Writers and readers of Bluesky! I’m curious to know how you feel about blurbs / puff quotes (am researching for a story) - writers, how do you feel about being asked to give them? How do you feel about needing to get them? Readers - do they impact on your choices? All thoughts welcome! - ThreadSky

clairemabey.bsky.social • 21 days ago

Writers and readers of Bluesky! I’m curious to know how you feel about blurbs / puff quotes (am researching for a story) - writers, how do you feel about being asked to give them? How do you feel about needing to get them? Readers - do they impact on your choices? All thoughts welcome!

Comments

sannewman.bsky.social•20 days ago

As a reviewer, I sometimes tear off the page/back cover of an ARC that's full of puff quotes because an abundance of them can prejudice me against a book, especially if they sound too gushing and fake.

clairemabey.bsky.social•20 days ago

Ah very good - I ignore them too

marvingardens.nz•20 days ago

As a reader, I generally don't pay TOO much attention to them, unless:

1) They are from somewhere that I don't really recognise as a reputable book review website in which case I might avoid or
2) They're from an author I love and trust not to bullshit me in which case I'll add to my 'to read' list

nikkihessell.bsky.social•21 days ago

I'm not keen on blurbs & I also think we have a problem with a small literary ecosystem in Aotearoa. The merry-go-round of people blurbing for each other makes the blurbs feel too cosy and unreliable, even though that doesn't reflect my feelings about either the books or the authors!

clairemabey.bsky.social•21 days ago

Thanks so much Nikki!

lefasn.bsky.social•21 days ago

As a reader I use them as an indication of who the author/publisher want me to think their work is similar to. So, less what the quote says and more who they asked to provide an endorsement.

clairemabey.bsky.social•21 days ago

Ah interesting thank you!

helenrickerby.bsky.social•20 days ago

Just quietly, I don't really like puff quotes and I don't trust them - though I mean what I say when I write them! 😆 Yesterday I was feeling aggrieved at having to wade through pages of 'praise' before getting to the start of the actual text.

helenrickerby.bsky.social•20 days ago

A good blurb though can help you know what kind of book it is, and can kind of frame/contextualise it.

cjrauthor.bsky.social•21 days ago

When I was doing heaps of reviewing, I'd roll my eyes at puff quotes because it seemed like every single book was hyped as the 'novel of the year'. I do read blurbs but they're often not a great indication of the quality of the book so I also read a couple of pages to get a better sense

thecatswhiskers.bsky.social•21 days ago

Tautoko. Also you know in NZ that it is a friendly voice I.e. known to publisher and writer. On the other hand, I’ve written them for NZ and overseas and they are hard to get right but also good to do if you support the book and author.

fortunasaga.com•20 days ago

I have often wondered if there has been any serious A/B testing about the need for blurbs and other logrolling or if it's just something that the industry "has always done" and keeps doing without reflection. It feels like everyone in the chain (including consumers) either hates it or doesn't care

annawoodsauthor.bsky.social•21 days ago

Is this in response to the Simon & Schuster desicion? I used to pay attention to them, but since I learnt they are mostly a system of favours I ignore them. I prefer a clean cover anyway.

clairemabey.bsky.social•21 days ago

Yes it is! The system of favours is very much a thing isn’t it

annawoodsauthor.bsky.social•21 days ago

Yes! Which isn’t to say the person giving the blurb is disingenuous, but it does become a question of access—the author (or their publisher) has to know the right people

rachaelking70.bsky.social•21 days ago

I prefer one that says *why* they like it. ‘I loved it’ is meaningless, but ‘This reminded me of Susan Cooper’ or ‘Joyous & fun’ (for kids books) will make me pick up a book for sure.

clairemabey.bsky.social•21 days ago

Thank you!

ired0mi.bsky.social•21 days ago

if its a CA Conrad no bullshit blurb then I will go for the book, but most blurbs are fluff that do nothing for me. I like giving blurbs though to try and give some substance. poetry books should have a poem on the back tho - as well / instead.

ired0mi.bsky.social•21 days ago

like there is nothing a blurb can do that a snippet of the actual prose or poetry could for whether I will read the book

clairemabey.bsky.social•21 days ago

Oh I love this - yes!

brannavan.bsky.social•21 days ago

Putting aside pull quotes from publications, as a reader, I ignore puff quotes as it comes across as incestuous; as a writer, I do them if I genuinely like the book but try to limit it to Asian writers; for my books, my readers are mostly not in the literary scene, so conscious they won’t know/care

dreddieclark.bsky.social•21 days ago

As a reader - the content; basically meaningless. If it's from an author who does stuff with an identifiable sensibility that I really like then it might make me more likely to take a second look.

auntyseahorse.bsky.social•21 days ago

I want to know what the book is about/style etc , not what numerous other people have to say about it. Blurb doesn't usually help at all with my decision.

jamespasley.bsky.social•21 days ago

As a reader, most of the time doesn’t mean much but every now and then a surprising person may prompt a purchase - for instance saw Wells Tower quoted on the cover of an Australian short story collection and couldn’t help myself

clairemabey.bsky.social•21 days ago

Thank you!

suecopsey.bsky.social•21 days ago

A rave on your cover is important, for design reasons too. Always flattering to be asked, but awkward if the book isn't great. There are *ways* though, so take blurbs with a pinch of salt. A 'beautifully crafted' novel can still be boring af.

forster81.bsky.social•21 days ago

As a reader, if the quote is a pithy sentence and I know the person that wrote its work, I’ll pay attention. If it’s one word I discount it. Or if it is about the author but not the book itself, I discount it.

darusha.ca•20 days ago

I am happy to give them for books I love. I hate asking for them, though!

I don't think they mean much to readers or reviewers, but I suspect that as a part of the overseas publisher to bookseller marketing material they may actually sway bookbuyers who can't possibly read all the books themselves.

clairemabey.bsky.social•20 days ago

Yes good point!

elese.bsky.social•21 days ago

i think the meaninglessness of puff quotes is a side effect of cultural capitalism in small lit communities where u have to be nice or someone won't write a nice thing about ur book 🥲

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