How to Write a Book Description (and Keywords) Readers Click
A simple structure for book descriptions, what Amazon KDP doesn't allow in them, and how to choose seven keywords that help the right readers find you.
What a book description is for
Your description has one job: help the right reader decide this book is for them. It isn't a summary of every chapter or the whole plot.
A structure that works
- Hook (one or two lines). The situation, question or promise that makes your reader lean in.
- The stakes or the promise. For fiction: who wants what, what stands in the way, what happens if they fail. For non-fiction: the problem, and what the reader will be able to do after reading.
- Why this book. The angle, method or voice that makes it different.
- Who it's for. "Perfect for readers who love…" or "For first-time managers who…".
Keep paragraphs short — most people read listings on a phone.
What KDP doesn't allow in descriptions
Amazon KDP's guidelines limit descriptions to 4,000 characters and don't accept, among other things:
- phone numbers, email or postal addresses, or website links;
- reviews, quotes or testimonials, or requests for reviews;
- advertising, time-sensitive information (tour dates, promotions), prices or availability;
- spoilers, emoji, or lists of keywords.
Claims you can't prove ("bestseller", "#1", "award-winning") also put your listing at risk: KDP has a zero-tolerance policy for misleading metadata.
Choosing keywords
KDP lets you add up to seven keywords or short phrases. Use them for words readers actually type that aren't already in your title, subtitle or categories:
- the sub-genre and setting ("cosy mystery small town", "Lagos family saga");
- the reader's problem or goal ("first-time manager", "pay off debt");
- themes, character types or tropes readers search for.
Avoid other authors' names, brand names you don't own, Amazon programme names (such as Kindle Unlimited), quality claims, "new" or "on sale", quotation marks, and spelling or plural duplicates.
Categories
Choose the most specific categories that genuinely fit, from the list in your KDP dashboard. A precise category puts your book in front of readers who browse it; a broad one buries it among thousands of titles.
Try it free
Our Book Description & Marketing Assistant drafts a description, taglines, an author bio, keywords, category ideas, social captions and launch emails from your summary — then checks your edits against these rules. For positioning research and copy written with you, see book metadata and positioning, and plan the rest with the launch planner.
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