WLP Wants To Know: Cover Blurbs
January 25, 2010 in WLP Wants To Know
We’ve all seen them, you pick up a book and there’s a quote on the cover by another author talking about the book you’ve just bought. I thought about this only recently thanks to Mark Henry. He was all excited when his cover blurb featured a quote by Patrica Briggs.
Ever since he said that, I’ve been looking at covers to see who has recommended who! It’s my new sickness and I blame Mark. But then I started thinking:
Do we readers actually read the cover blurb?
Do they help sales?
Do readers actually buy a book based on those blurbs?
I asked Cassandra via Twitter, a Publicist at Tor Books, about the blurbs and if they help author sales. She said unscientifically, it depends on the blurb, which author is giving the blurb but in general they do help sales.
I know that prior to Mark’s book, I hadn’t really paid much attention to the blurbs. So in my opinion, they really do nothing for me personally. They don’t make me want to buy the book because so and so said it was good, I am not helping sales that way.
Then I decided to google and came across a great post by Jennifer Estep talking about how she went about getting other authors for her cover blub.
There’s also a great post over at Publisher’s Weekly about how they get cover blubs.
So my dear readers, do you buy a book based on the blurb? Do you even read cover blurbs?
WLP Wants To Know.
Usually I don’t even notice the cover blurbs.
And even I do read them, it’s usually after I bought the book
lol exactly
Like you, after an author I follow went on about how excited he/she was for a cover blurb, I look at them more. But I usually don’t pay attention to those, I read them [after I buy the book], but they do nothing for me actually. =)
Same here and I dont know if I should feel guilty about not caring for them.
Sweet, now you got me wondering… Should I feel guilty? LOL ^.^
I’m more interested in what’s on the back blurb. If I’m on the fence about whether to buy, a cover blurb by an author I really like might sway me.
I almost always read the back blurb, unless its a book I’ve been waiting for then I don’t want to ruin the surprise!
This is exactly how I am too!
The back cover blurb is the first thing I read and if undecided, I’ll check the blurbs by other authors and/or flip it open to the first chapter to read a bit and see if I like the writing style and if it grabs me.
Thats why you’re my twin!
I’ve never made a book buying decision based on another author blurb. The upside? I’ve never made a decision to NOT buy a book because the lack of a blurb. It falls back to the strength of the story summary and whether I have faith/trust in the author already.
Exactly!
I don’t buy a book soley on the cover blurbs. But I am more likey to look at a book by an author I’ve never heard of before if an author I like has a blurb on the cover.
See, I don’t even notice those, I flip straight to the back and the first page to see if I like the style.
If the blurb is by an author I know I like then it may sway me, otherwise I don’t pay attention.
Sway but not the main book purchase reason right?
I read the cover blurbs but do not base my buying the book(s) on them. Just like the idea that one author is kind enough to promote the book by commenting and think it is kind of cool!!!
jackie b central texas
True but I wonder how many of those authors actually read the whole book before they write the blurb.
If I like the author that is leaving the cover blurb, I will buy the book. If I don’t, I will not buy the book.
Seriously? You base your opinion soley on the cover blurb?
Hookay, I admit I used to buy books where a fellow author I liked commented on the front cover. I’ve since stopped this b/c it’s absolutely ridiculous to buy a book based on that alone. Almost as bad as buying the book for its cover *embarrassed grin* From what I’ve heard a lot of times it is just a marketing ploy.
One time {at band camp just kidding} I almost put back an Ann Aguirre book b/c an author wrote on the blurb…it was an author that I didn’t care for. Okay thats it, I’m done rambling
LMFAO KC you kill me!
I always read them. I’m curious that way. But for me to buy a book, it’s the whole package – cover, excerpt, jacket excerpt – and then I’ll always flip to a random page and read a few paragraphs to see if I like the style.
I am the same with the style, I always read the first page in the store if it’s by someone I don’t know.
I never buy off cover blurbs..because in the back of my mind – does the author writing the blurb really feel that way?
I know, it’s kinda like a popularity thing to me.
I’m with Patti on this one. Sometimes I even don’t notice the cover blurbs until after I bought the book already. First I must like the back blurb and I also like to read a few paragraphs to get a taste of the authors writing before I buy a book.
Me too!
well since i mostly buy ebooks, i rarely notice cover blurbs! i am more likely to buy based on fellow reviewers opinion than other author blurbs on the cover.
I totally forgot about that via Kindle/Sony. Hmm…
Yeah, I do read the cover blurbs. I can’t help it. I figure if it’s good enough for Patricia Briggs, it’s good enough for me
LMFAO!!
This is an interesting thread. I read blurbs, but I will read most anything that has writing on it. I’ve always been that way. I will reread the cereal box in the morning while I’m eating if nothing else is handy.
OMG! I do that too!!!! LMAO!
LOL! I do that, too!! Awesome… hehe
I read the box too! LMFAO
I think the author blurbs are just for the authors. Regular joe smoes don’t care, but the authors o. I think it is like getting a high five from the cool kids in school in the hallway. It makes you feel good and you get to brag about it.
LMFAO thats what I think too
If I see a blurb by a writer I really, really, REALLY like, then I’ll be more likely to buy the book. However, If I see something like “fans of Laurell K Hamilton” will enjoy this book, then I won’t buy it. On the OTHER hand- (how many hands so far?) if it says “fans of Early Laurell K Hamilton….” I’ll at least take a look at it. On yet another hand……What really makes me BUY a book is actually reading a page here and there in the book. First page, a middle page, and I look for dialogue.
You made me snort! I to read the first page or so, to catch the writers style
Hi there! Thanks for linking to my posts. I hope you found them interesting.
Thanks for posting about Blurbs! lol! And congrats on your new release!
Nope. I pay no attention to the cover blurbs. Now the back cover with the blurb describing the book can sell me, but personally I don’t really care what others think is good, because their opinion is likely the opposite of mine. Though I will read the cover blurbs later, and it is interesting to see who recommends to book.
Yes I do!!!!
I look for key words: paranormal and all other phrases that fall under that category. Romance and other words that fall under that as well.
Who is quoted?
Very important to me…. I also read the synopsis on back…
However…. what I MUST admit to is: Cover is important…. it is the first thing that catch my eye…. w/o that forget reading the blurb and such!!! I need to first feel the desire to pick it up.
Unless, a book may be lucky if I catch a phrase a glimpse of a words that I otherwise would not have seen.