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Have you ever wandered through the aisle of a bookstore, browsing the faced-out titles, when you spot a name on the cover that isn’t the author’s? Something that might look like this?
This is a “blurb”, or what I like to call the author’s letter of reference.
In publishing, blurbs are something of a contentious topic, as different people debate whether or not blurbs are even necessary. I will admit that as a consumer, I’ve only ever once picked up a book because of a blurb, and that was the very book for whom Neil Gaiman gave the above quote:
I will also admit to the fact that Neil Gaiman’s blurb isn’t the only reason I picked up this novel; I had already read a review of this book in Time magazine, and I remember reading somewhere that it had also won the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards. And I’ll wager that most readers don’t really notice the laudatory praise on book covers, or if they do, it will only push them over the line from “Undecided” to “Will Certainly Buy.”
But for a debut novelist, blurbs can be something of a stressful thing. As an unproven author with no history or sales track behind you, the best way to get the attention of your publisher’s sales and marketing force is to come into launch1 with some hefty endorsements. Ideally from writers who have a proven track record, who also write books in a similar vein to yours.
Did you think that putting yourself out there and finding rejection would end once you get a book deal? Oh no, my friends; this party never ends! I kid, I kid, but to be honest, be prepared to be pitching you and your book for the rest of your life: to agents, to editors, to authors way higher up the food chain than you, to booksellers, to readers, etc. Once a manuscript begins the process of moving from a story in your head shared with you and your editor to a tangible product, that’s when blurbs come in. That’s when you and your editor pitch your book to other authors and ask if they would be interested in reading with an eye toward blurbing.
The matter of which authors to approach for blurbs is partially political, partially personal, and partially mercenary. This is where having a community of writer-friends (like PubCrawl!) can be incredibly beneficial; friends who have already published are usually more than willing to put their name behind yours.
This is also where comps can come in useful. If you know that your fantasy novel is similar in tone and scope to another author, then you can pitch said author and ask if they would blurb your book. (Or your editor will do this, if she has the contacts. But everyone is generally pitching in for contacts at this point, including your agent. This is also when asking for blurbs can start to feel a little bit like a popularity contest.)
Do blurbs matter in the long run? I don’t think they do, or at least, not on the consumer end. But for a publisher’s sales and marketing team, blurbs are a fantastic tool. Sales reps at publishers have a number of accounts into which they sell their titles. Because it’s not likely they’ve read every book coming out that season, they’ll see a book with a blurb by X Author and Y Author, and know just how to pitch it. “Oh, this book will appeal to fans of Stephen King and Joe Abercrombie.” The bookseller hears this, and then knows where to shelve the book in the bookstore, and to gauge how many copies they should buy for their store, based on their customer metrics.
The ideal blurb should look like this. It should:
Come from an author whose work is similar in tone, scope, style, and genre as yours.
Ideally come from author whose name carries some weight (this is where things can get political).
Be positive! (Duh.)
Sometimes, at the end of the day, you may not end up with any blurbs. And that’s okay. Blurbs are mostly just a marketing gimmick, another tool in your arsenal. Not getting a blurb won’t kill your book. As I always say, your story is what matters most, and if the story is strong, the readers will find you.
That’s it! If you guys have any more questions about blurbs, or any other part of the publishing process, feel free to leave them in the comments!
I promise to write a post about the launch process at some point in the future. Based on reader feedback, I will try and elucidate some of the “behind-the-scenes” stuff with posts like I wrote for what it means when an editor takes your book to acquisitions. ↩
So you've come up with a blurb… what’s the recipe? Take an air of mystery, a sense of character, add a pinch of place and a little pace and mix all together so whoever picks up the book, senses the heady whiff and tastes adventure before he or she even takes a bite… (and thinks ‘I must have this book in my life. Off to the till I go!’)
If only! In a very short space with the average person’s very short attention span, we have to capture the buyer. And different writers will produce widely different blurbs but all blurbs have the same function – to convince a bookshop customer to buy the book they have in their hands.
So what are the basic concepts of a blurb? – they are short
– they tend to have attention-grabbing words
– they use active rather than passive voice
– they tend to pose questions
– they might end with an ellipsis (…) so the reader has to imagine an outcome.
Other factors to consider:
– Who is the book being marketed to? The blurb must speak directly. A blurb for a teenage reader will be very different to one on a picture book bought by an adult to read to a child.
– What is the most interesting aspect of your book? Is it the character, the setting, the moral conflict? As we emerge from the fog of having written the book, we often can’t find an aspect to focus on. Get a friend to give you another crisp slant on the story with a few phrases and words.
– Make a list of words that give insight into the story. Find exciting synonyms that evoke atmosphere – replace ‘scared’ with ‘terrified’, ‘lonely’ with ‘desolate’, ‘hiding’ with ‘lurking’, ‘very’ cold with ‘murderously’ cold (see below). Okay this is ABC stuff for a writer
– Never summarize the story. You want to keep the reader guessing.
– Perhaps find a particular phrase or piece of dialogue in the story to use as a tagline.
– Don’t introduce too many characters. Don't confuse.
Marcus Sedgewick’s blurb for his book, Revolver, ticks all the boxes.
‘It’s 1910. In a cabin north of the Artic Circle, in a place murderously cold and desolate, Sig Andersson is alone. Except for the corpse of his father, frozen to death that morning when he fell through the ice on the lake.
