Last Updated on January 21, 2019 by ThoughtsStained
Hello, dear readers!
One of my favorite posts to read from other book bloggers are their discussion posts, where they pose a question they are curious about or a controversial topic/opinion–or perhaps even a rant–in the hopes that it will ignite discussion with others. I love them because the topics are always so interesting and I usually have an opinion about it, one way or the other, so it’s hard to resist the urge to discuss (which, I realize, is exactly the point).
I’ve always been hesitant to try and start any up myself, because I either a) don’t think any of the discussion points are good enough or b) am worried no one would actually comment below, making it not much of a discussion, but just a general rant or rambling musings post (which I do plenty of both already). So, I decided to not really try and make an extra effort to make any discussions, instead participating in all those that I discover and enjoy.
Of course, that means that my brain has been coming up with nothing but potential discussion post ideas, so I thought, “F-it. Let’s do it anyway.”
So, here we are. I’m not going to worry too much about how active my discussion posts are, if I decide to continue doing them. Like all the other posts, I’m going to write them because I want to. And if people enjoy them, great! But if no one reads it but me, well, I needed to get it out of my head, anyway. 😉
This idea actually came from my boyfriend, who brought it up with me more than once, so I think he’s generally curious about the answer, which got me thinking, and now I’m curious, too. We wonder:
If you published a book, would you rather have a) a blurb from your favorite author on your cover or b) be blurbed on the cover of your favorite author’s book?
He asked me this question out of the blue one day and I felt like I had an immediate answer: their blurb on my book, of course. That is my favorite author (though don’t ask me to actually pick a favorite) commenting and praising my book. Who wouldn’t be absolutely ecstatic!? That’s like…one of the most incredible things to possibly happen!
But then I thought about it more. “Wait a second,” I wondered. “If my blurb is on their book, then that means they respect me enough as an author to want my words to help promote their book!” Thinking even more deeply, when it comes to a few authors on my favorites list, I would have had to make it big as an author myself for them to want me to blurb their book and I can’t say that sounded too shabby, either, which didn’t make it any easier to pick which option I’d truly want.
Hell, I still don’t know which I’d rather have (because honestly, they both sound incredible).
But, after we discussed the pros of both, he was like, “Can you ask all those friends you have on the Twitterverse and see what they think?”
One) I thought it was really cute he thought I had a lot of friends on Twitter (though I do love you all <3) and two) I think it’s even more wonderful that he’s taken such an interest in my writing career, even though it hasn’t started yet, that he’s thinking about different aspects of it, like blurbs, enough to want to know more about it. Sure, I’m cheating and I wrote a blog about it instead, but I’m sharing it on Twitter, so that counts for something, right? 😉 I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments, if you have the time and are so inclined! Thanks for reading my first attempt at a discussion post!
Cheers.
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Man, I think A, but that’s a really hard question.
Right!? I can’t definitively pick.
Right!? I couldn’t decide which one, ultimately!
This is a TOUGH question! I would rather write a blurb for my fave author because that is one way I could give back after all the enjoyment I got from his/her previous books!
Ooooh, that’s a great take on it!
Definitely would want my favorite authors blurb on MY book! Especially if that author was well known and everyone decided to read my book because the author blurbed me😁
I was definitely leaning towards that way! But then I also thought, “What if that author was well known and everyone shall my name on THEIR cover!?”
It’s such a hard question.
Interesting discussion! I’m not bragging here, when I was still on Booknest, I’ve had my review featured as a blurb for one of my favorite authors of all time, it’s on the back of A Time of Dread hardcover by John Gwynne, and it made me happy beyond words because I was the only blogger’s review featured. I’ve had some of my reviews appeared on some of my favorite books too and the feeling of happiness never get old. BUT, regarding this:
“If my blurb is on their book, then that means they respect me enough as an author to want my words to help promote their book!”
This is only true for self-published books where the author has total control. You have to know that in traditionally published books, most of the time it’s publishers who chose which review to be featured on the book rather than the author. Of course it’s not always and I think sometimes a few authors do have the power to push for it but as far as I know, most of the time it’s publishers who chose it.
Sooo, regarding your question, I think until both situations happen, I can’t really decide which one I’ll prefer more. Having your favorite author’s words on the front cover of your book is something I imagine would be insanely gratifying, but I don’t know how much yet compared to having my words being featured as a blurb on their works.
(THIS, of course doesn’t mean that we have to write a review for the purpose of getting a blurb. That’s dumb. I know a few people who do this. Don’t. Your review loses a lot of value the moment other readers find out that you write solely for the purpose of being blurbed. And believe me, readers who follow you WILL know.)
Wow, Petrik, that is so cool!!! I’ve heard of bloggers who have been blurbed on books before, but I don’t think I’ve ever “personally known” someone who actually had that happen, so that’s awesome!
Ah, you know what: I didn’t even *think* of that, but you’re so right!! It usually isn’t in the author’s control and that’s something I didn’t even think of! Thank you for bringing that up, that was a great point.
