You finished your book. Congratulations!
You took a story that existed only in your head and stayed with it until someone else could read it. You know what that took, even if the people around you don’t.
The scenes you rewrote when you thought they were finished. The hours you squeezed out of an already full life. The days you questioned whether any of it was good enough, then sat down and kept going anyway.
Now you want people to read it. To care about the characters. To feel something. To be glad they bought your book.
Now the real work starts.
You have to market it.
So you learn another job. Writing posts. Figuring out advertisements. Trying to reach people who might love your story without feeling like you’re constantly asking someone to buy something.
And even when you start getting people to your book’s sales page, there’s another question waiting.
Why should they choose yours?
They have favorite authors. Books their friends recommended. More choices than they could ever read.
They don’t know the work that went into your novel. They haven’t met the character you think they’ll love or reached the scene that makes everything fall into place.
You wish they would just give it a chance.
But you’re the author. Of course you believe your book is worth reading.
What if you weren’t the only one saying so?
What if a bestselling novelist read your entire book and found something worth recommending?
Now imagine putting that recommendation where your next potential reader will see it.
On your book’s sales page. On the back cover. In the advertisement you’re about to run.
You could share what another novelist loved about your story, with their name and credentials attached.
That is what a favorable review from The Creed Review can give you.
Who will be reading your book?
I’m Shilo Creed, a bestselling novelist whose published work has earned seven literary awards and sold more than 1.4 million copies.
I personally read every accepted manuscript in full. I consider the story, characters, writing, pacing, and qualities likely to appeal to its intended readers. Then I write an honest assessment specific to your book.
Reviews start at $249 for books up to 90,000 words. Applying is free. You receive your confirmed price and proposed completion date before paying.
What your review includes
Every accepted book receives the same core package.
A complete reading of your manuscript
I read your entire book. The assessment is based on the complete reading experience, including how the story develops and resolves.
A professionally written 200–300-word editorial review
Your review examines your book’s premise, characters, storytelling strengths, genre appeal, and overall reading experience.
You receive a polished assessment that you can choose to share with potential readers.
Marketing excerpts, when suitable
When the review contains suitable quotations, I identify lines you may want to feature in your marketing.
You may also select your own excerpts, provided they accurately represent the review’s tone and meaning.
Permission to use the review in your promotion
You may use the completed review and properly attributed excerpts on book covers, interior praise pages, author websites, advertisements, social media, newsletters, press kits, and other promotional materials.
You may also use it in Amazon’s Editorial Reviews section, subject to Amazon’s guidelines.
One professionally designed promotional graphic
You receive a digital graphic featuring an excerpt from your review. It may include your book title, author name, The Creed Review branding, and my professional credentials.
A choice of attribution
Choose the approved attribution that fits your marketing:
- The Creed Review
- Shilo Creed, Award-Winning Bestselling Novelist
- Shilo Creed, Seven-Time Literary Award Winner, 1.4 Million+ Copies Sold
Optional publication on The Creed Review
If you choose, your completed review can appear on TheCreedReview.com, giving you a dedicated review page to share.
Publication is optional. You retain the choice of whether to use or publicly share your review.
What does it cost?
Pricing depends on manuscript length. Every tier includes the complete core review package.
| Manuscript length | Review price |
|---|---|
| Up to 90,000 words | $249 |
| 90,001–120,000 words | $299 |
| 120,001–150,000 words | $349 |
| Over 150,000 words | Custom quote |
There is no application fee.
If your book is accepted, you receive the confirmed price and anticipated completion date before making any payment. You can decide whether the proposed schedule works for you.
Free application. Payment only after acceptance.
An honest review. Your choice about using it.
Payment covers the reading and independent evaluation of your book. It does not purchase a predetermined recommendation.
I approach every manuscript looking for its genuine strengths and the qualities its intended readers may appreciate. I will not manufacture praise or overlook serious weaknesses to produce a favorable assessment.
If you receive a review you choose not to use, you do not have to share it or have it published on The Creed Review website.
That independence matters. The professional perspective you share should be one your reviewer actually holds.
Here’s how to apply.
1. Send your application.
Submit your book’s first three pages, genre, total manuscript word count, and current blurb or sales description. A draft blurb is welcome.
Applying is free.
2. Receive a decision and proposed schedule.
I personally examine your submission to consider genre fit, my reviewing experience and interests, and available time.
If accepted, you receive your confirmed price, anticipated completion date, and instructions for submitting the complete manuscript.
If the timing does not work for you, there is no obligation to proceed.
3. Confirm your review.
Once you accept the proposed schedule and complete payment, your book is added to my review calendar.
