Write for Us at Independent Book Review
We are looking for dedicated individuals to review indie press and self-published books, write original guest posts, and beta read unpublished manuscripts. Continue reading for more information on each position.
Become an IBR Book Reviewer
Guess what? We’re looking for book reviewers!
This is a paid freelance position for reviewers who are willing to read across genres and guarantee a 400-750-word book review within 10 days (expedited) or four weeks (regular).
Your writing sample is the most important piece of this application. We want to see that you care about words and that you care about books and that you have the ability to communicate what you love and don’t quite love about the ones you read here.
You’ll always have the option to agree or disagree to take on books for review, but we are especially interested in candidates who can commit 2 reviews per month. If you have experience reviewing or working in the book world (reviewing, booksellers, librarians, book marketing, etc.), definitely mention that.
(And pssssttt…we’re especially interested in more reviewers in mystery-thriller, religious, sports, and humor.)
Become an IBR Group Beta Reader
A beta reader is a person who reads an unpublished manuscript and tells the author which big-picture aspects of the book worked for them and which didn’t. They don’t sound like editors; they sound like readers.
At Independent Book Review, we want to make the beta-reader search easier on authors. That’s why we started offering a service called group beta reading, which guarantees honest feedback from 3-5 separate readers on the author’s manuscript.
This freelance position would require you to read a fiction or nonfiction manuscript and compose a beta letter of over 650 words within four weeks. You will be paid an agreed-upon fee (depending on manuscript size & turnaround time) upon completion of your beta letter.
If you are a reader, industry professional, or author who gives clear critical feedback on unpublished manuscripts, we’d love for you to apply for this paid freelance position.
In the comment box below, please share a brief biography with your experience and let us know why you would like to be considered for the position. Please include up to five preferred genres that you feel comfortable reading & commenting on (Speculative, literary fiction, romance, thriller, memoir, poetry, etc.) We are particularly interested in beta readers with background as librarians, book reviewers, industry professionals, and underrepresented voices.
Publish a Guest Post
At Independent Book Review, we strive to appeal to two audiences: readers and writers. Upon publication, we will publish a short biography and author photograph to help build your writing portfolio.
Concerning the types of posts we publish, please see “10 Awesome Indie Presses You Should Know About” and “3 Tips for Writing Realistic Dialogue—From Jane Austen.”
We would love to consider articles in the following categories:
- Listicles of great indie books by genre/subject
- Writing, publishing, and book marketing tips
- Literary magazine and book publisher features
- Agents and publishers accepting submissions
- More!
If you’ve got an idea for a guest post or would like to write them regularly, please email the recommended title to jwalters@independentbookreview.com. We will be in touch if it’s the right fit for us.