AI Prompts for Authors
AI tools can genuinely speed up the parts of publishing that have nothing to do with your
actual writing book descriptions, ad copy, social posts, brainstorming titles.
Below are prompts you can copy, paste into your AI tool of choice, and adapt to your own book.
Book Description & Blurb Prompts
Back cover blurb:
Write a compelling back-cover blurb for a [genre] novel about [1–2 sentence plot summary]. Keep it under 150 words, end on a hook, and match the tone of [comparable published author/book].
Amazon book description:
Write an Amazon book description for my [genre] book, [title]. Here’s the plot: [summary]. Make it scannable with short paragraphs, include one line that creates urgency to read, and avoid clichés like “unputdownable” or “rollercoaster of emotions.”
Marketing & Social Media Prompts
Social media post:
Write 3 short social media posts (under 280 characters each) announcing the release of my book, [title], a [genre] about [one-line premise]. Vary the tone across the three: one intriguing/mysterious, one direct/informative, one conversational.
Ad copy:
Write 3 variations of Facebook/Amazon ad copy for my book [title], a [genre]. Target audience: [describe your ideal reader]. Keep each under 40 words and focus on emotional hook over plot summary.
Feedback Prompts
Line-level feedback:
Review the following passage from my manuscript for pacing, clarity, and word choice. Don’t rewrite it — instead, point out specific lines that feel slow, unclear, or repetitive, and explain why: [paste passage]
Consistency check:
Here are notes on my main character: [physical description, personality traits, backstory details]. Read the following chapter and flag any details that contradict this profile: [paste chapter]
Brainstorming Prompts
Title options:
Suggest 10 possible titles for a [genre] book about [one-line premise]. Aim for a mix of literal and evocative options, and avoid titles that closely resemble existing bestsellers in this genre.
Plot problem-solving:
I’m stuck on how [character] should react to [situation] in a way that’s consistent with [1–2 personality traits]. Suggest 3 different directions this scene could go, each with a different emotional tone.
A Quick Note on Using AI in Your Writing Process
These prompts are built for the business side of being an author — descriptions, marketing, and structural feedback — not for writing your prose for you. Most retailers now require disclosure if AI-generated text appears in the book itself, so it’s worth using these tools as a brainstorming and editing aid rather than a ghostwriter, and always reviewing anything before it goes out under your name.
Once Your Manuscript Is Ready
Whatever tools you use to write and market your book, it still needs to be properly formatted before it goes to retailers. That’s where we come in.