tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post3237153455554390941..comments2024-03-10T04:29:20.044-04:00Comments on Mad Genius Club: Writing back cover Blurbs. Oh my!Sarah A. Hoythttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-37904739941605697462009-10-28T05:04:10.472-04:002009-10-28T05:04:10.472-04:00I feel for you, Sarah!I feel for you, Sarah!Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-44981797094208697432009-10-27T23:45:04.249-04:002009-10-27T23:45:04.249-04:00I hate, hate, hate, hate writing back cover blurbs...I hate, hate, hate, hate writing back cover blurbs. And right now I'm working on the one for Darkhips Thieves which is SUCH a complex book and so hard to sum up. I mean, there's the very short "She never wanted to go to space/space will never be the same again" and after that... well... things get difficult.Sarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-41757934200251025442009-10-27T22:26:36.006-04:002009-10-27T22:26:36.006-04:00Hey - I am to please!Hey - I am to please!Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-87524673624436712862009-10-27T21:07:00.053-04:002009-10-27T21:07:00.053-04:00Matapam,
What we all writers need is a pile of fr...Matapam,<br /><br />What we all writers need is a pile of friends who tell their friends, this is a great book, pass it on!Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-64576172600397042082009-10-27T21:06:15.422-04:002009-10-27T21:06:15.422-04:00Chris, trust you to be different!Chris, trust you to be different!Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-64454182605557450192009-10-27T21:05:48.611-04:002009-10-27T21:05:48.611-04:00Amanda,
I find reading the reviews interesting on...Amanda,<br /><br />I find reading the reviews interesting on Amazon. I look for a trend. If several reviewers refer to some aspect of the book as being really good, then I take it to mean it is.Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-37588911531485602912009-10-27T21:04:35.784-04:002009-10-27T21:04:35.784-04:00Kate,
I come from a graphic art background so a g...Kate,<br /><br />I come from a graphic art background so a great cover will make me pick up a book, but it won't make me buy it.<br /><br />Friends saying 'try this book', do it for me.Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-501109013947334622009-10-27T20:44:25.604-04:002009-10-27T20:44:25.604-04:00The problem with Amazon is that I'm usually se...The problem with Amazon is that I'm usually searching for a particular author or title. I'm unlikely to hunt around and browse through random books that pop up in "Other people who have bought this book . . . "<br /><br />I'll read the blurb, but generally buy the book based on a recommendation from someone. I rarely scroll down to the reviews.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-6788425832651970162009-10-27T20:42:34.188-04:002009-10-27T20:42:34.188-04:00Well - I almost never read the blurb.
I will look...Well - I almost never read the blurb.<br /><br />I will look initially at cover art, then I will read the first few pars & perhaps fick through the book and look at the balance of the style. I can usually tell the tone of the book from a few paragraphs and get an idea of where they will take the characters from how the prose and expression changes through the book.Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-23511013341353340462009-10-27T19:05:24.824-04:002009-10-27T19:05:24.824-04:00Like Kate, I read the blurbs and the inside blurb ...Like Kate, I read the blurbs and the inside blurb when it's there, especially if it is a book by an author I'm not familiar with. For those I order from Amazon, I do read the reviews as well, although how much credence I put in them depends on a number of factors.Amanda Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927312739323222344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-53112203855950090542009-10-27T18:16:01.940-04:002009-10-27T18:16:01.940-04:00I read the blurbs. Usually it's a case of titl...I read the blurbs. Usually it's a case of title or cover looks interesting, or someone's recommended that book, so I look at the blurb. If that interests me, I'll take a look inside where I can.Kate Paulkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02034983693134240754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-55834651531613851512009-10-27T16:57:08.442-04:002009-10-27T16:57:08.442-04:00Brendan,
Good point.
I would use the proposal as...Brendan,<br /><br />Good point.<br /><br />I would use the proposal as a leaping off point, but the books had grown and changed so much, especially books 2 & 3, that the proposal was no longer applicable.Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-67999303857960641972009-10-27T16:56:08.219-04:002009-10-27T16:56:08.219-04:00Linda,
You said: So, yes, even with authors I lo...Linda,<br /><br />You said: So, yes, even with authors I love, I read the back cover because just because I love them doesn't mean I'll buy THAT book if it doesn't look interesting to me.<br /><br />Exactly. More pressure.<br /><br />I look at blurbs, but they annoy me because they're often generic. So I wanted to make these just a little different. Sigh. <br /><br />I haven't heard back from my editor yet.Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-26765125562633174242009-10-27T16:19:03.178-04:002009-10-27T16:19:03.178-04:00Matapam,
Gee, thanks. No pressure.
If you buy th...Matapam,<br /><br />Gee, thanks. No pressure.<br /><br />If you buy through Amazon, do you read the reviews? And if you do, do they influence you?Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-58409663749241756802009-10-27T16:18:29.805-04:002009-10-27T16:18:29.805-04:00Kelsey,
You're right, with a new author it is...Kelsey,<br /><br />You're right, with a new author it is all you have to go on.Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-65376007398260417622009-10-27T15:40:05.062-04:002009-10-27T15:40:05.062-04:00What was your pitch to the publisher? Could you u...What was your pitch to the publisher? Could you use that? I presume it got your agent and editor excited, would it work on the general populous?Brendanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12290731721638936110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-87041489974775030322009-10-27T12:39:13.361-04:002009-10-27T12:39:13.361-04:00On paperbacks, that's all you have. There'...On paperbacks, that's all you have. There's nothing on the inside to read. So, yes, even with authors I love, I read the back cover because just because I love them doesn't mean I'll buy THAT book if it doesn't look interesting to me.<br /><br />Linda DavisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-56604534905611993882009-10-27T09:46:47.782-04:002009-10-27T09:46:47.782-04:00More and more I buy online. The Amazon blurb, whic...More and more I buy online. The Amazon blurb, which is probably the same, is all I have to go by.<br /><br />Not to raise the pressure, or anything . . .<br /><br />MataPamAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-18045028392019674662009-10-27T08:09:31.222-04:002009-10-27T08:09:31.222-04:00Rowena,
If I'm looking at a new author, the b...Rowena,<br /><br />If I'm looking at a new author, the back cover blurb is often all I have to go on for the book. So, at least with me, they can be a prime seller. I don't open the book and take a look inside if the blurb on the back doesn't interest me.C Kelseynoreply@blogger.com