Publishers Weekly now charges $25 for every book submitted for review consideration. But the fee does not have to be paid by publishers who are Publishers Weekly site license subscribers, which carries a minimum cost of $950. Paying $25 does not guarantee a review; it is a submissions fee only. (Authors can still pay for a review through PW’s BookLife, starting at $399.)
- For an explanation that makes this change read as good business sense—and perhaps a necessity, read Jeff O’Neal at Book Riot.
- For a counterpoint, or how it will make marketing and promotion even harder for small players, read Cassie Mannes Murray at Pine State Publicity.
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
