I was recently searching for a book to borrow on my local library's ebook app. There was more than one that had no jacket copy at all, it was just a list of blurbs and reviews, none of which gave me any clue as to what the book was about. Hard pass from me on that, I'm afraid. I don't really care if Jo Bloggs loved it, or if the NY Times gave it a rave review, I just want some tiny hint as to what the story is about.
I'm in the throes of publishing a memoir and the time has come for blurbs. Your post is helpful, if not disconcerting a bit. I will put on my big girl panties and ask a few authors I follow and have engaged with but now I have moderated my expectations. Thank you for your honesty! It is refreshing.
Thank you for reading! Don't despair. Ask the authors, and if they say no to a blurb, ask if they can help spread the word about your book on their platforms. Sometimes that is the easier ask. What I really want to impart is that a lack of blurbs does not mean your book isn't good enough. That is FAR from the truth!
Thanks Kathleen. This space of not knowing what is right, wrong or simply ineffective, makes me crazy. Looking forward to learning more from you. PS I truly believe I wrote a damn good memoir. But I'll bet every author says that! :-)
Thanks for this, Kathleen. Any suggestions for how to respond to a publisher who asks an author to collect blurbs? My next book will be the 8th in the series, and it's hard to find other authors to sprinkle more sparkle and wit to the covers!
I think you should be honest with them and throw the question back to them: what have blurbs done for my books in the past? Another option is to suggest that while you’ve run the course on who to ask for blurbs, you can ask those authors to help promote your book via their own platforms.
Thanks, Kathleen. That makes a lot of sense. Cozy mystery authors are a fairly close community and there's a lot of shared promotion, so that's an easy ask. You've also given me a way to respond to requests for blurbs -- I may still give one, but also focus on other ways I can boost a book, starting with the copy a publisher sent me just yesterday of a book I blurbed!
Blurbs are a pretty big deal in the Christian publishing world, especially as the religious sect in America becomes as polarized as the rest of America. Christians commonly use blurbs to evaluate where on the theological and political spectrums a new-to-us writer may be based on those who endorse the book. We may be drawn to the book concept, but a quick skim of the endorsers will confirm whether or not the book is actually "for" us.
Unfortunately, the ethics around blurbing are a little bit (or a lot a bit) sticky--especially in the Christian world when laypeople cling to pastoral endorsements as Gospel truth when pastors blurb for books they haven't even read. This issue came to a head earlier this spring when a problematic book released into the world with a lot of respectable names blurbing it, resulting in retractions of endorsements and admittance that the endorser didn't read the book (or the whole book) before writing (or approving) the blurb. Here is a thoughtful overview from an editor of that whole thing, for your curious: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/march-web-only/christian-publishers-book-endorsements-authors-tgc-butler.html
Totally on point & how I select a book. Just as important in making a decision to buy a book is the first two pages. If I’m not curious or otherwise engaged, I put it down. PS I’m an author who skipped having blurbs on my book.
I’ve recently read “Blurb Your Enthusiasm” by Louise Wilder, she’s been writing book blurbs for about 25 years. It’s an interesting read. I will post a review on Instagram in the next few days.
I never read blurbs as a decision about whether or not to read a book ... BUT if I am loving a book that I am reading, I will flip it over and see who the blurbs are from and might go read the work of those authors if I don’t know them yet. So I guess I reverse read blurbs.
As an aspiring writer with a self-published book, this has made me feel so much better about my strategy moving forward. I think I would much rather select some people with more influence to be on my launch team and use their thoughts on my next book in my social media posts than worry about getting them into my book or on my back cover.
Here are a few of my thoughts, as a publishing pro:
I am less likely to buy a book if it has no blurbs whatsoever. My opinion might be baseless, but no blurbs implies that the text is so mediocre that the publisher couldn't scrape up anyone to say something nice about it.
In lieu of actual reviews from quality media outlets, we now use meaningless quotes from roundups in places like Refinery29, BuzzFeed, etc. where the roundup author hasn't read the book and is instead paraphrasing the PR literature.
When selecting a book, I place weight on reviews from places like the NYT, NYRB, and so on, but I also am influenced if an author I know and like has blurbed it. They work like a reader's advisory.
As a publishing pro, you’re not the average consumer of books. Nor am I, but I don’t care if a book has blurbs. If it has a great cover, it draws me in. If the jacket copy interests me, I’ll buy it. The meaningless quotes you mention are not meaningless to consumers familiar with those brands (outlets). Lack of blurbs does not mean mediocre text.
I was using blurb as a catchall term for both quotes taken from reviews and those solicited from authors. But going from your precise definition (didn't catch it the first time!), I agree--blurbs are usually more indicative of the extent of an author's professional network rather than the book's quality.
I'd venture that blurbs and reviews pull more weight on something like a literary fiction debut with a 5k print run than on highly commercial fiction, though I'm assuming a spot on a popular podcast would trump both.
I'm examining my prejudice against books without review quotes or blurbs. Possibly it's coming from the fact that pulpy mass-market genre paperbacks used to frequently come out naked? In any case, unless something is indie or self published, I will wonder why no one can be found to say anything about a book.
In any case, the blurb-industrial complex deserves to be reexamined. I believe the UK is a bit less heavy handed in this regard?
I was recently searching for a book to borrow on my local library's ebook app. There was more than one that had no jacket copy at all, it was just a list of blurbs and reviews, none of which gave me any clue as to what the book was about. Hard pass from me on that, I'm afraid. I don't really care if Jo Bloggs loved it, or if the NY Times gave it a rave review, I just want some tiny hint as to what the story is about.
Thank you for blowing the whistle on blurbs. I have never bought a book because of the blurbs.
