What a fun book! If you're a book lover, a lover of words, then this book is for you!

Willder shares her wisdom and knowledge after decades of experience writing blurbs for the back covers of books. How to distil an idea? How to catch the eye? What makes a good narrative or a good hook?

I feel like I learnt so much about writing and all that with a fab sense of humour!

My only criticism is that it felt, at times, a little scattered - going from book blurbs to plots to Zadie Smith?

A must-read for all authors, aspiring (like me) or published (well done) or even anyone who is a fan of books (so surely that means...everyone?). It's a fascinating insight into the publishing business, which, at times, can feel as secretive and obtuse as a private members club. I learned so much reading this book-- thank you Louise Willder for sharing your knowledge, which made the private members club feel less intimidating.

Rounded up from 3.5

Blurb your enthusiasm takes you outside of a novel to show you how the blurb has been used through the ages.

It's clear from the outset that the author has a great deal of knowledge, having worked as a copywriter for over twenty-five years and I was impressed by just how many topics were covered in the book.

We delve into the origins of the blurb, then move onto classic literature to modern classics to nonfiction and most genres in between. The only quibble I had when it came to genres was she seemed to squash science fiction and fantasy into one genre, then skipped between them, confusing me a bit.

Originally, I picked this up as I hoped it would offer some help when it came to writing a blurb. Which it does to a certain extent, but it's kind of scattered throughout the novel and you have to really look for it, which is a shame.

Overall, a fascinating deep dive into blurbs and something I'd recommend if you want to know more about them.

A really interesting and informative text about blurbs and titles and words in general. I loved all the examples given and it really made me think about what I look for when choosing books. An accessible read.

I didn’t find Blurb Your Enthusiasm hugely surprising or enlightening in the way it spoke about blurbs and the process of preparing books for publication. Back in high school, my favourite teacher told us to read everything and think about it in terms of the audience, the intent, what it was trying to do — and that’s always stuck with me. I don’t remember if he had us analysing blurbs, but we did look at various different kinds of copy, and as a result much of what Willder writes here sounds like common sense to me. It might be quite illuminating for others, but that’s hard to judge.

That said, I really enjoyed writing the book anyway. Writing something really short like a blurb requires crisp writing, with attention to sound and feel, and in the case of a blurb to very specific purposes as well; that practice has honed Willder’s own writing. She’s let herself get a little wordy here, but nonetheless, I could tell that she wrote attentively, choosing the right words.

The little mouse doodles are cute, too, and her writing is light and easy to read and sometimes funny — but mostly I was captured by the crisp feel of it, the way I wanted to hang on every word even when they weren’t at all surprising.

This book wasn't quite as I expected it to be and I didn't find myself enjoying it as much as I expected, so I gave up on it about half way through.

I recognise that it will be one of those books many loved, but in this case it didn't grab my attention.

The ultimate book for any bookish sort, whether that is a reader, writer or collector. Written by an experienced copywriter, this non-fiction book looks in depth at such marketing tools as titles, punctuation, book covers, opening lines, swearing and - blurbs. It literarily is an A to Z of literary persuasion.

And it's one of the best page turners I have ever read.

Besides telling us the history of promoting books from way back in the times of Dickens (and even centuries before him) there are one or two secrets revealed. For example, puffs - those quotes from other famous authors saying how 'unputdownable' this book is - are often, as expected, not genuine. Sometimes all that is needed is some clever wordplay to disguise the fact that the book hasn't been read, never mind liked. There are examples of dubious book titles, drabbles and personal letters to serve as blurbs all with the aim of selling someone's novel. Not to mention those who believe that they are above all that kind of thing.

This is an enjoyable and fascinating read. The writing it witty and playful, concise and explicit. I've been reading books for half a century and feel like I've learned something else after reading this unique book. Get it in your collection...

​*Also has a cute cartoon mouse throughout.

A fascinating insight into those little paragraphs that persuade you to open a book...and maybe even buy it. Writing a blurb is a dark art, and proof that, in the end, we all really do judge a book by its cover!

Enjoyable, engaging and interesting! A really easy book to dip in and out of, and a lovely gift for the bibliophile in your life.

This book is a charming, witty and intelligent insight into the often overlooked world of writing blurbs.

Wilder guides us through the many nuances of that world (when authors hate them, love them, or would rather not have them at all) as well as sharing some tips for what make good ones.

