A book blurb or description is an important piece of marketing. Along with the book cover and title, the blurb is one of the first things a reader will see. For paperback books, the blurb will appear on the back cover. For e-books, the blurb is usually referred to as the description and will appear next to or below the title and book cover.

The blurb is usually the second thing a potential reader will look at after the cover. The blurb should be engaging and entice readers. One way of looking at a blurb is to consider it a “pick-up line.” In a short amount of time, you need to create intrigue, attract attention, and give enough information to grab a person’s attention but leave them wanting more.

Keep your target audience in mind when writing your blurb. Set the tone and mood for both your book’s genre and your reader. Once you have gained a potential reader’s interest and created intrigue, end with a cliffhanger—you are inviting the reader to find out more.