The cabin is silent, so silent and then there’s a knock at the door
It’s a stranger, and as his extraordinary story of dust and gold lust unwinds, Sig’s thoughts run more and more to his father’s prized possession, a Colt revolver, hidden in the storeroom. A revolver just waiting to be used …’
Why am I so blurb obsessed? Because I’ve just written one for my latest book, Oliver Strange and the Ghosts of Madagascar and have fallen into and have tried to drag myself out of all the pitfalls – which included making reference to the ‘place du diable’, the place of the devil, which works in the context of the entire book but not in a blurb where someone might think the book is about devil worship!
Here’s the final result (cropped to make it legible) for a mid-range book… easy language, questions, quite different to a teenage novel, but should I have started with the tagline: ‘A modern day pirate story…’ ? I’m not sure.
If you have any blurbs to share – your own, or a brilliant one you’ve come across, please put them up or share any other recipe tips for a ‘tasty’ blurb.
www.diannehofmeyr.com
9 Comments on What's in a blurb? – Dianne Hofmeyr, last added: 2/4/2013
That is a very good blurb, Dianne! And your post is most interesting. So many books are actually spoiled by the blurb. You'd be amazed how often thrillers have a vital thing in the blurb that SHOULD NOT BE REVEALED!!
When I moved into fiction publishing, I remember my first task was to write blurbs for our new list. I thought it was the best part of my job ever - until I'd had to write about thirty in one week. Since then, I try and avoid blurbs...or I find mine becomes a "life spiralling out of control..."
30 in one week! I'd collapse. It took me days to write ONE! I find them VERY hard. Maybe copywriters who work in the ad industry might make good blurb writers but writers are programmed to tell a story over a long period of time so to write a blurb is alien to us. To write 30 would be a nightmare!
And yes how many blurbs give away just the line they shouldn't...
Great post, Dianne. Blurbs are so important because it is often the blurb, the cover image and the first couple of lines that make people decide which book to read. It should make them desperate to find out more. I also think writing a blurb is a great way to make sure you know what your story is all about - what matters most - when you are writing it or even before you begin!
As well as asking questions I think a blurb should also mention the main character, usually by name but not always. I agree with Adele, it should never reveal too much.
I agree with Linda. Either at the beginning, or later if I'm feeling a bit uncertain about the story, I'll try and visualise the cover of the finished book and write a blurb for it. It sounds daft but it really helps!
Over in the UK’s The Guardian, Anthony Horowitz looks at all aspects of blurbs, from back-scratching blurbs to head-scratching blurbs (when his words have been used to sell something he’s pretty sure he didn’t recommend).
He also looks at people asking him for blurbs: Will I read their manuscript and offer something for the cover? I have to say, I dread this. It's as if I'm walking into an emotional minefield. You might think I'm being churlish. But it seems to me that the request comes with so many suppositions. 1) That I have time to read the book 2) that I will actually like it 3) that if I don't like it I will pretend otherwise because I don't want to hurt their feelings and anyway what does it matter if I lie to the public, it's only a bit of blurb – and 4) that my name will help with sales anyway..
There's a tongue-in-cheek guide to writing flap copy (the copy on the inside of a book's jacket flap) which you can read here.
Tips include:
- Always use "stunning," except when the book is about the history of the stun gun. - In addition to "stunning," use at least three of the following adjectives for every flap: "Enthralling," "gritty," "original," "remarkable," "magical," "ground-breaking," "arresting," "dazzling," "heartbreaking," "compelling," "devastating," "captivating." - Find a way to work in "best-selling," even if it has to take the form of something like "Often compared to the stunning best-selling novelist _________..."
I think a lot of these rules could be helpful to writers blurbing other authors. [Kind of sort of joking.]
I recently ran across at article in The Awl that was absolutely fascinating. They asked several authors (one of them has replied to one of my Tweets, one of them I admire, and several I don’t know but I’m sure are really marvelous) a series of interesting questions:
- How important are covers in terms of selling a book?
- Have your publishers asked you for your opinion or “input” on your covers, and to what extent do you think they listened? Did you ever meet with the designer? How important was “marketing” in making decisions about the cover of your book(s)?
- Did you ever receive a cover that made you unhappy and if so, what did you do about it? Did you ultimately end up with a cover that made you happier?
- How important are blurbs, particularly for a first-time author?
- How did you go about getting your blurbs? Did your agent or editor help, or did you rely more on personal connections?
I received a positive rejection yesterday from an editor on an YA I wrote a few years back. I'll take a personalized, positive rejection over a form rejection or no-response any day. It builds your confidence when an editor takes the time to say some nice things about your work. But at the same time, they're saying "Thanks, but no thanks." So, no matter how many personalized, positive rejections you get, it's still a rejection. It still hurts. It's still not what you're working towards.
Regardless, it got me thinking, half in jest and half serious, about the idea of including agent/editor blurbs in my next submission. Something like, here's what editors and agents are saying about my YA techno-thriller. Of course, you'd leave out all the reasons they didn't want it, maybe leaving you with something resembling book cover blurbs like the following:
"Compelling main character!" "Intriguing high stakes premise!" "Great hook!"
Even though I'm tempted to do it, I realize it's not a good idea. While it sounds like it provides positive validation for the story, what it actually does is draw the editor's attention to the fact that it's already been rejected by a number of others. You don't need the editor or agent thinking rejection before they've even had a chance to read your work.
So, as tempting as it might be, the better solution is to keep working on improving your writing and make your queries irresistible.
0 Comments on Agent and editor blurbs? as of 1/1/1900
Heroes come in all sizes, and my newest hero is a pint-sized girl named Mavis Elizabeth Betterly, called May B. Armed with only her book, a broom, and a lot of sheer grit, May B. faces the terrors of school, winter, and the west Kansas prairie. Caroline Starr Rose tells May's story in simple, moving verse that captures the joy of family, the gloomy isolation of a dirt soddy, and the determination of one scared but indomitable young person. May B. is a girl you'll be proud to know. Give her a big hug from me.