But the real charm of this book is just listening to Wilder talk with deep passion about something she truly loves- a real book-lover's book.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sorry but I couldn't get into this at all and didn't find it as interesting as I had hoped. It was a bit repetitive and did not hold my attention.

A delightful bibliophile’s miscellany with a great title – not just for the play on words, but also for how it encapsulates what this is about: ways of pithily spreading excitement about books. The first part of the subtitle, “An A–Z of Literary Persuasion,” is puzzling in that the structure is scattershot rather than strictly alphabetical, but the second is perfect: from the title and cover to the contents, Louise Willder is interested in what convinces people to acquire and read a book.

Over the last 25 years, she has written the jacket copy for thousands of Penguin releases, so she has it down to a science as well as an art. Book reviewing seems to me to be an adjacent skill. I know from nine years of freelance writing about books, in which I’ve had to produce reviews ranging from 100 to 2,000 words, that the shortest and most formulaic reviews can be the most difficult to compose, but are also excellent writing discipline. As Willder puts it, “Writing short, for whatever reason you do it, forces rigour, and it reminds you that words are a precious and powerful resource. Form both limits and liberates.”

How to do justice to the complexity of several hundred pages of an author’s hard work in just 150 words or so? How to suggest the tone and contents without a) resorting to clichés (“luminous” and “unflinching” are a couple of my bugbears), b) giving too much away, c) overstating the case, or misleading anyone about the merits of a Marmite book, or d) committing the cardinal sin of boring readers before they’ve even opened to the first page?

Each reader will home in on certain topics here: the art of the first line, Dickens’s serialization and self-promotion, Orwell’s guidelines for good writing, the differences between British and American jacket copy, the use of punctuation, and so much more. I particularly loved the mock and bad blurbs she cites, including one an AI created for this book, and her rundown of the conventions of blurb-writing for various genres, everything from children’s books to science fiction. She frequently breaks her own rules and is very funny to boot.

For all of us who value books, whether we write about them or not, those seem like important points to remember. We read to learn, but also to feel, and when we share our love of books with other people we can do so on the basis of how they have engaged our brains and hearts. This was thoroughly entertaining and has prompted me to pay that bit more attention to the few paragraphs on the inside of a book jacket.

Blurb Your Enthusiasm is a fascinating and often hilarious deep dive into the history, development and context of the entire cover matter of book, from title to quotes, but with an emphasis on the blurb. The author, Louise Wilder is a copywriter with a wealth of experience, much of which she shares here.

For someone such as myself, who has studied language and linguistics, this book was a really interesting read, full of great examples, and witty anecdotes. There's also some pro tips for prospective editors on what (and what NOT) to include in their copy, plus lots of publishing secrets.

Highly recommended read for anyone in publishing, or with a love of language or the history of literature.

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review*

Overall Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

**Updated with Amazon UK review link

Blurb Your Enthusiasm is a humorous insight into the world of copywriting and the potential pitfalls that exist within it.

"This book is all about that 'something'; the power of words. How they persuade, shock, seduce, cajole, manipulate, affect and operate; how they create and capture desire."

I finished this book with a long list of books I want to read, as typically happens whenever I read a book of this kind.

Blurb Your Enthusiasm is a book for bibliophiles. There are so many wonderful little facts about famous books and authors, including a 'wizard' chapter on Enid Blyton.

The author discusses how tricky it can be to write blurbs and how some authors just won't be happy with the finished product.

"So, just as I wouldn't present an esteemed colleague as someone who rambles on incessantly, sags in the middle and could so with slimming down, neither would I tell a potential reader this about a book, true as it might be. We concentrate on the good bits. There's always something to look in a book, just as there's (usually) something to like in a person."

For me, the best bit of the book was when she describes her reaction to one of those blurbs that consists solely of enthusiastic reviews and suggests nothing of the content of the book. The following passage is my favourite of the book:

"Me, begging, tears in my eyes: please just tell me what the book is about. The plot. Please. A book cover, unfazed: A subversive masterpiece. A deep and touching story. The New York Times Besterseller. Go Fuck Yourself."

