Human editorial review
Human eyes on every submission. A human editor and AI tools work through your manuscript together, and a human editor approves every report and makes every rating decision.
Professional reviews for independent authors
Earned praise.
Honest notes.
Human eyes on every submission. A combination of human eyes and AI works through each manuscript, catching errors and marking standout passages, and a human editor approves every report and makes every rating decision. Rated 4 or 5 stars? You receive a polished review from The Sheridan Review to quote on your cover, website, and press kit. Not there yet? You receive the full editorial notes and a marked-up copy of your Word file, privately.
Introductory rates from $44.95 per book. 2–3 week turnaround. Same fee for every outcome; ratings are never tied to payment.
The process
How it works
A simple, transparent process designed to protect both your book and the integrity of every review we publish.
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01
Submit your book
Send us your finished manuscript or published edition, along with its genre and word count.
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02
Human eyes + AI
Your manuscript gets a combined read: a human editor and AI tools work through it together, catching errors and continuity issues and marking standout passages.
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03
Human editorial review
A human editor reviews your manuscript and the flagged material, then writes, revises, and approves every word of the report and decides the outcome.
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04
Your result in 2–3 weeks
4 or 5 stars: a star rating and a publishable, quotable review. Did not yet meet our standards: no rating, nothing published, and you receive the editorial notes plus a fully marked-up Word file.
4★ or 5★ A review you can quote
Your star rating, a written review of about 250–300 words, permission to quote it, a digital star badge, a feature on our Recommended Reads page (your cover, title, star rating, the full review, and a link to buy your book), and a list of flagged grammar errors, alongside your editorial notes.
Not yet Did not yet meet our standards
No star rating is given and nothing is published, ever. You receive the editorial notes plus a fully marked-up copy of your Word file, with substantial margin notes and tracked grammar corrections throughout, ready for revision.
Deliverables
What you get
Every submission receives the same careful review. What comes with it depends on the outcome.
For every author
Editorial notes report
3–5 strengths, 3–5 areas to improve, and a sampling of flagged errors and continuity slips, so you know exactly where your book stands.
2–3 week turnaround
Your report arrives within two to three weeks of your submission being confirmed.
4★ or 5★
Plus, if your book is rated 4 or 5 stars
- Star ratingYour Sheridan Review rating of 4 or 5 stars.
- Written reviewAbout 250–300 words, with lines ready for covers and press kits.
- Permission to quoteUse the review in your marketing materials.
- Digital star badgeFor your website, ads, and social graphics.
- Recommended Reads featureA feature on our Recommended Reads page: your cover, title, star rating, the full review, and a link to buy your book.
- Flagged grammar listA list of grammar errors we flagged (flagged only, not a full mark-up).
Not yet
Plus, if it did not yet meet our standards
- Fully marked-up Word fileA copy of your .docx with substantial margin notes and tracked grammar corrections throughout, so you can revise with everything in place.
- Nothing publishedNo star rating is given, and your result stays private.
Pricing
One flat fee per book
Priced by word count, and the same whatever the outcome. You pay for an honest review, not a result.
Introductory rate
Up to 80,000 words
Regular price $59.95
Introductory price: $44.95
Flat fee per book
Submit in this bandIntroductory rate
80,001–120,000 words
Regular price $79.95
Introductory price: $64.95
Flat fee per book
Submit in this bandIntroductory rate
Over 120,000 words
Regular price $99.95
Introductory price: $84.95
Flat fee per book
Submit in this bandIntroductory pricing for our launch. Regular prices apply after the introductory period.
Every price includes
- Human editor review
- Editorial notes report
- 2–3 week turnaround
- 4★ or 5★: review, badge, Recommended Reads feature & flagged grammar list
- Not yet: fully marked-up Word file
The fee never influences the outcome. Every book is reviewed and judged by the same standard.
Sample review
What our reviews look like
This is an illustrative example written for a fictional book. The title, author, and rating below are invented to show format and tone only.
The Lanternkeeper's Daughter
Set on a wind-scoured stretch of Great Lakes shoreline, The Lanternkeeper's Daughter is a quietly assured novel about inheritance, weather, and the stubbornness of grief. When Maren Holt returns to the island lighthouse her late father kept for forty years, she means to stay only long enough to sell it. The season, the town, and a box of her father's logbooks have other plans.
