News Release Assignment
- Brandy Perry
- Apr 29, 2025
- 2 min read
IMPORTANT NOTE: The following mock news release was used for an assignment for one of my classes for a grade. I'm not affiliated with Simon & Schuster. This is not an official announcement and I don't own the quotes used. Sources provided below.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 30, 2025
Simon & Schuster Will No Longer Require Book Blurbs for Upcoming Publications.
NEW YORK, NY- Sean Manning, publisher of Simon & Schuster’s flagship, will no longer expect authors to obtain blurbs before publication, effective immediately.
The practice has been deemed unnecessary by Manning, who has been openly questioning long-standing publishing practices since becoming publisher in 2024.
Those new to the industry don’t have a fair chance of getting a blurb and it’s not necessary for established best-selling authors. Manning worries that there are many great pieces of literary work that have been overlooked because the author didn’t have adequate connections.
Some of S&S’s greatest bestsellers became so without the use of blurbs. What’s more, blurbs haven’t been proven to increase sales.
It’s time consuming for all parties involved: the author, the literary agent and the editor all have to take time out of their day to solicit for blurbs instead of focusing on current projects or seeking out the next best seller. Doing away with blurbs is meant to fix this issue.
“I believe the insistence on blurbs has become incredibly damaging to what should be our industry’s ultimate goal: producing books of the highest possible quality. It takes a lot of time to produce great books, and trying to get blurbs is not a good use of anyone’s time,” Manning said.
S&S has no intention of banning its authors from participating in the practice. If an author wants to obtain or provide a blurb, they may.
Simon & Schuster is a globally based publishing company, producing books, audio books, and e-books worldwide. Sean Manning became the publisher of S&S in 2024 after working for the company for 8 years.
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Sources:
“Why Simon & Schuster’s Flagship Imprint Won’t Require Blurbs Anymore”- Publisher’s Weekly initial announcement.
(this is where I pulled my quote from)
“Backing Down on Book Blurbs: PW Talks with Sean Manning”
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