Get More Book Reviews: Is an Editorial Review Worth It?

About this video

Dale explains what an editorial review is — an unbiased, reader-focused review for a published or soon-to-be-published book, used on covers, posters and the Editorial Reviews section of an Amazon page — and distinguishes it from paid Amazon reviews, which he says are bad. He discloses he tried Union Square Review at no cost, with the reviewer not told about the arrangement. He describes the service as a deep analysis of metadata (cover, back cover, formatting, colours, description, title and typos) plus a granular dive into content, structure and tone. He notes its reviewers are unnamed, overseen by a managing editor he says holds a PhD in English, with several also reviewing for Kirkus Indie. He gives the creator’s stated prices, compares them to Kirkus and BlueInk Review, and weighs pros — detail, book-club promotion for highly rated books, and discounted bookstore placement — against cons including brutally honest reviews and no refunds, concluding with two thumbs up.

Key takeaways

• Editorial reviews are presented as legitimate third-party credibility for marketing, distinct from paid Amazon reviews which Dale says to avoid
• Union Square Review is described as analysing both metadata — cover, description, title, formatting — and the book’s content, structure and tone in detail
• Dale states Union Square prices as 289 for a single review, 499 for two reviewers, and 189 for a picture book, cheaper than the Kirkus and BlueInk prices he cites
• Books rated four to five stars are described as eligible for free book-club promotion and discounted or, with two five-star reviews, free placement in independent bookstores
• Reviews are described as brutally honest with no refunds across editorial services, but authors can decline to publish a review they do not like

Episode details: published October 29, 2020 · 9:26 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Dale L. Roberts’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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