I'm in the throes of publishing a memoir and the time has come for blurbs. Your post is helpful, if not disconcerting a bit. I will put on my big girl panties and ask a few authors I follow and have engaged with but now I have moderated my expectations. Thank you for your honesty! It is refreshing.
Thank you for reading! Don't despair. Ask the authors, and if they say no to a blurb, ask if they can help spread the word about your book on their platforms. Sometimes that is the easier ask. What I really want to impart is that a lack of blurbs does not mean your book isn't good enough. That is FAR from the truth!
You make me wonder about how many other things authors are "supposed to do" but actually don't make sense or aren't useful.
Thanks Kathleen. This space of not knowing what is right, wrong or simply ineffective, makes me crazy. Looking forward to learning more from you. PS I truly believe I wrote a damn good memoir. But I'll bet every author says that! :-)
Thanks for this, Kathleen. Any suggestions for how to respond to a publisher who asks an author to collect blurbs? My next book will be the 8th in the series, and it's hard to find other authors to sprinkle more sparkle and wit to the covers!
I think you should be honest with them and throw the question back to them: what have blurbs done for my books in the past? Another option is to suggest that while you’ve run the course on who to ask for blurbs, you can ask those authors to help promote your book via their own platforms.
Thanks, Kathleen. That makes a lot of sense. Cozy mystery authors are a fairly close community and there's a lot of shared promotion, so that's an easy ask. You've also given me a way to respond to requests for blurbs -- I may still give one, but also focus on other ways I can boost a book, starting with the copy a publisher sent me just yesterday of a book I blurbed!
I found the whole blurb getting process stressful and would be happy if there was less of emphasis on it.
Blurbs are a pretty big deal in the Christian publishing world, especially as the religious sect in America becomes as polarized as the rest of America. Christians commonly use blurbs to evaluate where on the theological and political spectrums a new-to-us writer may be based on those who endorse the book. We may be drawn to the book concept, but a quick skim of the endorsers will confirm whether or not the book is actually "for" us.
Unfortunately, the ethics around blurbing are a little bit (or a lot a bit) sticky--especially in the Christian world when laypeople cling to pastoral endorsements as Gospel truth when pastors blurb for books they haven't even read. This issue came to a head earlier this spring when a problematic book released into the world with a lot of respectable names blurbing it, resulting in retractions of endorsements and admittance that the endorser didn't read the book (or the whole book) before writing (or approving) the blurb. Here is a thoughtful overview from an editor of that whole thing, for your curious: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/march-web-only/christian-publishers-book-endorsements-authors-tgc-butler.html
As an author who had to scrounge around asking for blurbs, it was one of the most nerve-wracking, soul shattering experiences.
If a book has the word "luminous" in the blurb, I run the other way. Esp bc it is an epithet for women's writing, rarely if ever men's.
I'm many months too late, but this essay is even later -- circa 2007. But still hilarious! "Astonish Me," by Joe Queenan, a blurbs-adjacent piece.
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/books/review/Queenan.t.html?unlocked_article_code=1.bE0.U6zz.-n9TIOhXErrh&smid=url-share
Totally on point & how I select a book. Just as important in making a decision to buy a book is the first two pages. If I’m not curious or otherwise engaged, I put it down. PS I’m an author who skipped having blurbs on my book.
I’ve recently read “Blurb Your Enthusiasm” by Louise Wilder, she’s been writing book blurbs for about 25 years. It’s an interesting read. I will post a review on Instagram in the next few days.
Agree. Concur. Yes. But in my case, my blurbs helped and sold books. I think it depends on who you nab, and what they say.
I never read blurbs as a decision about whether or not to read a book ... BUT if I am loving a book that I am reading, I will flip it over and see who the blurbs are from and might go read the work of those authors if I don’t know them yet. So I guess I reverse read blurbs.
As an aspiring writer with a self-published book, this has made me feel so much better about my strategy moving forward. I think I would much rather select some people with more influence to be on my launch team and use their thoughts on my next book in my social media posts than worry about getting them into my book or on my back cover.
That is a sound strategy.
Hmmm...... Not quite how I've heard the term "blurb" used. Basically, short text about the book's content. Learn something new every day. Thanks.
And this ... https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66520089
Here are a few of my thoughts, as a publishing pro:
I am less likely to buy a book if it has no blurbs whatsoever. My opinion might be baseless, but no blurbs implies that the text is so mediocre that the publisher couldn't scrape up anyone to say something nice about it.
In lieu of actual reviews from quality media outlets, we now use meaningless quotes from roundups in places like Refinery29, BuzzFeed, etc. where the roundup author hasn't read the book and is instead paraphrasing the PR literature.
When selecting a book, I place weight on reviews from places like the NYT, NYRB, and so on, but I also am influenced if an author I know and like has blurbed it. They work like a reader's advisory.
As a publishing pro, you’re not the average consumer of books. Nor am I, but I don’t care if a book has blurbs. If it has a great cover, it draws me in. If the jacket copy interests me, I’ll buy it. The meaningless quotes you mention are not meaningless to consumers familiar with those brands (outlets). Lack of blurbs does not mean mediocre text.
I was using blurb as a catchall term for both quotes taken from reviews and those solicited from authors. But going from your precise definition (didn't catch it the first time!), I agree--blurbs are usually more indicative of the extent of an author's professional network rather than the book's quality.
I'd venture that blurbs and reviews pull more weight on something like a literary fiction debut with a 5k print run than on highly commercial fiction, though I'm assuming a spot on a popular podcast would trump both.
I'm examining my prejudice against books without review quotes or blurbs. Possibly it's coming from the fact that pulpy mass-market genre paperbacks used to frequently come out naked? In any case, unless something is indie or self published, I will wonder why no one can be found to say anything about a book.
In any case, the blurb-industrial complex deserves to be reexamined. I believe the UK is a bit less heavy handed in this regard?