As someone who worked in the publishing industry for 30+ years, I can vouch for how perceptive Louise Willder's book is. I found it a really enjoyable, entertaining and enlightening read. Recommended.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m finding it difficult to review Blurb Your Enthusiasm without resorting to the cliches that Willder deplores (‘readable’, anyone?). Perhaps I’m better off keeping it simple. I found her history of the blurb both entertaining and informative (oh no, another cliche!) and I feel like I’ll never look at, or indeed, skim over, a blurb in quite the same way again.

Louise Willder writes blurbs for books. That is, she writes the words we see on the dust-jackets or backs of books, usually outlining the plot and helping us to decide whether we will like the book or not. She estimates that she’s written over 5,000 so far. Her new book, Blurb Your Enthusiasm - An A-Z of Literary Persuasion, tells us about blurbs and how the copywriters go about writing them. We’re shown some “interesting” interpretations, e.g. the edition of Pride & Prejudice that had “Mom’s fishing for husbands – but the girls are hunting for love.” Poor Jane Austen must be revolving like a Catherine Wheel in her grave!

This is such an enjoyable book, I didn’t want it to end. I’ve never written that sentence about a non-fiction book before! There are 47 sections covering well over 300 pages, but I would happily have read as much again. I love the way Willder relaxes as the book progresses and freely expresses her likes, e.g. “You prise my copy of Lace out of my cold dead hands.” There are some insights into blurb-writing that should apply to all non-fiction: avoid too many adjectives, adverbs and qualifier such as “very”; use clear and concise language with short sentences; active rather than passive language. If you’re interested in books or just interested in language, I think you will really enjoy this book.

I understand that the American Federal Trade Commission requires me to state that I received a free review copy from Oneworld Publications via NetGalley. However, my opinions are my own and are unbiased.


#BlurbYourEnthusiasm #NetGalley

Until reading this, I never realized how much of an art form blurbs are and how hard it is to get them right. The author struck a perfect balance between providing an insight into the importance of blurbs, the people behind and how authors can be a help or a hindrance to the blurb writing process. I loved the examples the author provided and since reading it I've found myself lingering more on the blurbs at bookshops to try and determine what it is that draws me to pick one book over another. Overall, highly recommend this.

If a particularly literate squirrel took a bunch of uppers and went to town on a typewriter, the resulting verbiage wouldn’t have half the wit or chaotic energy as this book.

‘Blurb Your Enthusiasm’ had me hooked from the title alone. I love puns, and I LOVE books. A book about marketing books sounded like the ideal choice for my next non-fiction read.

Louise Willder’s love letter to copywriting is the kind of tome you’d find on a writer’s desk: it would be well-thumbed and well-tabbed, a reference point for the do’s and don’t’s of Good Writing. (That goes for all copy, not just blurbs.)

Willder has worked in publishing for 25 years as a copywriter, and I am in absolute AWE of how knowledgeable she is in the art of copywriting – and how widely read she is.

You’ll find references to Dickens and Hemingway, ‘Fleabag’ and ‘The Devil Wears Prada’, Enid Blyton and Andy Griffiths. The lofty classics and the commercial paperbacks, the exulted and the hated, the award-winners and the banned – they’re all here.

– and, yes, Neil Gaiman makes an appearance on page 236. TICK. TICK. TICK.

Willder’s love for the written word is evident in her lively, engaging tone. I cackled as much as I learned. Considering her love for puns and musical theatre, I’m now adding her to my growing list of “writers I would love to have a long lunch with.”

If you’re curious about the process of making and marketing books, if you want to improve your own writing, or if you just want to enjoy a meta bookish giggle, ‘Blurb Your Enthusiasm’ is a literary delight.

“Those of us in marketing may be Satan’s little helpers, but I think trying to sell books is worth risking the fiery pits of Hell.”

Thank you to the effervescent Louise Willder for risking hellfire to create this book, and to @netgalley and @oneworldpublications for sharing an eARC with me!

Originally due for release in October, ‘Blurb Your Enthusiasm’ is out now!

Wonderfully entertaining and informative – a joy and a delight for all book lovers. It’s a comprehensive and wide-ranging exploration of blurbs, as the title suggests, but it’s certainly not limited to that alone, encompassing as it does titles, marketing, publishing strategies, covers, tag-lines and first lines, and much more besides. The author has worked in publishing for many years and knows her subject from cover to cover. All aspects of getting books to the reader are examined with insight and a razor-sharp wit. Anecdotes abound. All in all, not to be missed.