Things have been, understandably, pretty somber around here lately. So I thought I'd change course a bit and share something to make you smile.
If you've ever needed a blurb for your book, or have been asked to write a blurb (I've been on both sides of that equation), this will ring true. And while it's true that "the art of blurbing isn't hard to master" — Oh! For a world without blurbs! The bane of a writer's existence.
Enjoy this nugget from Barbara Crooker and be sure to visit Ruth at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town for the Poetry Friday round-up.
Artless
with apologies to Elizabeth Bishop
by Barbara Crooker
The art of blurbing isn't hard to master.
Pick three quick phrases, fill them in with quotes,
so full of compliments, they're thick as plaster.
So what if all of this just seems like bluster?
Don't try to separate the sheep from goats.
The art of blurbing isn't hard to master.
"No ideal reader lets this book go past her."
Use adjectives like luminous but note
....
(Read the rest here.)
Wow, I've never seen anyone write about blurbing...how delightful that Barbara Crooker herself dove in!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the smiles today. Hadn't seen that Crooker poem. Reminds me of Helena Nelson's poem:
ReplyDeletehttps://jamarattigan.com/2023/03/03/to-blurb-or-not-to-blurb/
I think writing a blurb for poetry is harder than it is for fiction. :)
Alas I've never been asked for a blurb, nor have I ever asked for one - perhaps a new writerly goal!
ReplyDeleteOh, Karen, I do love Barbara Crooker, who can be so very poignant, even while writing about a blurb! We should all rejoice "So slap those compliments sky high, go faster."! Thanks for the smile that you predicted!
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAAH!
ReplyDeleteI've blurbed a couple of times, and it's ....about like this, only more agonizing! Happy Friday! ♥
Thank you, Karen, for a well needed laugh. Oh yes, I was once asked to write a blurb for a book which... I just couldn't do it. This would have been a big help! Hahaha.
ReplyDeleteHa! I'm sure she stared out tongue-in-cheek. But, she ended up with a pretty darn good pantoum! Great poem.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a new-to-me Barbara Crooker and for a smile! Like Linda M., I was impressed with her pantoum-ing!
ReplyDeleteI think you first introduced me to Barbara Crooker's poetry, Karen, so I was happy to read this new-to-me one. She is a wonder! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI love it! "Plaster" feels like the perfect noun with echoes of its verb form. Thanks for bringing forward this poem.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you're all enjoying this one. I think it's just delightful! :D
ReplyDeleteThat made me laugh, Karen. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear of the loss of your mom and your dad, too. It's never easy. May their memories be a blessing.
Learning so much from your post, Karen - I had no idea blurbing was so easy/hard. I guess I thought of book blurbs as feathers in your literary cap! So Crooker's poem was especially enjoyable. And thank you for linking to MEZZO CAMMIN. I love the idea of women poets writing in form. All sorts of inspiration there!
ReplyDeleteKaren, that was a fun poem. Thanks for sharing. I was surprised to hear you have asked for blurbs and been asked for blurbs. Bluster, bloat and compliments might be all that's needed for a good start on a blurb.
ReplyDeleteKaren, what a great poem for us that write blurbs. I enjoy writing reviews for poets that are friends with new books. Thanks for Crooker's poem.
ReplyDeleteCrooker's blurb musings 'cracked' me up! (too much plaster?) Thanks for sharing, Karen. :)
ReplyDeleteSusan, I'm happy to share the laugh! And thanks so much for those condolences. ❤️
ReplyDeletePatricia, glad you're enjoying the MEZZO CAMMIN link. And here is a link to an article in The Atlantic about blurbing. :)
Denise, most of my books were blurbed but for one of them, my editor and I were feeling feisty and thought, "Let's skip the whole log-roll of blurbing this time!" :D I've always been honest when I blurb someone else's book, but it can feel like an endless cycle and I always feel compelled to read the whole book before I comment on it.
Carol, I agree, it can be a genuine joy to write a genuine review of a book we love!
Bridget, leave it to you to continue the punniness, lol!
The poem works so well with her repeating refrains, thanks for the smiles Karen! I like the site its on too, The Mezzo Cammin!
ReplyDelete