Book Blurbs

Right about now is when I should be getting blurbs for Badge. You know what blurbs are: those quotes from various writers on the backs of novels telling you how great the novel is. Getting blurbs involves going out into the world and asking writers to read and blurb your novel. I got a few for Ghost Notes. They're an industry standard. If you want to do everything you can to sell your novel, you get book blurbs.

But I'm not getting blurbs for Badge.

Why Not? Three reasons.

1) I don't want to waste favors with my writer friends on blurbs.

Writers never have enough time to do what they want to do--which is write--and I don't want to exhaust these folks with my requests. I'd rather ask them to help promote Badge in other ways, should they be inclined, by reviewing it, or by doing a reading with me when I'm in their town.

2) Many argue blurbs don't help sell novels.

Hey, if you know Stephen King and can get him to blurb your book, go for it. I know many writers more successful than me who could probably be cajoled into blurbing Badge, but I don't know if their seals of approval will generate enough sales to merit bugging them in the first place.

3) There's something about blurb culture that's tired.

Maybe it's me, but whenever I see a writer's blurb on a novel, all I can think of is this poor writer having to drum up enthusiasm for this work out of loyalty or guilt or because she doesn't know how to say no, and not because she's genuinely interested in the work. That might be my projection, but it also might contain some truth. I've never blurbed someone else's book--self-published writers typically aren't sought after for their opinions--but should I have to do it someday, I can't help but imagine it as a kind of task. I tend to read slowly, so maybe that's part of the reason why it seems cumbersome. The temptation to read just the first chapter and scare up a quick sentence or two must be pretty strong.

Anyway, deciding to forgo blurbs is another great argument for self-publishing. If Badge were being traditionally published, I don't think I'd have a choice.

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

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