Marketing & publicity

Blurb

An ambiguous word, which is why it has its own entry. In the United States it usually means a short praise quote from another author or an expert, the thing this site calls an endorsement. In British usage, and on many retail forms, it means the book's description, the copy on the back cover or in the listing. Say which one you mean, because a publisher asking for your blurb may be asking for either.

When you’ll meet it
Prepublication and marketing
Usually handled by
Endorser, publisher, and author

Why it matters to you

Two people can agree to supply a blurb and mean different things, which is how a cover deadline gets missed. Ask whether they want a praise quote or the description.