How blurbs work: blurber perspective

Following on from my last post about blurbs, this one takes the perspective of one who writes them instead of the one who solicits them. I’ve been lucky enough to be asked a bunch of times to write blurbs for Canadian books and I’m always thrilled to be asked (seriously, who doesn’t feel great when they are told their opinion matters?) I’m hardly an old hand at it, though I have blurbed some great books (I’ll put a list at the end of this post!)

I’ve also said no to blurbing a bunch of probably also great books (well, some of them). The thing about writing blurbs is that if I’m going to be in the ecosystem, I need to do it, but at the same time it is unpaid and time-consuming work to do well (I neither want to read carelessly and give a stupid quote, nor have my name associated with a stupid book). Here’s how I handle the process–would be curious if others who blurb occasionally have any different approaches…

I read every request with the ardent hope I can say yes, yet knowing I can say no for any reason at all. In truth, I never find it easy to say no to anything (something about being a woman, maybe??) but sometimes it should be easy: rudeness (the guy who wanted me to blurb because he already had two men and needed a woman for balance and he’d “heard” my work was great), unreasonable timelines (I once nearly cried saying no to a request for a blurb in WEEK!), subject matter not in my line (this has never happened to me, but anyone ever asked for me to blurb, say, a sci-fi adventure, I’d say no because sci-fi readers don’t care what I think). I also mainly say no to digital copies–I don’t have a digital reader and I feel really aggrieved spending time and money figuring out how to print an entire book so that I can then do someone a favour. I have done it in the past, but I probably won’t again. That last one is a me thing, but whatever–any reason at all.

So if the request is polite, the book sounds interesting and appropriate for me, they’re willing to give me some kind of hard copy, and I have enough time, I’ll usually agree to take a look. I always clarify that that doesn’t mean I’m promising a blurb–I might not like the book, love it but have nothing to say, or simply run out of time before the blurb is due. I’m simply agreeing to give it a shot. I think most people in the publishing game know this, but it never hurts to be extra clear. I do try very hard to read at least a chunk of everything I’m sent for blurbing, though I don’t 100% manage.

If I can’t do it, it often goes down to the wire. I wish this didn’t happen, but if I’m running out of time I’m always hoping I’ll find some and if I’m reading the book but not loving it, I’m always hoping it’ll get better. In the end, I do always follow up with the publisher or author, whoever my correspondent is. I usually just apologize and say I was unable to provide a blurb–no one needs to know which ones were time constraints and which ones were books I just didn’t click with. I wish I were able to get back to people earlier–I think it would probably help them in their planning. No one has ever been anything less than lovely about hearing no, which just increases my guilt but is also how it should be. Let’s all be lovely and hopefully there will be another opportunity to work together down the road!

If I start reading and the book seems like my jam, I try to read faster in order to get the blurb in earlier. This often does not work out, but it’s a thought. Blurbs go on book covers and that requires some designing so, better get it in early if I can. Once I sent a blurb very late and it did not get used!! That was very frustrating but largely my own fault! Anyway, I usually send maybe 3 sentences, knowing they all probably won’t get used, or the whole thing will go on the website but just a bit on the bookcover. I also offer to revise the thing if it’s not what they wanted–I really don’t want my words edited without my knowing about it, so I figure offering to revise it myself might cut down on that. Truncated fine, edited no.

I support the book in other ways if I can. I usually mention the book on social media when it comes out, go to the launch if I can make it, and generally do all the signal boosting I can. One of the first literary events I ever attended in Toronto was an awards night a friend took me to for a book he’d blurbed. I had it in mind after that once you blurb something you’re invested–you’re part of the team. I like that feeling.

Here are some books I’ve enjoyed being on the team for! (Am I forgetting one or two? I think…maybe? If I forgot your book, it is not because I didn’t love it–just because I am old and absent-minded! Please tell me so I can add it!)

Late Breaking by KD Miller
The Weather Inside by Emily Saso
Circle of Stones by Suzanne Alyssa Andrew
Resort by Andrew Daley 
The Work by Maria Meindl (forthcoming from Stonehouse Publishing)

Fellow blurbers, what is your process? What do you love and hate about blurbing?