The Importance of Getting Your Book Reviewed

Now that independently published books account for at least one third of all e-books purchased in the U.S., the primary challenge for authors is discoverability. A blurb from a nationally recognized publication like Kirkus Reviews is the kind of endorsement that sets a book apart. Advance reviews make readers aware of the quality of your work and provide a trustworthy, informed opinion. An important resource for publishers, librarians, and booksellers, Kirkus Reviews has provided advance reviews of the books of the country’s top publishers for 90 years.

Kirkus Indie reviews reach readers via the Kirkus website, which gets 3.3 million monthly page views. Indie reviews also appear in Kirkus Reviews’ print magazine, which has 15,000 industry readers; can be the focus of attention-grabbing marketing materials; and are distributed to Kirkus’ licensees, including online retailers, such as BN.com, wholesalers, digital newsstands, academic databases, and others. An Indie review can be used to pitch publications for coverage or catch the attention of agents, editors, librarians, and other publishing professionals.

At Kirkus Indie, a book is carefully matched with a qualified reviewer who has deep expertise in the book’s genre. And while positive reviews aren’t guaranteed, the author will always receive valuable feedback from an expert. About 3% of books receive a Kirkus Star, Kirkus’ top honor for a standout title. Reviews balance summary and critique, outline salient points, and describe strengths and shortcomings. Most books receive mixed reviews and include at least one positive line suitable for marketing materials; some books do receive negative reviews, which the author can choose to keep private.

Kirkus has helped authors catch the attention of traditional publishers. Sylvain Neuvel, for example, an SF author who had his debut novel, Sleeping Giants, reviewed by Kirkus, saw his career launched by a Kirkus Star. His experience was covered by the Wall St. Journal. Neuvel said, “The starred review I received from Kirkus won the attention of both my agents, film and literary, which in turn has led to a fantastic publishing deal in North America, the sale of foreign rights in several countries, as well as a film option with one of Hollywood’s major studios.”

Other authors have relied on a Kirkus review to boost sales, enough, at times, to reach the top spot on an Amazon bestseller list. James Bannon, author of I2, saw his novel hit number one on Kindle’s bestselling fiction list and overall Kindle downloads. Bannon said, “Kirkus definitely played a major role in making this happen!”

Whether you’re looking for feedback, a way to pitch agents, or to set your book apart from the others, a Kirkus review can do a lot of that work for you. Kirkus is now offering a $50 discount exclusively for Writer’s Digest readers for both the standard review and the expanded review.