Editorial Reviews and Book Awards

Reader reviews matter, but editorial reviews — from professional reviewers, publications, librarians, and teachers — can carry extra weight, especially with schools, libraries, and bookstores. Awards can help too. Here's how to pursue them wisely, and which offers to avoid.

Editorial reviews vs. customer reviews

• Customer reviews on Amazon come from readers, under Amazon's strict rules: never paid for, never swapped.
• Editorial reviews are from professionals and publications. You can quote them (accurately, with permission where needed) in the "Editorial Reviews" section of your Amazon book page through Author Central, on your website, and on your press kit.

Where they come from

• Library and school review publications. Librarians often rely on professional reviews when choosing books; some publications review independent titles, sometimes through paid indie review programs.
• Book bloggers and reviewers — see working with book influencers and bloggers.
• Teachers and librarians who've used your book and are happy to be quoted.

Paid review programs

Some reputable publications offer paid reviews for independent books. You pay for a review, not a positive one — the review may be critical, and you usually choose whether to publish it. If you use one, be clear about what it is.

Awards

A genuine award or shortlist can help with credibility. Look for:

• Competitions run by established organizations, with judges and published criteria.
• Categories that fit your book (graphic novel, children's, adaptation).

Watch out for vanity awards

Some "awards" exist mainly to collect entry fees and sell stickers and certificates, and nearly every entrant "wins" something. Signs to be cautious:

• Many categories, with winners in almost all of them.
• Extra fees for stickers, certificates, or listings.
• No clear judges or criteria.

These rarely impress librarians or bookstores.

Use them well

Quote short, accurate excerpts; credit the source; and never edit a quote to change its meaning. A single good line from a librarian can be more persuasive than a long list of stars.