The Sentence That Sells Your Book
One of the most important things you can do for your book is craft a really great hook. When I look back at a project, I often think about how the hook worked or didn’t when measuring a book’s success. Taking the time to really think through this is a wise investment and can make a huge difference. Today, let’s discuss how to make the best one possible.
What’s the hook of your book?
It’s one of the most important questions your book has to answer—because your reader isn’t going to buy your book just because you wrote it. You have to earn their interest.
So let’s talk about your book hook: a sentence or two that teases the reader and gets them to lean in, ask questions, and ultimately—buy the book.
A great hook is:
- Intriguing
- Clear
- Curiosity-piquing
- Reader-focused
It answers two key questions:
1. Why THIS book?
With thousands of books to choose from, what makes yours stand out? Why should a reader invest their time and money in your message?
2. Why NOW?
Why is your book timely? What’s happening in the culture, in your reader’s life, or in the broader landscape that makes your message urgent today?
When you combine your why this and why now, your unique hook begins to emerge.
Here are two great examples:
- Boundaries: Learn when to say yes and how to say no, to take control of your life!
It’s practical, urgent, and taps into a felt need. - Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas: What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?
That question alone makes you want to flip the book open and find out.
The hook is often the backbone of a great title, subtitle, or back cover copy. Nail this early, and you’re ahead of the game.
If you’re struggling to find your hook, here are a few tips:
- Talk it out. Ask a friend or family member what they think your book is really about. Sometimes you’re too close to see it clearly.
- Look at books you love. What hooked you into reading them? What made you say, “I need to read this”?
- Revisit your premise. Your big idea can be a great launch point for your hook.
Take a little time this week to noodle on your book’s hook. Any work you do here will pay dividends—on your proposal, your marketing, even your final book cover.
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Keep writing,