May B.'s incredible adventure gripped me right from the beginning. You can almost hear -- and feel -- the cold prairie winds of Kansas whipping through the pages of Caroline Starr Rose's impressive first novel.
In language as stark and beautiful as the Kansas prairie, Caroline Starr Rose offers a tale of survival. With nothing sugar coated, and everything surprising, readers will fall into the story and connect to May B's resilient and humble character. A great antidote to the hooked-up, plugged in age.
I’ve been asked recently about my policy on blurbing books, so I thought I’d do a quick post about it.
I definitely am blurbing as my schedule allows. Keep in mind, I only blurb books that I love. Also, if they’re not tween friendly (take my Canterwood audience into consideration), I have to discuss it with my editor. I may not be able to blurb it or the blurb might be under my YA pen name—Jessica Ashley.
If you’d like me to consider your book for a blurb, please shoot me an e-mail with a quick summary, if it’s tween friendly or not and how soon you need the blurb. I love talking up books I adore and if you’d like to consider me as a potential blurber, my e-mail address is jess _ Burkhart AT hotmail DOT com.
Happy Sunday!
0 Comments on Want me to blurb your book? as of 1/1/1900
Well, folks, wish me luck. Today I give my presentation to the good people of Hamline University, and we’ll see whether or not they find my talk too short, too long, or too nerve-wracked (the smart money’s riding on the last). The weather, as it happens, is perfectly perfect here. I am, however, a little unnerved when folks continually make eye-contact. Don’t they know that eye-contact is a dangerous habit that can lead to death, disease, and dysentery? Or is that just in NYC? Moving on . . . .
The other day I was recommended a middle grade novel I had not heard much about called A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz. The cover did nothing to make my heart pitter-pat any faster (it’s sort of using a faux David Frankland silhouette technique) and the title? Haven’t we done enough fairy tales? But then I saw the blurbs inside. Laura Amy Schlitz? She doesn’t blurb anything. Jack Zipes? One of the best children’s literary academic scholars out there. So I gave it a read, and you should too considering how hard I fell for it. We’ve got ourselves a new amazing debut author, folks. Salon ran a fun article on blurbing as well, that you might enjoy. It’s called Beware of blurbs and makes a lot of sense. Still and all, had I not seen the blurbs (and gotten a personal recommendation from Monica Edinger) I might have missed the book altogether. They do have their uses. Thanks to @neilhimself for the link.
Says author Philip Womack, “When I started to write children’s books, most people would nod sagely and opine, ‘they’re the hardest audience to write for – very picky, children’. This is a cliché which is almost monstrously wrong. The vast majority of children (and by “children”, I mean anybody in those prepubescent years who has yet to make the leap to Jane Eyre and Great Expectations) have the literary sensibility of a dead snail and will read any old rubbish.” As opposed to adults who are all discerning in their tastes, I suppose. Womack then goes on to equate Stephenie Meyer to J.K. Rowling, which may explain why this article goes by the subtitle how to write a children’s best-seller, and yet the author is, himself, a relative unknown. Ah well. When I say that I just sound like the snarky commentors. Thanks to 100 Scope Notes for the link
You can take the girl out of Kalamazoo but you can’t take the Kalamazoo out of the girl (Kalamazoo, in this case, being a town and not a dreadful disease with a catchy name). Little did I know that author/artist Mark Crilley was a Fine Arts major at Kalamazoo College. That and other interesting facts about the man come up in his recent spotlight piece at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. Later he goes on to say, “For whatever reason, I just don’t seem to show up on people’s radars as an illustrator for hire. The happy exception was Little, Brown’s recent re-issue of
9 Comments on Fusenews: Areas of my expertise, last added: 7/17/2010
Note that John Hodgman refers to himself as “a minor celebrity.”
Monica Edinger said, on 7/14/2010 5:57:00 AM
Re the cover of A TALE DARK AND GRIMM, the cover of my first professional book (the hot title FANTASY LITERATURE IN THE CLASSROOM), has a similar silhouette that seemed very Rackham-like to me. A default fairy tale look evidently.
Connie said, on 7/14/2010 8:32:00 AM
re: George on Seinfeld … don’t miss Maureen Dowd’s column in the NYT today – very funny back story on the Steinbrenner presence on Seinfeld.
Monica Edinger said, on 7/14/2010 9:37:00 AM
Connie, love it! I vividly remember poor fictional George working for the Yankees as well as larger-than-life Steinbrenner in his glory days.
Kate Coombs said, on 7/14/2010 1:20:00 PM
In regards to Womack’s article, I would say that the way in which children are picky is that they won’t put up with long, self-indulgent passages of description or of characters’ thoughts and feelings. They expect the plot to move forward.
It worries me a little how much this writer deprecates his chosen audience, however humorously. I think authors should respect their readers, especially kids!
Anne Ursu said, on 7/14/2010 8:09:00 PM
We loved having you at Hamline, Betsy. Your talk was engaging and informative, and your presence is so wonderful up there. Thank you for coming!
Mark Crilley said, on 7/16/2010 8:11:00 AM
Thanks for your kind words about my “Seven Impossible Things” spotlight! Yes, the new version of “The Enormous” is still available (I ordered a box just the other day). Thanks again for the mention!
Mark
Mark Crilley said, on 7/16/2010 8:12:00 AM
The Enormous *Egg* — clearly I need more coffee!
Adam G said, on 7/17/2010 4:09:00 AM
Tale Dark and Grimm not yet out for the general public (until November 10!)
I suggested it for my library, and will wait impatiently.
