How to Write a Nonfiction Book Description

About this video

Dale lays out a six-part structure for a nonfiction book description that sells, rather than a run-of-the-mill summary. First, the hook: use the first line — especially on Amazon, where only the first few lines are visible at first — to state the problem and the solution in one simple sentence, such as losing weight in a few steps or getting new clients without cold calls. Second, the value stack: two to four sentences of ‘what if’ or ‘imagine’ questions that picture relief from the reader’s pain points, such as clients arriving without ads, phone calls, or prospecting. Third, authority: in one or two sentences, briefly note the most noteworthy accolades — best-selling author, doctor, certified trainer, award winner — without overdoing it. Fourth, curiosity, the biggest section at about six to twelve lines: do not rattle off the table of contents; instead tease what readers can expect in a way that makes them wonder, splitting points into the effective majority plus a couple they have never heard of, and break up any wall of text. Fifth, the reminder: restate the opening problem and solution in fresh wording, keeping it short and using keywords so the book is found more quickly. Sixth, the call to action: explicitly guide the customer to buy, for example by telling them to pick up a copy today by clicking the Buy Now button. He closes by recommending a deeper blog post on the six steps for more examples.

Key takeaways

• Hook: open with one simple sentence stating the problem and the solution — the first lines are all an Amazon visitor sees at first.
• Value stack: use two to four ‘what if’ or ‘imagine’ questions that picture the reader’s pain points relieved.
• Authority: spend only one or two sentences on your most noteworthy accolades; a little goes a long way.
• Curiosity: tease what is inside instead of listing the table of contents, keep it to your best points in about six to twelve lines, and break up long paragraphs.
• Reminder and call to action: restate the problem and solution in keyword-rich fresh wording, then explicitly tell the reader to buy the book.

Episode details: published August 6, 2017 · 4:29 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Dale L. Roberts’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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