Every horror writer knows the story. When Clive Barker first released Books of Blood, it was met with—for all intents and purposes—crickets. When its story was translated into the film Hellraiser, however, the hand of God (in the form of Bangor, Maine’s most famous resident) plucked Barker from relative obscurity and thrust him into the spotlight. I have seen the future of horror and his name is Clive Barker. One sentence of praise (slapped onto the cover of subsequent editions of Blood, naturally) and suddenly, “an unknown author of some books of short stories that nobody was buying” could write his own ticket for the rest of his career.

Ah, for a chance at a blurb such as that.

A book’s summary or description provides readers with an overview of a book’s content. A book blurb, on the other hand, is an endorsement of the book (and/or its author). While authors might pine for a thumb’s up from Stephen King, well-written words of praise from anyone with expertise in the field can pull eyes onto work that might otherwise be neglected. Although blurbs are not required to increase sales, they can often glean attention from booksellers and readers as well as be an invaluable addition to a book’s marketing plan. But how can a newer press or indie author obtain one?

Who to ask

First, consider the content and target audience of your book. Although it might be considered priceless on a horror work, King’s endorsement would be impractical for a religious studies text or romance novel. Narrow the pool of possibilities even further by considering the length or format of the piece. For example, if you’ve written a collection of short stories, seek out someone who excels in short fiction. Finally, align your wish list of possible candidates with the subgenre of your work. If your book is extreme horror, seek out a splatter specialist; if it’s a collection of Lovecraftian poetry, make a list of cosmic horror creators to approach.

Keep in mind, the person writing a blurb for your book is doing you a favor, not the other way around. While it is flattering to be asked to write a blurb, it also requires quite a bit of work, and the blurb writer gains very little from having his/her name on your book.

How to ask

It follows basic logic: if the person you ask for a blurb is an expert in the field, s/he is going to be busy. It’s also a safe bet that the expert has been asked to blurb others’ work. Understand that while your book might be the best piece of literature conceived this century, others have commitments and lives outside of your needs, and sometimes, your timeline just won’t jive with another’s workload.

Perhaps you follow the author on social media. If so, you could reach out to him/her in a direct (private) message there. However, a thoughtfully crafted email is a more formal, and therefore preferable, method. If the author maintains a website, there may be an email contact form (or link) there. It should go without saying, but don’t post your request publicly as a comment on the expert’s social media feed.

Remember: you are not a used car salesman working on commission. While your goal is to convince the expert to give your book a look, don’t corner or aggressively accost the person. A polite and to the point message is your best approach. One frame to try:

Dear (Expert),

I am (a simple phrase indicating what kind of author you are) and (how you know of this expert, whether you have met, are a fan, or follow him/her on a social media). I have a (kind of book you wrote) coming out (release date) from (publisher), and I am writing to ask if you might have the time and/or interest in writing a blurb for it. (Name of the work) is (one sentence summary of what your book is about).

If the answer is no, I completely understand. I hope this letter finds you well and I appreciate your time!

Sincerely,
(You)

If the expert agrees to read your work, provide the ARC immediately, and be clear (and rational) about your deadline. Never expect someone to read and blurb a book in under a month: as a former office manager I know likes to say, “Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.” A safer bet is a three-to-six-month window.

If the deadline for the blurb is rapidly approaching (i.e., a week away) and you have not heard from the person who agreed to write the blurb, send a gentle and polite reminder. If you still do not hear back, assume that the person did not care for the book or was unable to read it due to other commitments. While of course it is bad form to agree to write a blurb and not follow through, it is also irrational to expect a stranger to work his/her life around your needs.

No matter what, do not—and this bears repeating due to some of the recent lack of basic manners on social media platforms—DO NOT deluge an expert’s inbox with messages or emails: not when initiating the request, and not when following up. It is one thing to be rejected; it is quite another to come off as an obnoxious, spoiled brat. Don’t leave another author with a bad taste in his/her mouth because you are ambitious; bad behavior is rarely forgotten.

Be gracious, grateful, and authentic

When the book releases in print, reach out to the expert and offer to send him/her a copy, and follow through with that promise with a heartfelt thank you. You wouldn’t expect a reviewer to pay for a copy of the book and you should never expect a blurb writer to pay for one, either.

Finally, the only thing worse than an obnoxious author is a dishonest one. While most authors will have no issues with you tweaking their blurb for grammar, syntax, or space, do not swipe praise for a different work to use to promote a new one without checking with the author first. "If you're planning on using an excerpt from a review posted online to promote the book being blurbed about, that is great. Just don't use the quote out of context, and make sure to contact both the reviewer and outlet that posted the review to let them know in advance. If you're using a blurb that hypes the author from a previously reviewed release or a quote from an interview, you should absolutely get permission in advance. A reviewer or outlet may have loved that previous release but might not want to support the new release due to the content found within," notes Stuart Conover, the editor of Horror Tree.
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A blurb is a feather in an author’s cap, a testimonial of sorts that tells readers that your work is worth their time. However, it’s not worth burning your bridges over. Being courteous, respectful, and honest will win you more loyal readers—and colleagues—in the long run.