Authors have always had a penchant for praising each other, often through the use of blurbs. In the Renaissance, Thomas More’s Utopia received a commendation from Erasmus, while Shakespeare’s First Folio was endorsed by Ben Johnson. However, in recent times, the pursuit of glowing praise from celebrities and famous authors has reached absurd levels. Every book, no matter how minor, now comes adorned with quotes proclaiming it to be the greatest work since the Bible. As the noise level in the marketplace increases and review space diminishes, authors are finding themselves bombarded with requests for blurbs and some are opting out of the practice altogether.
Publishers too are losing faith in the power of blurbs. Mark Richards, publisher of the independent Swift Press, remarked on the arms race that has taken place. In the past, debut novelists rarely had blurbs, and if they did, they were of high quality. But now, not having blurbs could ruin a book’s chances. This proliferation of blurbs can be seen in any bookstore, with books plastered with adjectives like electrifying, profound, vital, and masterful. The practice has become almost like sympathetic magic, a desperate attempt to prove a book’s worth.
The blurb arms race can be attributed to two factors: the shift from a traditional critical culture to an internet-centered one driven by influencers and user reviews, and the superstar system where only a few titles dominate sales. This has disrupted the traditional model of book promotion, forcing authors to seek endorsements well in advance of publication to build excitement and increase preorders. Blurbs are now aimed at literary editors and book buyers, not consumers. Having endorsements from famous writers increases the likelihood of reviews and stocking in bookstores.
Blurbs are an uneasy combination of quality assurance and publicity gimmick. They serve as a stamp of approval and can determine a book’s success. Writers have an incentive to blurbs only their friends, and established authors are inundated with requests. Some decline the requests, feeling like “blurb whores,” while others, such as Salman Rushdie and Colm Tóibín, are prolific blurbers. The gratitude of publishers and the status of being a “good literary citizen” are some of the reasons authors continue to participate in the practice.
In conclusion, blurbs have become an integral part of modern book publishing, but their effectiveness and true purpose are increasingly in question. The pursuit of endorsements has reached absurd levels, and the practice has lost some of its impact in the crowded marketplace. However, blurbs continue to play a significant role in generating excitement and influencing book sales.
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