To blurb or not to blurb: That is the question authors are asking as major publisher calls for their end
Authors, editors and publishers debate the pros and cons of book blurbs
Blurbs — endorsements from authors like "this is exactly the book I was looking for" — have long been a fixture on the covers of books, intended to entice readers and lend credibility.
But some authors and publishers say they would rather do without them.
"It's part of being a literary citizen," Rebecca Makkai, a writer in Chicago, told Day 6 host Brent Bambury. "But it was eating my life."
Writing blurbs is no small task, says Makkai. The amount of time she needed to finish reading multiple books and craft thoughtful reviews left her with little opportunity to focus on writing her own works.
Last December, Makkai chose to take a two-year hiatus from blurbing. In January, Sean Manning, the publisher of Simon & Schuster's flagship U.S. imprint, announced that his authors would no longer be required to obtain blurbs for their books.
James Folta, a writer and editor in New York City, says going blurbless means authors are also spared from the awkward dynamics of requesting those reviews.
"You have to send out all these emails kind of begging for them," Folta told CBC's BizDigest.
"There's a tit-for-tat system, if I blurb your book, you'll blurb my book … [But] are you beholden to somebody if you blurb their book, are they beholden to you?"
For new authors, this system can feel especially uncomfortable, says Vancouver author and editor Jen Sookfong Lee.
The pressure to ask someone to read and endorse their book can feel embarrassing, particularly if they fear rejection.
What's the original intent?
However, amongst the pushback against blurbs, Lee says that they do serve a purpose.
They are a valuable tool in a competitive market that help ensure a book reaches a potential reader, who not only have different titles to choose from but might also opt for other types of content, like a film or TV show, she says.
To determine who will write the blurbs, Lee thinks on what the book is about, and identifies reviewers who can bolster its appeal and credibility, while also helping readers grasp the book's content.
Along with other writers, she's also reached out to social media influencers, athletes, scientists, doctors and celebrities.
"Sometimes it's because of the style of the writing — someone reminds you of somebody. Sometimes it's someone from the same community, or cultural group," she said.
"You have to think in all of those different directions."
But, there's also a tendency for people to reach out to those who they already know, such as a friend, co-worker or writing instructor.
"Is the blurb actually unbiased? Is it worth anything?"
Thad McIlroy, a digital publishing analyst and principal at The Future of Publishing, a blog and publishing consultancy, agrees that the elements of a book — from the number of pages, font type, author photo, to the cover design — are meticulously chosen to "augment the possibility that the book will find a home."
Blurbs, he says, are a part of that strategy.
The evidence on the effectiveness of blurbs is mostly anecdotal, said McIlroy. Still, he believes they are important in helping to sell books.
"Each time we're thinking, well, that's another one per cent chance we'll sell an extra five copies of the book," he said.
The fate of book blurbs
Jane Friedman, a publishing industry reporter who has looked at promotional tactics in self publishing, says authors can still achieve significant success without relying on traditional blurbs.
Self-published authors, she says, have focused on building a dedicated fan base and using a mix of alternative marketing strategies that do not depend on the typical back-cover endorsements.
They've turned to selling their books online and advertising them through social media platforms, says Friedman. Some self-published authors also have the support of their readers by building "street teams" of passionate fans who help "evangelize" their work.
"When we think about how to promote a book, and bring visibility to it, a blurb is one of the more frustrating things that authors are asked to do that they don't want to do," she said.
"Given how there are so many other options available to authors for marketing and promotion that are more enjoyable, why not give them a chance to try some of these other things, rather than burgeoning them with the blurb process?"
For Makkai, she can't deny the power that blurbs hold.
She says they're especially helpful for lesser-known authors. If they submit their work to any sort of external reviewer, such as a prize judge, film agent or media critic — who often have hundreds of books to look at — compelling blurbs can help a book rise to the top of the pile.
In fact, for the next book that she publishes, Makkai says she'll still have blurbs.
"I'm well-established, but it matters, and I think I still have to do it," she said.
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Day 6 audio produced by Samraweet Yohannes and Bizdigest audio produced by Meegan Read