I hope no Lit writer uses this

[Stella_Omega]

If you pick up Ann Coulter I'm gonna be so envious I cant stand it.

It's my rakish leftie background-- like catnip to the con ladies.

They all want a chance to convert me.

 

[carlieplum]

And when a new horror novel comes out and Stephen King gives a two sentence rave blurb about it, I suppose I'm supposed to believe he received no compensation for that?

In my experience, blurbing and reviewing work differently. Blurbing is usually quid pro quo and/or social niceties. No payment, per se, but it's doing a favor that is often paid back. So if Stephen King blurbs a horror novel, it's because his agent represents the author or his kid and the author's acquiring editor's kid go to the same summer camp or something like that. Or because if he blurbs this guys book, he's got a promise that someone else from the same agent or publisher that he wants a blurb from will blurb his book.

Political books can usually get the blurbs based on ideological grounds. Blurbers don't even care if the book is good. I read a book recently that was blurbed by Henry Kissinger. Henry doesn't need the money. He surely didn't read the book. And Henry is at the level that his own books don't even have blurbs on them any more.

Which brings us to the third reason why people blurb: ego. What an ego boost that someone or some company thinks you are so great that two sentences by you will sell something you didn't even write.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

In my experience, blurbing and reviewing work differently. Blurbing is usually quid pro quo and/or social niceties. No payment, per se, but it's doing a favor that is often paid back. So if Stephen King blurbs a horror novel, it's because his agent represents the author or his kid and the author's acquiring editor's kid go to the same summer camp or something like that. Or because if he blurbs this guys book, he's got a promise that someone else from the same agent or publisher that he wants a blurb from will blurb his book.

Political books can usually get the blurbs based on ideological grounds. Blurbers don't even care if the book is good. I read a book recently that was blurbed by Henry Kissinger. Henry doesn't need the money. He surely didn't read the book. And Henry is at the level that his own books don't even have blurbs on them any more.

Which brings us to the third reason why people blurb: ego. What an ego boost that someone or some company thinks you are so great that two sentences by you will sell something you didn't even write.

What impresses me are the unsolicited testimonials. I came across one in an interview of Elmore Leonard. Asked about influences on his writing he immediately spoke of George V.Higgins, and I rushed out and got a copy of Higgins first novel, and was hooked.