The prose is spare without ever feeling cold. Storms arrive on the page with real menace, and the quieter passages, Maren repainting the lamp room or reading her father's terse weather notes, carry just as much feeling. The relationship between a reluctant daughter and the lighthouse she never wanted unfolds with patience, and the supporting cast of islanders is drawn with warmth and a welcome lack of sentimentality.
The novel's greatest strengths are its sense of place and its restraint in the final act, where lesser books might have reached for melodrama. A slower middle section asks for patience, and largely earns it; readers who prefer brisk plotting may want to settle in for the long winter chapters. The logbook entries that open each part are a lovely structural touch, giving the father a voice the novel otherwise withholds, and the closing pages land with a quiet, well-earned grace that lingers after the final storm has passed.
A thoughtful, atmospheric read for anyone who loves character-driven fiction with salt in the air, and a confident book that knows exactly what kind of story it wants to tell.
About
Meet the editor
Dan is a lifelong lover of books of all genres and ages. He has published two children's books, and his debut novel, The Astonishing Brain of Billy Bob VanDerBeek, is upcoming.
He lives in Highland Park, Illinois, with his wife and daughter. He loves Lake Michigan, bike rides, and adventures.
Questions
Frequently asked
How much does it cost?
One flat fee per book, based on word count. Our introductory rates for launch are $44.95 up to 80,000 words (regular price $59.95), $64.95 for 80,001–120,000 words (regular price $79.95), and $84.95 over 120,000 words (regular price $99.95). Regular prices apply after the introductory period. The fee is the same whatever the outcome.
Am I paying for a good review?
No. You're paying for an honest editorial review. The fee is identical whether your book is rated 4 or 5 stars and receives a publishable review, or did not yet meet our standards and receives private notes. Ratings are never tied to payment.
What if my book did not yet meet your standards?
No star rating is given and nothing is published, ever. You receive the full editorial notes report (strengths, areas to improve, and a sampling of flagged errors and continuity slips) plus a fully marked-up copy of your Word file, with substantial margin notes and tracked grammar corrections throughout. “Yet” is deliberate: many books get there with revision.
What do I get if my book is rated 4 or 5 stars?
Your star rating, a written review of about 250–300 words with permission to quote it, a digital star badge, a feature on our Recommended Reads page (your cover, title, star rating, the full review, and a link to buy your book), your editorial notes report, and a list of flagged grammar errors (flagged only, not a full mark-up).
How long does it take?
Two to three weeks from when your submission is confirmed.
Can I post the review on Amazon or Goodreads?
Not as a customer review. Our reviews are editorial reviews, so they shouldn't be posted as customer reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, or similar sites. They belong in Amazon's Editorial Reviews section, on your website, on your cover, and in your press kit.
Do you use AI?
Yes, and we're glad to be upfront about it. Every submission gets a combination of human eyes and AI: a human editor and AI tools work through the manuscript together, catching errors and continuity issues, marking standout passages, and helping prepare the report. A human editor approves every word of the report and makes the final rating decision.
Who decides the rating?
A human editor. AI tools never set or approve a rating, and the outcome is never influenced by the fee.
Can I resubmit after revising?
Yes. If you revise your book using the editorial notes, you're welcome to resubmit it. A resubmission is treated as a new submission at the standard price for its word-count band.
What file formats do you accept?
We recommend a Word (.docx) file. If your book does not yet meet our standards, the fully marked-up copy with margin notes and tracked corrections can only be prepared from a .docx. We can also review EPUB, PDF, or a print copy by arrangement, but those submissions won't receive a marked-up file.
Get started
Submit your book
Tell us about your book and we'll be in touch with next steps, scheduling, and payment details. No payment is taken through this form.
- Human editor on every submission
- Introductory rates from $44.95, same for every outcome
- Full editorial notes for every author
- 4★ or 5★: review, badge, Recommended Reads feature & grammar list
- Not yet: fully marked-up Word file
- Results in 2–3 weeks
Thank you!
We've received the details for your book. Your introductory rate will be . We'll be in touch by email with next steps.