Each issue of Wayfarer Magazine features outstanding new books across poetry, nonfiction, and hybrid genres. We offer a limited number of free editorial reviews based on the quality, originality, and impact of a book.

Our reviews are written by experienced literary professionals, including seasoned reviewers, librarians, educators, and publishing experts. While we don’t guarantee positive reviews, we ensure each review is thorough, insightful, and designed to provide valuable feedback. If a review isn’t favorable, authors have the option not to publish it on the Wayfarer Magazine platforms (both print and digital Substack).

For authors and publishers seeking a guaranteed, in-depth review, we offer a reader fee-based review service providing professional, objective evaluations—ideal for use in marketing, press materials, and outreach to bookstores and libraries.

An affordable alternative to more expensive review services, Wayfarer’s fee-based reviews start at just $225, making professional feedback and visibility accessible for independent authors and small publishers alike.

• $225 for a standard review (4-6 weeks)
• $299 for an expedited review (2-3 weeks, optional upgrade)

What other review services charge:

• Kirkus Indie: $425 (standard, 7-9 weeks), $575 (expedited, 4-6 weeks)
• Foreword Review Clarion: $499 (5-6 weeks)
• Publishers Weekly BookLife: $399 (6 weeks)

1 | Request Your Review & Submit 
Click the “Get Started” link above to select your review option and complete payment through our Submittable platform. We accept PDFs, or other digital formats. Once your order is submitted, you’ll receive a confirmation email from the Wayfarer Magazine team.

2 | Our Team Gets to Work
Once we receive your book, our editor will assign it to one of our experienced reviewers—professionals including educators, librarians, published writers, and literary experts. Your reviewer will read the book in its entirety and craft a detailed, thoughtful review.

3 | Receive Your Review
When your review is ready, we’ll send you a notification email with a PDF containing your completed review.

4 | Share or Keep It Private
If you’re happy with your review, you may choose to feature it on WayfarerMagazine.com, where it can be shared with readers, booksellers, librarians, and industry professionals. If the review isn’t what you were hoping for, you can simply keep it private—it’s entirely up to you.

Will anyone see my review if it’s negative?

If you receive a review that you’re not happy with, you have the option to keep it private. Your review will only be published if you choose to share it.

Since I’m paying for the review, will it be positive?

Our reviewers are experienced literary professionals who provide honest, impartial evaluations of every book they receive. Reviews may be positive, critical, or somewhere in between. What we guarantee is a thoughtful, unbiased assessment of your work and its potential in the marketplace. Regardless of the review’s outcome, you have the option to keep it private and use the feedback to refine your craft or choose to share the review as part of your marketing efforts or to attract the attention of agents and publishers.

How does Wayfarer decide which reviews are featured in the print magazine, or email newsletter?

Each review (paid or free) will be published on Wayfarer Magazine’s Substack digital edition. Our editors carefully select reviews to feature in each print issue of Wayfarer Magazine and in our email newsletter (12,000+ Subscribers). These selections are entirely at the discretion of our editorial team, who aim to highlight the strongest reviews across a variety of genres. We also choose standout reviews that best represent the values and interests of our readership.

How can I post my review to Amazon and Barnes & Noble?

Once your review is completed, it will be included in our content feeds, which are shared with various industry partners. (Please note that your review will only appear on platforms where your book is available.)

If your book is listed on BN.com, your review will be sent to them within two weeks of being published on the Wayfarer Magazine website. To post your review on Amazon, you will need to contact an Amazon representative directly, as they manage their own content policies. We suggest using Amazon Author Central to post the review directly. 

How Should I Format My Manuscript Before Submitting It?

We accept PDF and Word documents in any format, and formatting will not affect the outcome of your review. However, for readability, we prefer the following:

• Font: 12-point Times New Roman
• Margins: 1-inch all around
• Spacing: 1.5 or double-spaced
• Page Numbers: Centered at the bottom of each page

Please ensure you submit a final, polished version of your book, including any illustrations (if applicable). Our reviewers will evaluate your submission as a completed work.