Getting on (or off) the blurb train

If you follow publishing, this past week has been all about blurbs. Pro, con, or somewhere in between.

Apparently, Simon & Schuster’s Sean Manning decreed that his stable of authors would no longer be required to whore ask other authors for blurbs. This set off a maelstrom of relief, concern, outrage, and a frenzy of discourse.

Being both an author and an editrix for a press (such a Gemini am I), I am caught up in this tug-of-war from both sides of the desk.

As an anxious author, I am loath to beg ask other authors for their time and goodwill. It feels arrogant to suggest that a working writer put their own writing time on hold in favor of reading something I wrote and offering some smart, genuine praise. And yet, I know that those very authors have been put in the same position: calling up the ladder for a handful of praise: please, sir, I want some more.

Is it more you want? More adulation? More affirmation? More confirmation that you didn’t just spend a year (or ten) pulling words out of air and setting them down in indelible ink?

I’m often asked to blurb books myself. At least once a month I’m asked. I always try to say yes. My thinking is—besides karma—there’s always something good to say about a book. Whether it’s a well-defined character, or an immersive setting.

That said, the demands on my time have ramped up, and I’m a bit in the weeds at the moment. After two decades of freelance editing and book-coaching, in January, I took a new job. I’m now Managing Editor at Sibylline Press, and, more than ever, my days are spent immersed in manuscripts. Not to mention that I have two of my own novels in the queue—one from Running Wild Press, September of this year, and the other from Sibylline in May, 2026. Again, I’m in that same position: racing to get on the blurb train.

My anxiety surrounding this step in the pursuit of book sales is not unique. I can tell you that as an editor, it is the number one question I field from my authors: when can I have a physical ARC (or even a finished pdf) of my book to send out to potential blurbers? Such a chicken and egg situation. One of those “how can I convince an author to endorse work that still looks like something from the slush pile?” And its companion: “how can I ask a busy author to read and blurb my book on that narrow deadline between ARC and pub?” The timing is especially tight when it comes to our digital first imprint.

The best advice I have regarding the mortifying quest for blurbs (other than write the best book you can), is to look more broadly. Be an advocate for other authors. Praise their books. Attend workshops and other literary events. Stride ever enthusiastically on the socials and engage. Be a champion for other books and stories. Will that guarantee you’ll have a willing flock of endorsers for your own work? Nope. But here’s the thing: word-of-mouth buzz is still a thing—blurbs or not. You want butts in seats for your bookstore launch? You earn that by being a true advocate for your community.

Case in point. On the run up to the launch of my last title, Bitterroot, a long-time friend and literary icon you probably know approached me to be a guest interviewee on her wildly (see what I did there?) popular Substack. I guarantee that had more immediate impact on sales than a short sentence fragment on the back cover.

All that to say, fostering long-term relationships takes time. And genuine commitment. Sure, some super-stars can boast heart-stopping endorsements due to their genius alone, but for the rest of us? We need to participate—whether online or in person—and think beyond the blurb. Personally, I’d love to never have to ask for endorsements again, but, hey, in this publishing climate, it’s a multi-pronged curse state of affairs.