, you could write, “All e-books are not created equal,” or, “Most screenplays are written in a very specific style.” While these are catchy phrases, and they certainly have the ability to grab the attention of your reader, they lack the contextual relevance that a specific example would provide. A great description should contain as much specific information as possible. Specific examples aid the reader in understanding your meaning better and allow you to engage with your audience more effectively. For example, if I read the generalization, “All e-books are not created equal,” I might think that you’re talking about the books themselves, which are of uneven quality. But if I read the description, “It’s amazing! This book will teach you how to build your own rocket ship,” I understand exactly what you’re referring to. In this case, you’re aiming your product at an audience of people who are already obsessed with space travel, and you’re using humor to describe the extraordinary contents of your product.
2. Use Adjectives
Another simple but effective way to write a great description is to use adjectives. The more you use, the better. Adjectives give the reader a better understanding of what they’re reading. For example, you might want to write, “This is an exceptional book that will teach you how to design your summer vacation itinerary.” Or, “This is a unique book that will teach you how to play the piano.” Using adjectives will give your writing a better flow, making it more interesting and easier to understand. Additionally, try to avoid overusing adjectives. Unless you’re writing a comedy, you don’t need to keep piling on the adjectives to make your writing sound interesting. Simplicity is the key to effective writing. If you want to use as many words as possible, go for it, but you should still keep the language simple. For example, you could write, “This is an exceptional book that will teach you how to design your summer vacation itinerary.” But you could also write, “Designing your summer vacation itinerary is easy with this book. It teaches you how to create a plan that will satisfy your needs and those of your family and friends.” In the first version, you use five adjectives to describe the book and its contents. In the second version, you’ve pared it back to two words, “Designing your summer vacation itinerary,” using parallelism to make your writing more effective.
3. Embrace Cliché
Another way to write an effective description is to include as many clichés as possible. A cliché is a commonplace phrase, idea, or sentence structure that is so overused that it has lost its meaning. In other words, it’s a word or phrase that has been repeated so often that it has no other meaning than that which the speaker intentionally imparts. For example, you could write, “This is an exceptional book that will teach you how to design your summer vacation itinerary.” But you could just as easily write, “This is a common book that will teach you how to design your summer vacation itinerary.” The first version includes the clichéd phrase “that will teach you,” while the second omits it. In either case, you’re using a cliché to make your writing sound more compelling.
How To Make It Catchy
Aside from being specific and using adjectives, the other key to effective e-book description is to make it catchy. To that end, you have two options. The first is to simply use words that your audience is already familiar with. Familiarity is key in marketing and sales. If you want your ebook to make an impact, you need to find a way to make it stick out in your readers’ minds. One way to do this is to use words and phrases that your audience is already familiar with. The second option is to make up a list of the most frequently used words and phrases in your industry, and then incorporate them into your writing. If you want to include the most frequently used words and phrases in your industry, visit a tool like the Word Finder and enter your industry to get a list of the most used words and phrases. Incorporating those words and phrases into your writing will help create a more engaging and easy-to-understand experience for your audience. Writing tips and advice often use overused words and phrases to make their content more memorable. Some of the most repeated words and phrases in writing include:
- unique
- transformational
- revolutionary
- game-changing
- overwhelming
- life-changing
- masterclass
- proven
- provenance
- luminous
- priceless
- iconic
- herculean
- verdict
- ascendant
- petrify
- vivid
- canvas
- chutzpah
If you want to write a great description for your e-book, keep these tips in mind. Doing so will not only make your writing easy to understand but will give your product the best shot at success. So, what are you waiting for? Get to writing! And when you’re done, submit your work for review. After all, as the Bard said, “Let’s be honest: nobody wants to buy a book just to find out how it ends. But at least with a great description, you’ll know what you’re getting into.”