Also, I hope you don’t think I was advocating for, “only write reviews for the purpose of reviews.” That is *definitely* not my intention, nor the reason I write reviews! It was just a fun discussion my boyfriend and I were having, so I was curious to see what others thought!
It’s indeed really cool! Hahaha, and you’re welcome!
Oh no, don’t worry! I’m not saying that you’re writing reviews for the purpose of blurbs, not at all! It’s just that I know some reviewers who write for this purpose and I’m just baffled by it… Like why!? Unnecessary validation?
This really makes a great discussion though. I don’t think I’ve ever seen any blogger post this topic. Great job, Nicole! 🙂
Oh gosh. *wipes sweat off brow* I thought you thought that was I was trying to do and I was freaking out, because that is *NEVER* my intention. Of course, it’d be really bloody neat, but I write my reviews selfishly. My IRL friends won’t talk books with me, so I have to find someone else who will. 😛
Thank you for pointing out what I obviously missed! I can’t wait to tell my boyfriend about that aspect and see what he thinks about it! Thank you, as always, Petrik! 😀
I would never do that, Nicole! You’re one of the nicest person I’ve met in the bookish community!
You’re always welcome! 🙂
Ohmygosh, Petrik, you are being *way* too sweet. Thank you so much. <3
I would choose A, for mostly the same reasons Tammy listed. Especially if you were a new author! 😀
It’s a pretty good reason, you’re not wrong. 😉
Hmm…If I wrote a book I’d want A. Since I haven’t written one and just review right now B would be awesome.
I think your question gets more complicated though depending on whether the author is self-published or through a publisher. From what I’ve read the author has little or no say about whose blurb ends up on the book cover. And publishing houses sort of fish for blurbs from authors to go on covers.
That’s what I didn’t even think of! I feel like an idiot for not realizing it and just assuming the author, traditionally published, has a say on who is blurbed on their cover. *facepalm* That totally changes the perspectives of it!
I think on a personal level I’d be more tempted to read what an author would say about my work. I think that would be something I would treasure.
On the other hand, I wonder which would yield more awareness. Granted, an established author praising a newly published work would certainly elevate it, but I wonder if the second option would actually end up being seen by more eyes, since it’s likely more people would read the established author’s book than my own, regardless of other circumstances. Of course, whether anyone would look me up because my name appeared in reference to their book is another matter.
But yeah, personally I find the former more appealing, but logically I’m not sure which would yield more positive results.
Of course, I think first and foremost it would be important to defer to the established author, who would be doing a great kindness regardless of which they offered.
You bring up a lot of great points, Adam! I also would be totally humbled that any author would be willing to read or blurb my novel (I’m going to be an absolute mess once I get to that point in my career), so you’re not wrong about that!
I thought it was an interesting query, so thank you so much for sharing your input!!
Agreed. A very fertile topic.
I’m going with A – I would love to have Bill Bryson write a blurb that would go in my book. That would be amazing and make my book even better as it sat on my shelf next to Bill’s books.
That would be so neat!!
I think I’d have to go with A, too! The point about traditionally published authors having little to no say about their jacket copy is a really good one, and also I think option A is going to yield more awareness/exposure.. Plus I don’t really have many authors that I’m really swoony about, so I guess that likely factors in. And who doesn’t love to hear something good about their work?!
Yeah, I feel like an idgit forgetting that key point! Really, you don’t have a lot of authors you’re swoony about? I have so many, I don’t think I can narrow it down!
Haha no, I don’t! Like I LOVE a lot of books, but I honestly can’t think of a single author that’d I’d go ga-ga to meet… (what does that say about me?) I mean, unless I already felt like I knew what kind of a person they are? Maybe Stephen King, purely on the basis of his Twitter. Or Stephen Fry, he’s hilarious. But like… Not really?
That is so interesting to me! I’m not sure what that says about you, except it’s an awesome opinion I’d never considered before (why I assumed everyone would go nuts to meet the author of a book they loved is beyond me; perhaps the topic of another post! *waggles eyebrows*) I definitely have a ton of authors that I would love to be real life friends with.
This is such a complicated question… I was just like you, I immediately went to the “their blurb on my book” answer, because how amazing would it be for them to just, blurb YOUR WORK, someone you admire so much?! But then again, being on their book would be something else entirely… wow, I don’t know which one I’d pick, can I get both somehow? 😂 I think I might go with the A, though, because deep down I’m still dreaming of writing my book ahha. 🙂 This is an interesting question!! 😀
Right!? Even after reading everyone else’s responses, I seriously don’t think I can pick between the two (I’m think I’m still going to try and push for both. :P). My boyfriend was pretty stoked he came up with a good discussion question!
Ahah well he can be, that was a GREAT question 😀
I don’t think I’ll ever publish a book because academic writing is more of my comfort zone so I think because of that reason alone, I’d want to have my words as my fave author’s blurb. I can totally see how this would be a tough thing to decide! 💛
It would be so surreal, right? I can’t even imagine something like that!