I can’t tell you how many authors freeze up when I ask them this question. It
is as if they have no idea how to describe the book they have written. They
stress and labor over what to say, how to say it effectively, and how to be
succinct.
Before you go off giving a detailed chronology of the plot, or worse, revealing
something about the ending, think of the question as really being this: Why
should I buy your book? That is really what you have to answer.
People buy books for a variety of reasons, including any, many, or all of
these:
* They feel obligated because they know you
* They saw an interview with you or a feature story about you in the news media
* They hear you speak and you sound interesting * You are attractive and/or
likable
* They enjoyed a previous piece of content written by you
* They read a great review from a respected source
* You have a high rating on Amazon from customer reviews or on GoodReads
* Your cover is cool and the title is catchy
* Your ad was flashy and alluring
* They liked one of your social media posts or enjoy reading your blog
* Your site’s free download inspired them to buy your book
* Your book won or placed high in book awards
* The price is right
* They like your genre
* Your book is not too long and is packaged well
* A friend or someone they trust recommended it
* Is the first of its kind or similar to respected writers
* Is a best-seller
* A controversy swells around you or the book
* You are famous or successful in a certain field
* You begged, traded with, or incentivized one to buy it
* It sounds very mysterious, horribly scary,
bust-a-gut funny, deeply inspiring or something to the extreme
* Has a lot of surprises/action
* It entertains, informs, inspires, or
enlightens us
* It is character-driven
* It is well-written
So, what can you say — using the fewest but most impactful words — to lure me
in?
As a potential reader, I really want to know:
* What is the theme of your book?
* Who is your intended reader?
* Who are you?
* Who blurbed or endorsed the book?
If interested, I would also want to know:
What does it cost?
Which format is it in?
How long is it?
Who published it?
So, can you get to the point and highlight relevant bits of information to tell me what your book is about?
Do You Need Book Marketing Help?
Brian
Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over four million page
views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors like you to promote
your story, sell your book, and grow your brand. He has over 30 years of
experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him
be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!
About Brian Feinblum
This award-winning blog has generated over
4.4 million pageviews. With 5,300+ posts over the past 14 years, it was named
one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021
and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” Copyright 2025.
For
the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He
formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the
head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the
director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many
first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with
best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen,
Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard,
Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C.
Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.
His
writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s
The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully).
He
hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and
has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah
Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association,
Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and
Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the
2024 IBPA Book Awards.
His
letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal,
USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester)
and The Washington Post. His first published book was The
Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook. It
was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.
Born
and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids,
and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.
You
can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum
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