There is a half-page article (it is behind a paywall) in our Sydney Morning Herald this weekend written by author and commentator Julia Baird with the title:
Last chapter for blurbs? Bring it on
I do agree with the issues raised by Julia Baird. Of course, her context is adult books, and probably more specifically adult fiction titles.
Julia Baird says: this "kind of favour trading creates an incestuous and unmeritocratic literary ecosystem that often rewards connections over talent."
My issue here is with the term blurb. Publisher Sean Manning from Simon and Schuster has said his company will "no longer require authors to obtain blurbs for their books."
What Simon Manning really means is authors will not have to send out advance reader copies of their newest titles to their author friends and other influencers from the literary world in the hope of an endorsement which the publisher can then put on the front or back cover of their book.
I have long railed against this practice of adding endorsements to the covers of children's books. In the case of children's books this is usually aimed at the adults who buy books for children - parents, caregivers, librarians, and teacher-librarians. In early every case I would argue the endorser's name placed on the book, either on the cover or inside the cover, especially on a middle grade novel aimed at a readers aged 9-12, has very little impact or relevance to the child if indeed they even recognise the name. And I would argue often these names also mean very little to parents.
Now back to explaining a book blurb:
Blurbs in Literature: Terminology
Synopsis: A brief summary or overview of the main plot and key elements of a literary work.
Endorsement: A statement of approval or recommendation from a well-known person, often an author or celebrity, used to promote a book.
Excerpt: A short passage or selection from a book that is chosen to showcase the writing style or a crucial moment in the narrative.
Teaser: A short promotional piece designed to generate interest without revealing too much about the plot.
Hook: A compelling or intriguing element within the story or blurb that grabs the reader’s attention and encourages further exploration.
Tagline: A short, memorable phrase or slogan associated with a book, often used for marketing and promotional purposes.
Back Cover Copy: The text on the back cover of a book that includes a blurb, author bio, and other relevant information.
Critical Acclaim: Positive reviews and praise from literary critics or notable publications, often highlighted in a book’s promotional materials.
Logline: A concise one or two-sentence description of a story, focusing on its central concept or unique selling point.
You can read more about how to write an effective blurb here. Teaching children to READ the blurb on a book and later teaching them how to write a blurb is a very useful skill. In my school library I always read the blurb to groups of students when I was doing a book talk and you will know that I often quote the bookseller or publisher or author blurb here on momotimetoread. And also in my former library when I was assisting individual children with book selection I always suggested reading the blurb as an aid to book choice.
Endorsements, or they could be called testimonials, are an entirely different thing. Here are a few from middle grade books from my own shelves. I do not disagree with the actual endorsements quoted here from these recent Australian titles and these are all splendid books - my issue is with the idea of calling this a blurb:
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