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Free blurb checker

Amazon Book
Description

Checker

Paste your book description below. We check it against Amazon KDP's guidelines and conversion best practices before you publish.

16 compliance checks

Instant results

Free to use

0 words · 0 / 4,000 chars

What this checks

Description length
150–400 words is the conversion sweet spot
No URLs or links
Amazon removes external links from descriptions
No contact information
Emails and phone numbers are stripped
No price claims
Promotional language is prohibited by KDP
No unverifiable claims
Bestseller claims must be accurate
Amazon-safe HTML
Only p, b, em, h4–h6, ul, li are allowed
Opens with a hook
First sentence must stop the reader scrolling
Conflict and stakes
Readers buy tension — it must be visible
Call to action
End with a nudge to click Buy
No cliché overload
Page-turners and gripping reads are invisible
No excessive caps
Heavy caps are flagged as spam formatting
Sounds human
AI writing patterns reduce conversion
First 120 words count
Mobile cuts to 'read more' at word ~120
Formatted for readability
Plain-text walls lose readers mid-description
Comp title or audience signal
Helps the right readers self-select fast
No emojis
Amazon removed emoji support in descriptions in 2024

The anatomy of a great blurb

What every Amazon description needs

Compliance gets your description published. These elements get it to convert.

A hook in the first sentence
Lead with a question, a provocative statement, or a scene that drops the reader straight into the conflict. If the first sentence doesn't stop the scroll, the rest doesn't matter.
A named protagonist with a specific problem
Vague descriptions don't sell books. Name your character and their exact situation. 'A detective' is forgettable. 'Detective Sara Cole, three days from retirement' is not.
Clear stakes
What happens if the protagonist fails? Make the consequence concrete and personal. Generic stakes ('the world will end') are less compelling than specific ones ('she'll lose the only family she has left').
No spoilers
End on tension, not resolution. The description's job is to create a question in the reader's mind that only the book can answer. Stop just before the answer.
Comparable titles or mood
One line like 'Fans of Gillian Flynn will not want to put this down' sets reader expectations instantly. Use comps only if they're accurate. Wrong comps generate bad reviews.
A direct call to action
End with one clear instruction: 'Grab your copy today,' 'Scroll up and start reading tonight.' Readers who reach the end of your description are already sold. Give them that final push.

Common questions

Amazon book description questions, answered

How long should an Amazon book description be?

Amazon allows up to 4,000 characters. The conversion sweet spot is 150–400 words — enough to hook the reader, set up the conflict, and end with a call to action. Under 100 words feels thin. Over 600 and most readers stop reading before they reach your CTA.

What HTML tags can I use in an Amazon book description?

Amazon supports: p, br, b, strong, em, i, h4, h5, h6, ul, ol, li. Everything else — div, span, script, style, a, img — is stripped or causes rejection. Stick to this list and you won't have formatting problems.

Can I claim my book is a bestseller in the description?

Only if it's accurate and verifiable. You can reference a real Amazon category rank you achieved. You cannot make up a bestseller claim or use vague language like 'bestselling author' without proof. Inaccurate claims can trigger a content review.

Can I include a price or promotional offer in my book description?

No. Amazon prohibits all pricing language in descriptions — no 'free for a limited time,' no '$0.99 sale,' no discount mentions. Pricing is handled separately in KDP's pricing settings.

Why is my Amazon book description not showing correctly?

The most common causes: unsupported HTML tags, exceeding the 4,000-character limit, or content that triggered Amazon's automated review filter. Check that you're only using supported HTML, you're under the character limit, and there are no URLs, contact info, or pricing claims.

Should my book description have a call to action?

Yes, every time. Readers who reach the end of your description are already interested. A direct CTA — 'Grab your copy today,' 'Order now' — consistently improves conversion. Don't end on the last plot point; end on the ask.

Can I include URLs or links in my book description?

No. Amazon strips all URLs and links from descriptions. This includes your author website, social media handles, and links to other books. Use the author bio section for website links instead.

What makes a good opening line for a book description?

A question the reader can't answer without reading the book. A bold statement that challenges what they think they know. A scene that drops them into the action. The worst opening is a sentence that could describe any book in your genre. It needs to be specific to yours.

Can you use emojis in an Amazon book description?

No. Amazon removed emoji support in book descriptions in 2024. Emojis are either stripped silently or cause your description to be flagged for review. This includes common publishing symbols like stars, checkmarks, and arrows. Use plain text, bold, or italics for emphasis instead.

What is the character limit for an Amazon book description?

Amazon KDP allows up to 4,000 characters for book descriptions. That works out to roughly 600-700 words. If your description is longer, it will be cut off at the limit and the truncated version is what readers see. Always paste your description into a character counter before uploading to KDP.

How do I format an Amazon book description?

Amazon supports a small set of HTML tags for formatting: use p or br for paragraph breaks, b or strong for bold, em or i for italics, and h4 through h6 for subheadings. Lists use ul/ol with li tags. Start each paragraph with an opening tag and close it properly. Any other HTML (div, span, a, img, etc.) will be stripped. Plain text without any HTML also works, but paragraph breaks improve readability on mobile.

Why was my KDP book description rejected?

The most common reasons: unsupported HTML tags, a URL or link in the text, contact information (email or phone), pricing or promotional language, an unverifiable bestseller claim, or content that triggered Amazon's automated content filter. Amazon doesn't always tell you the specific reason. Check each of those areas first. If the description looks clean, submit a KDP support case and ask for the specific policy violation.

About iWrity

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Platform features

Everything indie authors need to grow on Amazon

iWrity is more than a description tool. It's a full platform for authors who take their Amazon presence seriously.

Review exchange

Earn points by reviewing other authors' books, then spend them to list your own. Fair, balanced, and 100% Amazon TOS-compliant.

Book Health Check

Free instant audit of your Amazon listing. Scores your cover, description, reviews, and pricing. Tells you exactly what to fix.

KDP Description Generator

AI-assisted tool that rewrites your book description for Amazon conversion. More clicks, more sales, less guesswork.

KDP Category Finder

Search and compare Amazon categories by competition and BSR benchmarks. Find the best category to rank in before you publish.

Live author dashboard

See who claimed your book, track review submissions in real time, and export campaign data. All in one place.

Expert Book Feedback

Get detailed feedback from experienced readers before you publish. Catch weak chapters, pacing issues, and cover problems while you can still fix them.

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