I’m a great believer in the value of blurbs, and I pay careful attention to who has weighed in on the cover copy of any given book, but, thanks to Galley Cat, I could not help but chuckle at The Guardian’s contest, which was spurred by Nicole Krauss’s glowing-to-the-point-of-incandescent endorsement of David Grossman’s new novel To The End of the Land. Grossman’s book is on my to-read pile, and I am now keen to see the degree to which I agree with Ms. Krauss rapturous praise.
To what degree do endorsements matter to you? Will you read a new writer based on the recommendation of a beloved author? Can you offer any examples?
16 Comments on Effusive encomia, last added: 7/10/2010
I picked up the first book in the Mortal Instruments series based on the Stephenie Meyer blurb on the front cover...and glad I did! Sometimes the blurb is a great selling point for me.
Blurbs actually means very little to me. Sorry, but when I saw all the recommendations of Stephanie Meyer's first book, I thought, 'wow, this must be a great book', but when I read it I found that it was an incomplete novel(meaning, in my opinion, it wasn't ready for publication. It could have used more work.) I know that is harsh, but so it is.
On the other hand, I have read several series by LJ Smith (this was back when I was a teen, YA) and there were no recommendations on the back, just a synopsis. I LOVE LJ Smith. Her books, all of the ones I have read (which are many) have all been right on. Great plot, great characters, etc.
Anyway, just one persons oppinion. (hope I didn't offend the Twilighters out there).
Anonymous said, on 7/8/2010 12:40:00 PM
I ignore them until I've actually bought the book and am laying in a bubble bath about to read it.
Wow. That is quite a blurb. I'd probably laugh a little if I saw it at the bookstore.
I rarely pay attention to blurbs, though. I may raise my eyebrows with interest if there's a good one on the front, but they've never been enough to make me buy a book I didn't intend to before.
I used to often buy books when they had blurbs by authors I admired--until I got burned. I realize that opinion is subjective, but I'm just not so quick to take one person's word anymore.
Did it once, I picked up a book with a blurb from Jim Butcher (whose books I adore), and absolutely hated the book. I decided then that just because I like an author it doesn't mean we have similar taste in books. So, I went back to my policy of reading the back of the book and reading a few pages from the beginning of the book. If it catches my interest, cool, if not, I don't care who endorsed it.
I'm not sure. I read them, but I don't really believe them. It seems that every book has some blurb on it recommending it, so it's not a discriminator anymore.
That said, when I see one from an author I like, I will pay more attention. I generally don't read the back cover copy, I found it gives too much of the plot away. (I like mysteries, and even an allusion to something can sometimes give things away.) However, I'll read the back cover copy if I like the writer that gives the blurb; and if I like the copy I'll buy the book.
What really gets me to buy a book is a friend's recommendation. Or a sales' clerk's recommendation, for that matter, after I've told him or her what books I like.
And what gets me to NOT buy a book is a terrible cover. Sure, good covers are attractive, but that's not what gets me to read a book. A bad cover can make me put a book down, though.
Blurbs? Not so much. I expect them to be glowing and positive.
Anonymous said, on 7/9/2010 8:25:00 AM
Endorsements don't mean a hill of beans to me no matter what. If the blurb catches my attention and/or I read a review on the book and it sounded like something I would enjoy I'll get the book. But blurbs? They are so much noise to me and frankly I don't even really read them.
However, many of the readers who write me about my book tell me they picked it up because of the Jim Butcher blurb on the front cover, so I know it's important to a lot of people.
Recently, you made a comment about receiving queries with blurbs in them, and how it was a good thing if you knew the author in question. I thought you were only supposed to ask for blurbs post-sale of the book? How does the etiquette go for asking an author to blurb your novel if you don't have an agent yet? Isn't this the kind of thing they immediately reject because of, well, the chance of the author being a lunatic and accusing you of idea theft down the road, for one thing. And also, if they aren't agented yet, there's probably the assumption that the manuscript isn't very good. How would one go about asking an author they held in esteem for a blurb before getting an agent? (Especially if you really want to submit to their agent?)
I don’t remember ever suggesting that authors seek blurbs prior to having a publishing contract in hand, and if I did, I apologize. In my opinion, you should never ask another author for a blurb or a quote until the book has sold. Networking is tough and yet it’s something all authors need to learn to do. Asking for a blurb means reaching into your network and asking a huge favor of those you know well and those who you might have met only once or twice. Don’t blow your chances of getting a great quote by going out too early. Published authors are busy, busy folks and giving up time to give a quote means time away from writing the next book. It’s unlikely that once they’ve read a rough draft (because no matter what, prior to publication your book is rough) they will want to read the book again to give the “real” quote, the one that will actually appear on a cover.
For the most part your concerns are right: in a nutshell, an author is not going to take your request seriously until you’re agented and editored (for lack of a better word). So if you are still in the beginning stages of your career, still seeking representation or waiting to hear the good news from your agent, don’t worry about the actual quotes. Network, write, and work on your craft. That’s what you should be doing now.
Jessica
7 Comments on Pre-pub Author Blurbs, last added: 10/15/2009
This is interesting. I thought you should request blurbs after you have an agent. I didn't realize you're supposed to wait for the book to sell. Does it help you, as an agent, sell a book (i.e., does it make a difference to prospective publishers) if you've got a blurb or two from best-selling authors ready to go?
FWIW, I actually have a contract with one publisher that prohibits me from reading unsold work. It's for the author's protection more than anything else, but I always refer to that when an "aspiring" author asks me to read their ms. I don't have the time, for one thing, but I also don't want to be accused of stealing ideas somewhere down the line. It's not worth the risk.
Anonymous said, on 10/15/2009 4:44:00 PM
What if a very famous and well paid author read your work (for the hell of it) and gave you a blurb because he/she liked it so much?
