The Flattery of Blurbs
something we're not talking about enough in the blurb convo
It’s been a few months since the conversation around discontinuing the act of asking writers for blurbs. I had my own little ramble:
What’s changed since the conversation began? As far as I can see, nothing. Books still go out on submission with blurbs or the promise of blurbs attached. Editors still ask for blurbs to print on the galleys, and more to print on the back of the finished books.
In all of these conversations around blurbs and whether they convince readers to buy books or not (yes, sometimes, or at least they don’t dissuade a purchase, and nobody has a better idea yet) — I haven’t seen anyone discuss the flattery of blurbs.
It’s nice to be asked to blurb a book.
