It just depresses me that self promotion is a necessary part of artistic success, whether musical or writing or whatever. It seems too much to ask that a creative type should be enormously talented in his/her discipline AND marketing savvy as well. They seem like unrelated skills to me. Just the way it is, I know. But still it's depressing.

Since my first novel was published, I've been astounded by how generous and helpful other writers in the mystery/thriller genres have been, even the big names.

Sure, there are some prima donnas, but for the most part, I've found my fellow dwellers in the genre ghetto to be quite approachable, for blurbs, for advice, or just to hang with.

We have more fun at conferences, too.

What a sad state of affairs we are in when even literary fiction sells more based on the blurb than on reviews. A blurb is a marketing device and, as this article points out, is frequently earned through social networks rather than merit. If a writer you like blurbs a book it might mean that it will fit your tastes too, but it also might mean that his wife plays tennis with the author of the book (though few authors will blurb books they genuinely dislike), or that his agent represents her.

A review from a trusted source, on the other hand, will, if properly read, usually give you a decent idea of how you might like a book, especially if you triangulate among a few reviewers.

I can't remember the last time I even looked at a blurb on the back of a book, let alone made a purchasing decision based on one. It surprises me that people who are aware of the machinations of 'marketing' so often fall prey to them.

This post might come off as a bit pretentious, and I don't judge people who might purchase based on blurbs. It does, however, make me sad to see blurbs be so important in the marketplace.

P.S. The article is kind of pretentious too. At least this author had the benefit of being connected, however tangentially she feels, to the New York publishing scene and to many authors. How much harder it must be for those who don't have any connections to get marketplace traction. I wonder how many great novels have been written in Duluth or Watts and found no publisher, or sold in the double digits because there were no famous people to tout them. Certainly even a book as great as A Confederacy of Dunces might have suffered that fate were it not for Toole's enterprising mother. It's a sobering thought.

Benny, I've never met a single reader who's told me they bought a book because of who blurbed it.

But publishers are impressed and maybe, just maybe, they'll show the book some love in the form of ad dollars and co-op if they're impressed enough.

And as for the writer in Duluth, etc: I live in North Carolina. Thank god for the Internet, mystery newsgroups, and writer's blogs.

Folks in science fiction and fantasy are very approachable and we've got a strong tradition of paying forward on things like blurbs. I got a lovely one from Christopher Stasheff who didn't know me at all--my editor dealt with the whole thing. Since there's really not much I can do in the way of favors for Mr. Stasheff I'm trying to be open to writing the occasional blurb myself and have done two so far.

My friend, novelist Poe Ballantine, solved your problem. He writes blurbs from dead writers. Check out "God Clobbers Us All", or "Decline of the Lawrence Welk Empire," including this one:

"We'd love to have Mr. Poe at our table. I promise to keep the Bob at bay. Oh, and tell him to bring some of those round pecan cookies dusted with confectioner's sugar. Do you know the one's I'm talking about?" Dorothy Parker

I told him the last sentence should be a declarative, but who can tell the dead anything?

If you can write, it will come to you.

For my first novel, I approached writers in my genre I knew only by reputation, and had no problem finding established writers willing to read my manuscript. None promised a blurb, and a couple ended up politely passing. But with minimal fuss and bother I got blurbs which pleased my publisher and in process got to know writers who've now become friends. And, honestly, one of the closest friends is one of the writers who decided she couldn't do a blurb.

For my second book, because I'd moved publishers, I was asked to hunt down blurbs again, and my experience the second time through matched the first. Maybe the problem is the so-called "literary" world, which ultimately is just another marketing category anyway. Certainly among the genres, authors of all statures are amazingly approachable.

The value of blurbs is probably minimal, but they seem to carry a small amount of weight in a couple critical demographics: reviewers and book sellers. The blurbs themselves may be less important than the fact you have them at all. "Yes, I can take this book seriously because these established names are willing to vouch for it." And don't underestimate the power some blurbs can have. Not all readers ignore them, and I've spoken to a few readers of my own work who specifically said that they decided to give it a try because they liked one of my blurbers.

The nature of blurbs being what they are, some are more valuable than others. Certain authors are known for giving blurbs to anyone and everyone. Their intent in often to be generous, but the effect is to devalue their own endorsement. Other authors are known to be more picky, and informed readers do learn the difference.

As for the burden on us creative types to act as marketers too, well, it's the world we now live and work in. We can complain, or roll up our sleeves and do whatever we can. The trick is to figure out what you're able to do as a self-promoter, and not try to be something you're not. Some authors are more comfortable in public venues. Others can make the online world work for them. Some are willing and able to make dozens or hundreds of drive-by visits to bookstores. You do what you can. Is it fair? Probably not, but anyone who reaches adulthood expecting the world to treat them fairly needs to go back for remedial parenting. And, in any case, ultimately the most important thing any writing can do is write the best novel they can.

As a side note, I see the name J.D. Rhoades in this letters thread. I just finished his newest book, Breaking Cover, and it's a must read. That's not a blurb from some author, just the recommendation of a reader who happily recommends J.D.'s kick ass, take no prisoners thriller.