I'm in that current situation and have recently signed with an agent (and I think the blurb helped). Is it still a bad idea to have such a blurb attached to the manuscript?
Anonymous said, on 10/15/2009 7:48:00 PM
I wish someone would come out and say blurbs aren't important (other than me). I never care about them when I buy a book, and I don't know anyone who does. Most are trite, expected, and cheesy. And yet everyone's hocking everyone else for a blurb these days.
If I'm wrong about this, please do a blog post that proves there is something valuable about blurbs. I like to know I'm not wasting my time completely.
I'm posting as an anon because I'm in the middle of writing a cheesy blurb for someone else right now :)
I have been reading several agent blogs, and while I've seen some discussion of getting established authors to blurb your books, I haven't seen any discussion of how effective that practice is in the modern day. I know it depends on the author and the field, but is there an updated practice of soliciting authors with a strong web presence and following, in the hope that they'll be inspired to write about books on their blog? Are there authors who make a practice of recommending books online? Most of my readers spend the majority of their time online; they don't really go into bookstores. And they tend to value recommendations from people they know or have some connection with (online, if nothing else) over the recommendation of authors they might respect.
The age-old publishing discussion, what really works and do we know? I think I might have mentioned this before, but for many, many years I never got the point of author blurbs. I would certainly help authors get them and, back in my days as an editor, I always made sure we had one or two for the front cover of the book, but as a reader I never paid any attention to them or saw the purpose. Until one day, not too many years ago, when I was roaming the bookstore looking for something new and saw a blurb from one of my favorite authors. I figured that I liked that author so was willing to give something she recommended a try. For the first time I was influenced by a blurb. Do they work all the time? No, but in this case that blurb sold one book and probably many others as I found a new favorite and made recommendations to others.
What you propose, however, is interesting. When finding blurbs most of us focus on the author’s writing successes. In other words, you want blurbs from bestselling authors who write in a similar vein to what you’re writing. I think when it comes to getting blurbs for nonfiction a web presence and following can definitely make a difference, but I haven’t thought much about how that would work in fiction and I know publishers haven’t necessarily thought that way either. I would suspect, though, that in that case the recommendation would come less from a blurb you would solicit specifically to put on the cover and more from someone who read the book and promoted it on their site. Sort of like Oprah, the authors who make book recommendations on their sites probably do so because they loved the book and not because they were solicited to do so.
The best way to sell a book is buzz and the more buzz you can get through author blurbs, web sites and reviews the more success you’re likely to have. So while I don’t think publishers are looking at the success of an author’s site before soliciting blurbs, it certainly can’t hurt you to be thinking in that direction. The best buzz is created by those who do things a little differently.
Jessica
20 Comments on The Effectiveness of Blurbs, last added: 10/8/2009
As a blogging book reviewer, my opinion is to really know you're own readership. I don't think the readers who frequent my blog care about blurbs much. They do care very deeply about the opinions of their friends, online and in real life.
Some subgenres, like Erotica and Science Fiction Romance, are very big online and others are not. Some individual authors are big online and others are not.
If I changed my name to Steven King, not Stephen, do you reckon I could sell blurbs to publishers for, say, 1 pence per copy sold?
Or Terri Pratchett? Ian M Banks? Orson Scot Card? J.R.R.R Tolkien? OK maybe not the last one....though how cool would posthumous book endorsments be??...hehe
This time next yeah I could be a Millionaire!!...haha
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I used to be a lot more influenced by blurbs than I am now. Now I'm more inclined to read them with knowledge of how these people probably know each other--conferences, same agent, same publisher, share time on a blog.
I'm still uncomfortable asking for them, but do anyway. I write profiles for the International Thriller Writers, Inc newsletter, and that's given me more contacts in the business, so when I ask for blurbs I can remind them that, yes, I did interview them last year for ITW, or hey, we ran into each other at...
The Internet has made it a lot easier to contact writers for blurbs, but as a result, most are deluged. It's better to get to know the writer a little bit, whether through participation on the blog, saying hi or buying them a drink at a conference, or whatever.
Jessica, Does it make any difference to publishers if you go to them with a debut author who has blurbs lined up from best-selling authors? Or, do they assume the blurbs will come no matter what?
I've noticed a growing trend of "blog tours" among authors, where an author might ask a series of bloggers to read and review their books online - something like one blog a day for a month. I've been asked to participate in a few of these (and have), even though I'm still a few months away from seeing my own book on a shelf.
The point is more of a word-of-mouth campaign, (a broad range of exposure) and getting readers where they spend most of their time - which is on the internet instead of in bookstores.
While I don't know most of my internet friends in person, I respect their opinions much more than an author blurb, which always seems suspect to me.
Still, I'm looking for those blurbs for my own book. It can't hurt to cover all the bases, right?
Occasionally, the content of a blurb can be much more compelling than the (any) name of the author providing the blurb. These are the ones I find effective when I am browsing.
Here’s one I’m waiting to see: If you only read two books this year, read this one twice! I’ll buy that book.
Someone who has lots of time should (well, they should for my enjoyment, anyway) compile an on-going list of FAINT PRAISE blurbs by famous authors.
You know the ones that sort of say Some People Like This Sort of Thing – You Might Be One of Them.
Blurbs are leaving me more and more cold. They get edited down, only the good ones are included, and really no author want to put himself on the line by saying something bad about a peer. Basically, the blurbs on the book mean nothing. I'd much rather have good jacket copy and cover design. Leave the blurbs off.
I am currently pursuing authors for blurbs and have heard it is a good idea to solicit for blurbs outside your genre with the hopes of increasing the variety (and reach) of your readers.
