Checklist category
Trade Reviews & Advance-Copy Platforms
The review outlets librarians and booksellers read, and the platforms that put advance copies in front of them. Build a submission plan with real deadlines, decide honestly which paid services fit your goal and budget, submit or confirm your publisher submitted, and record every route and result. Submission never guarantees coverage, and most outlets never reply to a decline.
The tasks in Trade Reviews & Advance-Copy Platforms
4 tasks, 20 steps
Build the trade-review plan
4 stepsYou have a written list of the outlets worth approaching for this specific book, each with its deadline, its route, and who is sending. Most trade review windows close months before publication and do not reopen.
RecommendedTwelve to six months before publication, before any deadline closesPublisher and Author and PublicistSomeone else may do it. Inspect the result yourself.Publicity or marketing
Decide on paid and advance-copy services
4 stepsYou have decided, on purpose and with the current prices in front of you, which paid reviews and advance-copy platforms fit your goal and budget. These are real costs with no guaranteed return.
OptionalSix to three months before publication, before the money is spentAuthor and PublisherMake a judgment about fit, cost, or strategy.Publicity or marketing
Submit to relevant trade-review outlets
9 stepsEvery outlet on your plan has either received the book or been ruled out, and you know which. On a traditional route your job is usually to confirm your publisher sent it; on your own, you are the sender.
RecommendedSix to three months before publication, against each outlet's own deadlinePublisher and Author and PublicistSomeone else may do it. Inspect the result yourself.Publicity or marketing
Track and use review results
3 stepsYou have one record of what went where, what came back, and which lines you are actually allowed to quote. Review text belongs to the outlet that published it.
RecommendedFrom the first submission onward, and whenever a review appearsAuthor and PublicistYou normally do this yourself.
Common questions
Why plan this so early?
Because the major prepublication outlets want a galley months ahead. By the time a book is printed, the main windows have usually closed, and no amount of effort reopens them.
From Build the trade-review plan.
Does submitting mean I will be reviewed?
No. These outlets choose what they cover from far more submissions than they can review, and most never reply to a decline. The plan is about not missing a chance, not about expecting coverage.
From Build the trade-review plan.
What about journals in my subject?
For nonfiction and academic books they often matter more than the general trade outlets, and they have their own, longer, deadlines. They are worth listing early.
From Build the trade-review plan.
Is a paid review worth it?
It depends entirely on what you want it for. A paid review guarantees a review, not a positive one, and not coverage anywhere else. If the goal is a quotable line for a library-facing title, it can help; if the goal is sales, the evidence is much weaker.
From Decide on paid and advance-copy services.
Are advance-copy platforms the same as reviews?
No. They distribute review copies to readers, librarians, and booksellers. They are a distribution channel with a fee, and the reviews that come back are from readers, not from an editorial outlet.
From Decide on paid and advance-copy services.
How do I compare the fees?
Check the current price on the outlet's own page before deciding, and write down what you expect to do with the result. A fee with no plan for the output is the expensive kind.
From Decide on paid and advance-copy services.
The title of this step changes depending on my route. Why?
Because the action does. If a publisher submits, your job is to confirm it went and when. If nobody else is submitting, the job is to read the current guidelines and send it yourself.
From Submit to relevant trade-review outlets.
Which of these outlets apply to my book?
Only the ones that cover your audience and format. A children's outlet, an audiobook outlet, and an academic outlet stay hidden unless your book matches, so the list you see should be short.
From Submit to relevant trade-review outlets.
I heard nothing back. Should I follow up?
Record the submission and move on. Most of these outlets do not notify a decline, and chasing them does not change the outcome.
From Submit to relevant trade-review outlets.
Why record a decline?
So you do not resubmit, so you know which routes are closed for the next book, and so anyone helping you can see the real picture rather than guessing.
From Track and use review results.
Can I quote a review on my cover?
A short attributed quotation is normal practice, but longer extracts usually need permission from the outlet, and some have written rules about how their name may be used. Ask before you print.
From Track and use review results.
What counts as a usable excerpt?
A line that says something specific, attributed to the outlet, and short enough that you are quoting rather than reprinting. Keep the source link and the date with it.
From Track and use review results.