How to Write a Compelling Key Sentence to Describe Your Book
As an author, you need to be able to summarise the key features about your book «in a nutshell» so that you have a ready answer for questions such as «what is your book about?» and «what makes it different?»
This is an important step as you prepare to take your work out to the world because people’s attention spans are getting shorter all the time. So unless you can communicate the essence of what your book is all about clearly and concisely to agents, publishers, the media – and your readers – you will lose your opportunity to «catch their eye».
It is challenging to refine everything about your book down to its essence and to draw out the most important points about it.
Yet once you have done so, your Compelling Key Sentence can be used it in lots of different ways such as in your book proposal, in your covering letter, and in conversation when people invite you to tell them about your book. Once your book is contracted, the Key Sentence may be used by publishers as a basis for writing cover copy, press releases, Advance Information sheets and more.
So here are some Formula’s and Tips to help you write your Compelling Key Sentence:
• Formula for non-fiction writers – the essence of your message or core theme (content/features) plus ideally who your book is for and the results the reader will get from reading your book.
• Formula for fiction writers – the essence of the plot plus what’s new and exciting about your story, the overriding message if you have one and a mention of your main character(s). Novelists may discover that two or three short sentences are better than one.
• To help you think along the right lines – stop for a moment and think about what book has inspired you and why? How would you summarise what that book is about in a nutshell if you wanted to tell a good friend about it (and only had a minute or two)?
• You can also visit www.meettheauthor.co.uk to see how other authors describe their books.
Here’s an example of a Compelling Key Sentence for non-fiction writers:
The Writer’s Journey: From Inspiration to Publication demystifies the world of publishing and outlines the steps non-fiction writers need to take to present their work to agents and publishers professionally and with confidence.
Here’s an example of a Compelling Key Sentence for fiction writers:
Not many people have a second chance to get to know their mother for the first time. Blood Strangers explores the many forms of female love: how it transforms itself over time, or tucks itself away in unexpected places. It is a novel about secrets, and how the keeping of those secrets can lead to the contamination of even the purest of hearts. It considers the ideas of betrayal and guilt, and how by hurting those we love the most we ultimately destroy ourselves.
Have fun coming up with your Compelling Key Sentence!