Example: I write historical fiction and I'm currently going after a sports writer and a mystery writer for blurbs.
I find it weird but since I'm new I'm doing everything I can to get readers.
Does anyone else find this weird and think maybe I've stumbled across bad advice?
Say if I'm a romance reader and I pick up a book that has a huge mystery author's quote on a book, but I have no idea who he/she is, that blurb will mean nothing to me, but if I pick up a book and see Nora Robert's quote or JR Ward's quote on the book, I KNOW who they are and would be more inclined to believe that quote.
Now if you write romantic suspense, getting a big time author in the suspense or mystery or thriller field may be worthwhile. There is crossover in readership.
Anonymous said, on 10/6/2009 11:02:00 AM
I am turned off by blurbs from fellow authors. Partial quotes from a review, I will take notice of, but blurbs from authors have absolutely no credibility with me, and that was true even before I became a writer myself.
The sole blurb on the cover of Michael Herr's "Dispatches" is from John le Carre: "The best book I have ever read on men and war in our time." Did I buy "Dispatches"? Of course. It is, without question, the best book I've ever read and I couldn't count the number of copies I've given as gifts, saying, "You've got to read this."
My proposals include people I plan to tap/have tapped for blurbs. I believe in blurbs. Blurbs sell books.
Anonymous said, on 10/6/2009 12:24:00 PM
I get irritated when I only see blurbs from new authors I don't recognize, but no mention of plot. To me, it clutters up a book's cover and dustjacket, esp if they're relatively unknown. Who cares what they think?
My suspicion is that they're just doing it to be "nice," and that they never in fact read the book at all. I'd rather see one strong quote from a top reviewer or author than a bunch of blurbs from no-name newbies. IMHO
Two points from an author's perspective--my editor said that blurbs from well known authors help build interest for booksellers, the ones who order your book to stock their shelves, so in that respect, they are important for your initial orders.
Also, when I've been asked to blurb a book, it often means I'm reading a new author. When I find a book I really like, I generally recommend it to my readers through my newsletter and/or on Facebook, lists, etc, so I'm helping that author build an on-line buzz. My readers know I'll only recommend a book I really like, and they've learned to trust me, so I know my comments have brought new sales and readers for some authors.
Of all the advertising we--as authors--can do, something that builds a "word of mouth" buzz is always going to be the most effective.
christicorbett: I think that's terrible advice! LOL...I ask for blurbs from authors who write in a similar vein in order to show readers who love their books (I try to go for NY Times authors, who obviously have lots of readers!) that they might like mine. Hence, my newest series debuting in March has blurbs from Alyssa Day, Jayne Ann Krentz, Angela Knight, Virginia Kantra and Stella Cameron, among others.
I try not to do serious but I will add something here.
There is actually some information in the blurbs if you look at it very cynically...
For example, a fantasy series I read was quite gripping and the world well constructed. However, the writing was akin to the ramblings of a drunken horse and several characters were TSTL; I could rant all day about their threadbare motivations and the liberal use of deus ex machina.
All the blurbs commented on the quality of the plot and the world, not one said the writing was good. So if you look at it that way, as a reader you're informed by what ISN'T praised.
Lily D said, on 10/6/2009 1:44:00 PM
I used to think blurbs didn't matter, and as a result didn't make much effort to get blurbs for my first novel. My editor, at a small and struggling indie publisher, found a couple of people, but they were hardly household names. The novel got no major trade reviews and died a quick and ignominious death. I was fortunate to get a second chance with the indie publisher, and this time, I took the blurb process far more seriously. I was able to get the major writer in my subject area to blurb the novel. All but one of the major trade reviewers have reviewed this novel, and one even mentioned the famous author's blurb to the publicist as a reason for noticing the book in her tall pile.
Much depends on who the blurb is from. I cracked the cover of "Water for Elephants" based on a glowing blurb by Stephen King. "Water for Elephants" is literary fiction, not exactly King's genre, but I respect King's writing ability. So anything he recommends, I pay attention to. In the ccase of "Water for Elephants", the blurb got me to crack the cover, the first page sold me on the writing, and I bought the book.
So do blurbs work? Yes they do, depending on who they are from.
Does the blurb have to be from someone writing in the same genre? No, not if the person doing the blurb is widely recognized for his/her writing ability.
Thought provoking post! I don't always use blurbs, but like Jessica, have tried several new authors based on a blurb from an author I like. I haven't been disappointed yet. :)
I'll admit I always notice blurbs. I'll ignore them if I don't know the author, but if it's someone I know and like, it carries weight with me. I've sometimes bought books based on blurbs when I was browsing. Sometimes I've been disappointed though in the results though. :)
Although, I will say, that reviews at a place like Amazon carry even more weight with me. I know that's sort of a different topic. But I think it's all about having another reader - whether an author or a group of peers - put a stamp of approval on a book that makes me more willing to part with my money.
Will take your suggestion and promote an e-book I've had published which combines erotica and science fiction. It's the first of five providing Vayna's story, who is born into slavery and slowly progresses towards the freedom she so ardently desires. The book's URL is www.eloquentbooks.com/Vayna of the Steppes.html The publisher can be reached at [email protected] Thank-you.
Any published writer knows that writing the book, querying, and finding an agent is the easy part of your publishing career. Once you find a publisher the real work begins, and part of that work is obtaining cover blurbs for your book—you know, those quotes from other authors praising your work and you as a new up-and-coming star author.
But whose job is it to get those quotes? Is it the author, the author’s agent, the publisher? One reader was recently told by her publisher that it’s best if she stay out of it and let the publisher handle the blurbs. This publisher felt that established authors don't always like blurb requests directly from the author (harder to turn down, criticize, etc.), but the author wanted to know if it was okay to go ahead and approach a few contacts anyway.
