1. The perfect blurb, for the uninitiated, is a quote on the cover of a book, which reads, "A glittering achievement. This is the book I wish I'd written." And is signed by JK Rowling, Nick Hornby, or Jody Picoult.
2. Many blurbs are a bit hedge-y, as in, "It doesn't get any better than this," (ie, this writer isn't very good, and never will be) or "an amazing success," (ie, how on earth did this book get a six-figure advance?) My personal favourite, "X is a writer to watch," is one I unwittingly provided after the following conversation with the writer's PR.
Me: It's well-written, but I have reservations.
PR: But it is well-written.
Me: Oh yes.
PR: So you'd be interested in what he writes next?
Me: Certainly.
PR: You might say, "X is a writer to watch?"
Me: Why not?
Of course I could have said, "please don't use that", but the book was well-written, and once published, it's madly difficult to get noticed, so why not help if you can?
3. Not all blurbs help. I was once halfway to the till with a novel when I noticed a blurb by a writer I really dislike. Purchase aborted.
4. It's true that people do supply blurb for friends, but I don't know anyone who would write something glittering he/she didn't believe, even for a close relative. And most of us wouldn't dare ask our friends unless we were pretty sure the praise was genuine.
5. It is genuinely, teeth-grindingly difficult to blurb someone you think is about to outsell you five to one.
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