Blurbs from published writers in a query

Your blog is clear about mentioning beta readers (nix). What about published authors? For example: "Tobias Wolff, who graciously read excerpts, characterized the writing as upmarket historical fiction."

I think I know what you're going to say: "Nix. Let ME figure out whether it's good or not." 

Your example isn't a blurb, it's an author offering up a category. It's akin to "Lee Child says this is a thriller."

Given Tobias Wolff knows a thing or two about fiction I'd probably take his word for the fact that you're querying upmarket historical fiction.

Given I think Tobias Wolff is a terrific writer, if he said your book was the cat's pajamas, I'd be expecting furry flannel.

However, the risk you take in quoting well-known writers in your query is that I'm familiar with the writer's work and don't think much of it. Not all writers, not even all good writers, are to everyone's taste. Generally if I don't care much for a writer's work, I'm not going to give their opinion much weight.

And I'm also very suspicious of writer blurbs. I always think of the statement attributed to Robert Parker "I'll read this or I'll blurb this, but not both."

And I understand the complex world of teachers blurbing student's books, or favors being traded at the bar at Bouchercon.

In other words, I rarely take blurbs at face value.

All in all, I'd rather you simply tell me about the novel you've written and let me figure out if it's jammies for Jinxies.

Query Question: A bigshot will blurb me, can I include that?

A high profile NYT best selling author has offered a commitment to blurb the future galleys of the ms I'm currently shopping... (and there WILL be galleys, dammit!). Good or bad idea to include this info/author's name in the housekeeping section of a query?

It won't hurt you, so why not. If you were sending that information to me, I'd want to know why HPNYTBSA has read your manuscript. Thus you may want to include that information as well.

You would say "HPNYTBSA Felix Buttonweezer has offered to blurb my novel. He read it while incarcerated at Carkoon and it soon became his favorite escapist pleasure."

The reason I'm not jumping up and down and screaming YahooooKalamazoooo about this blurb offer is that sometimes the audience for one author does not translate to the audience of another.  My fins would falter if Lee Child offered to blurb a novel by Tawna Fenske for example.  Tawna Fenske is a terrific writer, and I love her books but they are quite unlike the Reacher novels. You haven't mentioned if you think your audience will be the same as HPNYTBSA's.

At this stage though, there's no harm in including the information.

Resistance is apparantly futile, so at least do it right

There's an overwhelming temptation to include blurbs, or quotes, in your query letter. "So and So said this fabulous thing about my novel!"

I understand that you want me to know people other than your mom or your clever dog have read Fabulous Novel and liked it.

And it's fine to include those things if you can't resist (I pay no attention to them, just so you know.)

What you need to remember about those blurbs is that they are effective only if:

I know the person lauding you.

Not necessarily personally, but at least by name. At the very worst, if I google "Lauder's Name" and "author" and I don't find anything, this is a useless blurb.

The corollary of this rule is that you must use the person's name. Both of them. HoneyPie, a reader, is useless. As is Famous Novelist who wishes to remain anonymous.

Also useless is a professional designation without a name. I see this a lot from people who are querying for novels they entered in the Amazon Breakout Novel contest: PW said this and that about Fabulous Novel.

If you don't know this you should: PW did not say that about your novel because it was not printed in the pages of Publishers Weekly. A person working for PW read contest entries and made comments. Those two are NOT the same thing.

It helps if you put the name in context as well. Example: "Sophie Littlefield read my manuscript as part of a critique group. I know you adore Sophie, and she adored Fabulous Novel (insert quote here.)"

If you take a class from a famous writer or editor who reads your book, you mention that's how they read it: Mrs PiggleWiggle read my novel when I took her class on Fascinating Dialogue and she said (insert quote here)

The bottom line is that introductions or references aren't needed but if you can't resist including them at least make them effective: full name, quote, context of how the quote was obtained ALL need to be there:

Janet Reid, SharklyAgent, read my blog post and says "Too kind. Be meaner" when I accosted her at the local watering hole and held her scotch bottle hostage.

Blurbage

I've got blurbs on my mind these days since I represent some great books coming out this year. One of my fabulous clients received this email from a blurb provider: "I know you can't use this but here's my initial reaction: Fucking A, man, this is awesome."

I'm not so sure we can't use that blurb! The raw energy and genuine enthusiasm says more to me than a lot of the more ..ahem..sanitized versions I can think of.

What do you think?