And this is why I can’t stress enough how attending conferences and being part of writing groups can pay off: it’s just as much about building those author relationships as it is about meeting editors and agents. If all goes well, your publisher, or your editor, will approach a select number of authors requesting blurbs on your behalf, but of course there is no guarantee that everything will go well. Certainly I’ve been in situations with publishers who have put 100% of the burden of obtaining blurbs on the author, and this is where all that networking comes in. Now it’s up to you to get in touch with those bestselling authors and request that they read your book.
Networking is important in this business, as it is in any business, but I know some of you are going to wonder what you can do in a situation like that if you have no opportunities to meet bestselling authors. Well, cold calling (or emailing) is certainly an option, but I would do it carefully and to only a few. I think your best bet, in a situation like that, is to discuss options and possibilities with your agent and see what she can come up with. Remember, agents have connections with authors far outside of just who we represent and might be able to help out more than you realize.
The important thing to remember in all of this is that no matter who you, your editor, or your agent approach, that author has every right to say no and that’s okay. An author’s schedule can be insane between writing the next book, revisions, edits, and yes, a large number of requests for blurbs. How that’s handled is up to the author. I know some who refuse to give blurbs, while others limit themselves to only a certain number a year. One thing that I stress to all my clients is that, no matter what, you should only blurb a book that you truly feel you can get behind. You don’t need to tell the author you didn’t like it, you can always just say you didn’t have time.
Jessica
25 Comments on Obtaining Cover Blurbs, last added: 8/15/2009
As a self-published author, I thought it would be useful if I could get a nice testimonial from a successful author. So I wrote to Piers Anthony via his website and asked if he wouldn't mind reading my book. (His website newsletter often mentions good books that he's read recently.)
Piers kindly agreed to read it, but said "I'll read enough to get its measure. If it's hopelessly amateur, I'll let you know." Having been a fan when I was younger, I knew the author didn't mince his words!
I sent the book off, and within a week or so Piers had read it -- and liked it! He sounded surprised in his email, saying he "doesn't normally like children's fantasy, but this was an exception." He said other things like "well written, interesting" and finished with "I love it!"
In the end I had a number of phrases to pick from out of emails and a short review in his website's July newsletter (see second paragraph at http://www.hipiers.com/09july.html). I was chuffed to bits and, being self-published, was able to alter my back cover to include a few sentences by the successful author.
Did it help my sales? Hmm. I'm not aware of ANY orders coming in as a direct result of the review on his website. However, I did get an email and phone call from a film and literary agent, who was also a Piers Anthony fan and had seen the review of my book (ISLAND OF FOG). I've now signed up with that agent and he has a movie producer looking at my novel as we speak!
Of course, nothing may come of it. But I thought I'd share this just out of interest. :-)
I didn't realize authors actually read the books first. I just thought they were paid, wrote something vague yet wonderful, and that was it. That's why I never took much stock in what they had to say about a book when I made a decision, even if I was a big fan of their stuff. Glad to see I was wrong.
I'm hoping to have an agent soon, and am taking this very seriously. I've gotten to "know" a few best-selling authors on Twitter, and am planning on requesting blurbs from them when the time is right. Networking and planning ahead are incredibly important. I look forward to the day I can help new writers in this fashion as well.
I'm finishing up a book TO blurb and I'm terrified about actually writing the darn thing.
Loved the book, by the way.
I've never done this before and have been poring over blurbs on the backs of other books to get a good idea of what they consist of - but I'm still stumped.
Great advice. My editor did talk to her contacts about blurbs, but she also asked me if I knew anyone I'd like to approach. Luckily, I'd been active in writing organizations and I knew a few authors.
Ironically, the two authors I most wanted to ask had already been contacted by my editor (great minds think alike) but I wonder if they were more agreeable because they knew me and had been excited when I sold.
There is this wonderful camaraderie with writers - we want to see each other succeed. And when you watch someone at conference or in a local RWA chapter working on their pitch, honing their craft, trying hard to sell, you want to help them any way you can - because we've all been there.
So yes, getting out there, meeting people, letting people in the industry know who you are and what you write is not only fun - it can be invaluable to your career.
@Keith: What a great story! It's good to know of authors who are willing to accept cold emails like that. Going at it blindly and contacting people who are just too busy (or too famous) could lead to a lot of frustration. But it's great that you've had some success.
I like what Debra said about using Twitter to befriend authors ahead of time. At Coral Press, we're really interested in that kind of grassroots online outreach. Hope it works out for you!
I had never thought about this process before. Thank you for bringing it to my attention, as well as your excellent advice on how to acquire blurbs through networking.
Like Alissa, I've only vaguely thought about this. (I'm still trying to write a book or two I feel is publishable--haven't even started querying yet.) Good thing to keep in mind, though. My main obstacle right now is that the few authors I do know somewhat work in vastly different genres. Sure, they might like it anyway, but it'd probably look weird for, say, a historical romance author to blurb SF.
LOL...I hate having to ask for cover blurbs, but I've learned to do it with the full knowledge that most best selling authors are busy and may not have time to read the book. I won't blurb a book I don't like, though I hate to refuse when asked. Luckily I'm busy enough that I don't always have the time to read something for an author--and I will not blurb a book I've not read.
Nancy--a suggestion on writing the blurb. I just had one to do and I was so busy I couldn't come up with anything witty to save my life. What I did was take the short blurb the editor had sent along with the book (essentially the back cover blurb) and pulled a few key words from that. I was able to come up with something that was satisfactory for the editor and the author.