I then read your complete manuscript and prepare your assessment.
4. Receive your review and promotional materials.
You receive your editorial review, selected marketing excerpts when suitable, and promotional graphic.
You decide whether and how to use the review, including whether to have it published on The Creed Review website.
Before you apply
Will this help me sell more books?
A favorable editorial review gives you a professional recommendation to use in your marketing. It gives readers another perspective to consider when they encounter your book.
It does not bring shoppers to your sales page by itself, and increased sales are not guaranteed.
Your advertising, newsletters, social posts, and other promotional efforts help people discover your book. Your editorial review supplies additional material for them to consider once they do.
Is this an Amazon customer review?
No. An editorial review is separate from an Amazon customer review. It does not increase your customer review count or contribute to your Amazon star rating.
The Creed Review provides an independent professional assessment for permitted editorial and promotional use.
Does the review certify that my book was written without AI?
No. A review evaluates the finished book and cannot certify how it was written.
What this service provides is a personal reading of the complete manuscript and a professional assessment of its story and reading experience.
Which books are not accepted?
I review within the areas where I can offer an informed professional perspective. I do not accept:
- Horror
- Erotica
- Books centered on witchcraft
- Books featuring extensive magical elements
These exclusions reflect the limits of my reviewing experience, rather than a judgment about an author or the quality of their work.
When will my review be ready?
Your anticipated completion date is included in your acceptance letter, before you pay.
You can consider that date alongside your launch or promotional plans before deciding to proceed.
What if my application is declined?
You receive a courteous response. A declined application does not necessarily reflect the quality of your writing. Genre fit, reviewing experience, interests, and schedule all affect acceptance.
There is no charge to apply.
Give readers another perspective on your story.
You’ve written the book. Now consider what a thoughtful professional assessment could add to the way you present it.
A favorable review can give you an earned recommendation for your sales page, a quotation for your cover, and material to share in the campaigns you’re already planning.
Apply to have your complete manuscript personally read and reviewed by Shilo Creed.
Reviews starting at $249. Free application. Your confirmed price and proposed completion date are provided before payment.
Want help with your storytelling or book description, too?
These services are optional additions to your editorial review.
The Author’s Story Assessment
A closer look at your manuscript, with guidance you can consider.
Additional $299
This service is only available after your application for a review has been accepted.
Your editorial review is written for potential readers. The Author’s Story Assessment gives you a deeper, private evaluation of your writing.
You receive a 4–6-page assessment examining:
- The opening hook and reader engagement.
- Character development, motivations, and emotional connection.
- Plot structure and logical progression.
- Pacing and narrative momentum.
- Conflict, urgency, and stakes.
- Dialogue, prose, and clarity.
- Emotional engagement.
- Genre expectations.
- Your strongest storytelling skills.
- The three most important improvements I recommend considering.
The assessment also includes an optional private 30-minute Zoom conversation at no additional charge. We arrange a mutually convenient time after delivery to discuss the feedback and your questions.
This service does not include line editing, proofreading, manuscript rewriting, or additional coaching sessions.
What if you want to make changes to your manuscript after the assessment? Will that change my review? Possibly! I will make one adjustment to the review if this is the case.
The Blurb Improvement Package
Help readers understand what makes your story worth exploring.
Additional $99
This service is only available after your application for a review has been accepted.
You know every character, twist, and turning point. Choosing which details belong in a short book description can be difficult.
Drawing on my reading of your manuscript, I evaluate your current blurb and write a new version designed to communicate its appeal to your intended readers.
You receive:
- An evaluation of your current description.
- A complete rewritten blurb.
- An explanation of the principal changes.
- Freedom to use, adapt, or combine the new wording with your original.
The rewrite considers the opening hook, central characters, conflict, stakes, curiosity, and genre signals while avoiding unnecessary spoilers.
You retain control over the final wording. Additional sales are not guaranteed.
FAQ
What’s included in an editorial review?
How do you choose the tone—glowing, balanced, or critical?
How long does the process take?
Turnaround depends on manuscript length and current queue, but most reviews are delivered within 1–3 weeks after we receive your materials. If you have a launch date, share it in your inquiry and we’ll confirm what’s realistic before you book.
What do you need from me to get started?
Can you review unpublished manuscripts or ARCs?
Yes. We can work from a manuscript, ARC, or proof. If the text may still change, we’ll recommend the best timing so your final review reflects the version readers will actually buy.
May I quote the review in my marketing?
Yes—once delivered, you can quote excerpts in your listings, ads, website, social posts, and press materials. I format the review cleanly so it’s easy to pull short pull-quotes, and you can always credit The Creed Review when you share.
REQUEST A REVIEW