Identify the novel's protagonist and establish the core conflict that will drive the action of the book.
Example: The story's heroine, Cassy Hepburn, inherits her grandfather's castle but someone is determined to keep her from living happily ever after.
Specify the setting of the story and when it takes place.
Example: The 21st century was only a few days old when Cassy Hepburn received a telegram that would change her life. Her grandfather Sean--a man she barely remembered from childhood--had just died and bequeathed to her the ancestral home, a rundown castle in Ireland.
Reference the genre of the book.
Example: New York advertising exec Cassy Hepburn had no time for romance in her 60-hour work week. She had even less time to fly to Ireland and lay claim to her quirky inheritance--a 40-room castle replete with bad plumbing, drafts and resident ghosts. That a handsome bachelor groundskeeper named Ian came with the package was one more inconvenience she didn't need.
Hook the reader with a hint of provocative danger or risk. This can take the form of a excerpted conversation from the actual text.
Example:
"You've heard about our murderous ghost, I suppose?" Ian remarked.
Cassy--still jet-lagged from her trans-Atlantic flight--wasn't sure if the rugged Irish groundskeeper was joking or hoping to scare her off. "I don't believe in ghosts," she declared, "and neither did my grandfather."
"Interesting," Ian replied. "Especially since half the village thinks it was a ghost that killed him."
Hook prospective readers with a statistic, a shocking statement or a question that forces them to think.
Examples:
Thirty percent of children who are obese by age 10 will develop juvenile diabetes.
Your house is trying to kill you in your sleep.
What would you do if you and your family had to survive on $500 a month?
Highlight what the reader can expect to learn from the content. This often is best achieved with bullet points.
Examples:
Cut your mortgage in half
Embrace the barter system
Operate a community garden
Travel the world for free
Incorporate testimonials from notable individuals.
Examples:
"I wish I'd had this book when I first entered politics." - Henry Kissinger.
"These recipes take the cake!" - Julia Child
"I couldn't have said it better myself." - William Shakespeare
Include your credentials.
Example: Jordan Dakota is a three-time Oscar winner, a professional mud-wrestling champion, and the author of 27 books on how to train hamsters for fun and profit.