I don’t know a single writer who enjoys asking for blurbs. We enjoy getting blurbs from writers we admire but asking is hell!
Words Count | Kathryn Mockler on Blurbs
On Blurbs
Sharing some thoughts into the blurb business—on asking for and writing blurbs.
Whether you’re with an micro, small, mid-sized, or one of the big five, you generally are going to have to ask for a blurb. A publisher will do it for you, but if the ask is coming from the publisher, the rejection is easier which is why writers are encouraged to ask.
I don’t know a single writer who enjoys asking for blurbs. We enjoy getting blurbs from writers we admire but asking is hell! For me, it is the only part of the book publishing process that I absolutely hate.
A writer I admire advised me when I was complaining about blurbs to go blurb free.
Blurb free! What freedom! What a good idea!
However, when I broached the subject with my publisher, it was a no go, which I understand.
Blurbs are a marketing tool. They help place and position a book. For most writers, they are necessary. I hadn’t had a solo book out in eight years and mine was a debut story collection. Therefore, it was agreed, I needed blurbs.
I do not like asking anyone for anything. I never hit up friends for favours, and I don’t generally ask for help.
Also I’m not good with compliments on a good day and asking for a blurb is like saying hey will you do a bunch of work for me for free and then say something nice in your spare time of which I’m sure you have none.
Asking for blurbs is like facing the worst insecurities you have about yourself and your writing.
Blurb Rejection
Remember not everyone you ask is going to be able to write you a blurb.
Many writers are overrun with blurb requests and can’t do them all or they’d never have time to do anything else. First in line for them are likely going to be friends, former students or writers they’ve mentored, and their publisher requests. In other words, people they feel some obligation to.
Some writers have a no-blurb policy or have a set limit of how many blurbs they will write in a year.
Also writers may agree to the blurb but aren’t able to follow through for any number of reasons—over-commitment or maybe they just didn’t like your book and don’t want their name on it. Fair enough.
And really it doesn’t matter what the reason is. No one owes you a blurb.
Although it’s hard, try not to take it personality.
One way to avoid blurb rejection is to make sure that you are asking the right person and in a way that sets you up for blurb success.
The Ask
Your chances of a writer agreeing to a blurb, occurs in the who and the how of the ask.
Is this an appropriate person to ask for this book at this point in time?
Like a good reference request, the blurb asking should make some kind of sense to both you and the person being asked.
Perhaps you know the writer or have worked with them in some capacity. Maybe they published your work or were your professor or ran a workshop you participated in or were a writer-in-residence at your school or library. Maybe they’re a friend. Ideally you have some relationship with the person you are asking. This is of course easier if you’ve been around the scene for a while.
If you don’t know the writer and have few literary connections, it might be easier for your publisher to do the contacting. In any case, ensure your work connects to the author or poet’s work in some way—in genre or subject matter or theme and explain that in your request. Let them know that you’ve read their work and you are asking them not just for their name but because of the way the content of their work relates to yours or how their writing influenced yours.
You’re asking for a blurb in hopes of tapping into a writer’s audience, so it should be apparent why. If it’s not clear to the writer you are asking or even to you, then perhaps you haven’t picked the right person.
Give the writer a lot of lead time and be clear about deadlines.
It’s good to ask for more blurbs that you might need as someone might agree and then not be able to do it after all.
Once the book has been sent, it’s appropriate to follow up once or twice if you haven’t heard back in a while or if the deadline has passed, but then you just have to let it go if you don’t get your blurb. Some people don’t want to reject or say they didn’t like your book so they ghost instead. Not my favourite approach for anyone, but it happens.
How I Write a Blurb
Writers have many different approaches to blurbing, but this is my way of doing it.
I won’t blurb a book unless I’ve read the whole thing. I’ve heard that sometimes people read a few pages and then write a line or two, but I just can’t do that.
First of all, I’m in the small press business, so for me it’s important to support books I can get 100% behind and to be completely authentic in my endorsement.
If I read a book and don’t like it, then I wouldn’t blurb it. So far that hasn’t happened!
My Process
My process is laborious which is why I can only do a couple a year. I treat the blurb essentially like it’s a mini review. I generally go a little longer so that the writer and publisher have some options like trimming the blurb down or using parts of the blurb for various purposes such as a line for the back cover and the longer blurb for the website.
As a blurb writer I do this to be generous, but also if I am spending this much time on a blurb, I want it to be used.
I see blurbs as a cross between a positive review and a reference letter. The blurbs I write generally include some form of description of the book, then a couple of lines of praise picking up on key themes or voice or something that resonated with me personally about the book or the writing. I like to back up my praise statements with a description or something concrete from the book. And often I will list a comparable writer or two if appropriate.
The blurb I wrote for Kirby’s book, She was unusual! Instead of writing a traditional blurb, I wrote a poem in the syllabic style of the book using phrases from Kirby’s poems. This was a little risky but very fun.
Here’s a recent blurb I wrote for Hollay Ghadery’s new short story collection, Widow Fantasies. Hollay received many wonderful blurbs so you can see a range of styles in her blurb list as well.
What are your thoughts on book blurbs? Love them? Hate them? How do you ask for them or write them?
Support Send My Love to Anyone
Support Send My Love to Anyone by signing up for a monthly or yearly subscription, liking this post, or sharing it!
Big heartfelt thanks to all of the subscribers and contributors who make this project possible!
Connect
Bluesky | Instagram | Archive | Contributors | Subscribe | About SMLTA