Blurbs are kind of a joke. But my little imprint is putting out a chapbook by an early-career poet this spring, and I thought it was fair to him if he/I asked for blurbs from other poets. Just for the sake of appearances. So we did. But I would be happy to see the practice end.
I won't name names but one publisher of mine asked a famous author to blurb one of my novels because she and I had corresponded. Said author said she was against the whole process. My editor thought she was a hypocrite because this author's first book was boosted by a Nobel Prize winner. My mother would have had choice nouns to use. :-)
I have been asked to write blurbs, and I've always said no for the simple reason that I can't figure out how to write them. (I offer to write an actual review instead.) When I read a blurb, particularly if it's for a poetry collection, I can't understand what the heck the blurb actually means.
Back when I was reviewing for a handful of publications and also on-air, I'd tell people that if I liked the book, a review would be more helpful. But I often didn't have the time to even do a blurb and if that was the case, I told them ASAP so they could look for someone else.
As someone who is often asked for a blurb, I'm glad to see the practice come to an end. If I like a book I'm glad to say so, but finding something that is both honest and compelling for prospective readers is work. I'm glad not to have to ask anyone for my books and glad that I may not have to give any again.
My 27th book came out before the pandemic and once isolation set in as a mode of living, I found much more delight working with short stories and personal essays. I've had something like 95 online and print publications since the summer of 2021. It feels great.
Dont throw the baby out with the bathwater. For my first book of poetry Journeys of Voices and Choices (Wendell, MA, Human Error Press,2024) I had five enticing blurbs, especially two that have helped sell my book. One or five ass-kissing blurbs on a book by an overrated writer does should not make a policy of endng blurbs. I also had several terrific blurbs for my first book -I Looked Over Jordan And Other Stories"(Boston:South End Press,1980) from the legendary blacklisted Minnesotan feminist Meridel LeSueur, author of the Girl and Ripenings, and from Dan Georgakas,cofounder of Cineaste Magazine, and author of Detroit I Do Mind Dying, and The Methuselah Factor.
Blurbs are kind of a joke. But my little imprint is putting out a chapbook by an early-career poet this spring, and I thought it was fair to him if he/I asked for blurbs from other poets. Just for the sake of appearances. So we did. But I would be happy to see the practice end.
I won't name names but one publisher of mine asked a famous author to blurb one of my novels because she and I had corresponded. Said author said she was against the whole process. My editor thought she was a hypocrite because this author's first book was boosted by a Nobel Prize winner. My mother would have had choice nouns to use. :-)
"to the point where the blurbs can’t be trusted" There's no point where blurbs could be trusted. Blurbs are advertising, nothing more.
I'd be surprised if blurbs vanish. Advertising on packaging works, whether books, cereal, electric razors, what have you.
They could be trusted back before everyone was a genius, every book was brilliant.
Ha! I don't think there was ever a negative book blurb Lev
I have been asked to write blurbs, and I've always said no for the simple reason that I can't figure out how to write them. (I offer to write an actual review instead.) When I read a blurb, particularly if it's for a poetry collection, I can't understand what the heck the blurb actually means.
Back when I was reviewing for a handful of publications and also on-air, I'd tell people that if I liked the book, a review would be more helpful. But I often didn't have the time to even do a blurb and if that was the case, I told them ASAP so they could look for someone else.
I'm still on the fence about whether I should ask for blurbs for my novel coming out in October.
Can you use review quotes from other books, as in "Praise for Liz Gaffreau"?
Great idea! Thank you for the suggestion.
I almost never see books at Barnes and Noble without blurbs. For that reason alone I would include them.
Thank you, Richard. I’m still dithering . . .
As someone who is often asked for a blurb, I'm glad to see the practice come to an end. If I like a book I'm glad to say so, but finding something that is both honest and compelling for prospective readers is work. I'm glad not to have to ask anyone for my books and glad that I may not have to give any again.
My 27th book came out before the pandemic and once isolation set in as a mode of living, I found much more delight working with short stories and personal essays. I've had something like 95 online and print publications since the summer of 2021. It feels great.
Dont throw the baby out with the bathwater. For my first book of poetry Journeys of Voices and Choices (Wendell, MA, Human Error Press,2024) I had five enticing blurbs, especially two that have helped sell my book. One or five ass-kissing blurbs on a book by an overrated writer does should not make a policy of endng blurbs. I also had several terrific blurbs for my first book -I Looked Over Jordan And Other Stories"(Boston:South End Press,1980) from the legendary blacklisted Minnesotan feminist Meridel LeSueur, author of the Girl and Ripenings, and from Dan Georgakas,cofounder of Cineaste Magazine, and author of Detroit I Do Mind Dying, and The Methuselah Factor.
Amen. I've always preferred recycling book reviewer's pull-quotes, especially from the NYTBR.