Glossary
Book blurb (description)
Book blurb (description): A book blurb is the short sales description of a book, printed on the back cover and shown on the store page. On Amazon it is the “description” field, up to 4,000 characters with basic HTML. A good blurb names the reader, states the problem or the stakes, promises the outcome, and ends with a reason to buy now.
A structure that works for non-fiction
- Hook: one line the target reader recognises as their situation.
- Promise: what they will be able to do after reading.
- What is inside: three to six bullet points, concrete.
- Who it is for, and who it is not for.
- Author line: why you, in one sentence.
- Call to action: “Start today”, “Read the first chapter free”.
For fiction
Character, want, obstacle, stakes, and stop before the twist. Two or three short paragraphs. The first line is the only one most browsers read: make it the situation, not the setting.
Formatting on Amazon
KDP accepts <b>, <i>, <br>, <ul> and headings. Bold the first line, keep paragraphs to three lines on a phone, and put the bullets where the eye lands. Keywords belong in the text naturally; Amazon indexes the description.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a blurb be?
150 to 250 words for the store page. The back cover of a paperback takes 100 to 150.
Can AI write a blurb?
Yes, and it is one of the best uses of it: give it the book’s plan and the reader, ask for five versions, pick and edit.
Is the blurb the same as the subtitle?
No. The subtitle is a searchable phrase in the title field; the blurb is the pitch below the buy button.