Anonymous said, on 8/13/2009 3:25:00 PM
I actually think LESS of an author who has blurbs from other authors on their books b/c I assume they got their friends to do it. I know a lot of people who agree.
I can't speak as a writer doing blurbs, but I can speak as a reader reading the blurbs! I always liked the ones that mentioned one or two specific parts of the book as what they really liked. In fact, the more specific, the better. Made me felt they'd actually read the book and it made me curious to find out just what it was about that particular character, scene, etc. that piqued their interest.
I don't understand the importance of bestseller blurbs. I've read awful books with glowing cover blurbs and great books with nothing on the cover. As a reader, I pay more attention to the back cover than a bestsellers opinion. As a writer, I can't afford to attend expensive conferences so my chances of connecting with a bestselling author is minimal.
How did this get so important in the process? Just curious.
One thing it's impossible to stress too hard is that the newbie authors strugglnig to get blurbs from those higher up the tree, frustrated and intimidated by the rejections and seeming unapproachability, bottle that feeling. And when they're good and famous, and when someone comes to them during their busy schedule and asks them for a blurb: take out that bottle, unstopper it a little, and take a good sniff before you answer.
Do the blurbs really sell more books? I guess I always assumed it was like some of the more explicit cover art - someone somewhere says it sells books, but if that's true, then why don't the established big authors use them?
Anonymous, the decision whether or not to solicit blurbs, or put them on the cover, isn't the author's. It's made by the editor and the house in general.
And if the authors doing the blurbing are friends...they're probably friends because they like each others's work. Friend or not, I don't know a single author who would agree to blurb a book they thought was terrible; we're aware that it's our name and reputation on the line (and on the cover).
I don't mean to sound snippy and hope I don't, but I did want to let you know it's not a matter of an author deciding to have a blurb on the cover of their book and then calling their friends to get them, and the friends giving those blurbs without even glancing at the book.
Back in March, Stephen King discussed the art of the blurb in Entertainment Weekly.
He says, “Early on, nobody blurbed any of mine. Carrie, 'Salem's Lot, and The Shining were published before the art of blurbing had been perfected. In the old days, children, the back cover of novels was usually reserved for a black-and-white photograph of the author (often holding a cigarette and trying to look cosmopolitan). Nowadays, the back cover tends to be Blurb City. And really, maybe that's not so bad. Young writers and filmmakers need a hand up, because it's a hard world out there. That alone doesn't justify a blurb, but in most cases, good work does. It isn't just about the artist, either. A blurb is sometimes a better way to point people toward the good stuff than a 2500-word review. It's certainly more direct.”
oookay. i'm reaaally anti bird this week. you got feathers, you fly? i'm going to see you verrrrry darkly. so, to make it nice, i made the gallery visitors all cute and cuddly. :)
but the ghost of mr. chicken....mwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!
5 Comments on pictures at an exhibition..., last added: 10/12/2007
oh my gosh, you are hilarious (dark but hilarious). Love the ax shadow.
Samuli S. said, on 10/12/2007 12:28:00 AM
I like this a lot! It might be dark but it's also nostalgic - these days all that's done industrially. Btw it's interesting that we, the blog readers, are also on display in your gallery. The bunny and both the cows are looking at us through the picture frame.
josh pincus is crying said, on 10/12/2007 7:40:00 AM
this is AWESOME! See, deep down, there's a little JPiC in all of us. (There's a lot in me, however.) And the "Ghost and Mr. Chicken" is one of my favorite movies.
mike r baker said, on 10/12/2007 4:32:00 PM
So, am I invited to dinner? :)
I love how you "softened" the image with fluffy animals. That just totally makes it!
Tracy said, on 10/12/2007 5:50:00 PM
Grisly scene...almost makes me want to not eat my chicken...ALMOST!
I kid, I kid, but to be honest, be prepared to be pitching you and your book for the rest of your life: to agents, to editors, to authors way higher up the food chain than you, to booksellers, to readers, etc. Once a manuscript begins the process of moving from a story in your head shared with you and your editor to a tangible product, that’s when blurbs come in. That’s when you and your editor pitch your book to other authors and ask if they would be interested in reading with an eye toward blurbing..jpg?picon=1806)
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That is a very good blurb, Dianne! And your post is most interesting. So many books are actually spoiled by the blurb. You'd be amazed how often thrillers have a vital thing in the blurb that SHOULD NOT BE REVEALED!!
Nice article, thanks for the information.
When I moved into fiction publishing, I remember my first task was to write blurbs for our new list. I thought it was the best part of my job ever - until I'd had to write about thirty in one week. Since then, I try and avoid blurbs...or I find mine becomes a "life spiralling out of control..."
30 in one week! I'd collapse. It took me days to write ONE! I find them VERY hard. Maybe copywriters who work in the ad industry might make good blurb writers but writers are programmed to tell a story over a long period of time so to write a blurb is alien to us. To write 30 would be a nightmare!
And yes how many blurbs give away just the line they shouldn't...
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Great post, Dianne.
Blurbs are so important because it is often the blurb, the cover image and the first couple of lines that make people decide which book to read. It should make them desperate to find out more.
I also think writing a blurb is a great way to make sure you know what your story is all about - what matters most - when you are writing it or even before you begin!
As well as asking questions I think a blurb should also mention the main character, usually by name but not always. I agree with Adele, it should never reveal too much.
I think writing a blurb before I begin even writing the story would totally freak me out, Linda! But then I'm a hopeless planner.
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I agree with Linda. Either at the beginning, or later if I'm feeling a bit uncertain about the story, I'll try and visualise the cover of the finished book and write a blurb for it. It sounds daft but it really helps!