We're looking for strong reviews of books by, for, and about women. (No, you do not have to be a member of the Story Circle Network to submit a book review.) Though we prefer to publish reviews of books published within the last two years, as well as reviews of the classics, we will consider other submissions. If you wish to review a book outside these guidelines, please first contact an editor for approval. Browse through our reviews and review categories to see the kind of books we're interested in reviewing. For an idea of what we'd like to see, please read the section Books for the Journey in each SC Journal and our online reviews. In addition, consider the following:
You may choose any book about women's lives, any sub-genre, any subject. For a list of the sub-genres, see the online reviews. Please be sure that the book is offered for sale by Amazon.com.
Please include these elements: title, author, publisher, date of publication, and ISBN. Also include your name, address, and email address. If we have not previously published one of your reviews, please send a brief bio with your review. For sample bios, see our Review Team.
Online reviews may be up to 1000 words. We use shorter reviews in the Journal (around 200 words). We may edit your review for length, clarity, or style, or return it to you with suggestions for revision. The categories may be changed, as well.
We like reviews that go deeper and help readers understand the "why" of the book, not just the "what." Please avoid using the copy on the jacket flap (often written by a publicist who hasn't even read the book!), the blurbs on the back, and the press release that may have come with the book.
Reviews may include relevant quotations from the book. For an example, see the review of Durable Goods, written by Donna Van Straten Remmert. Notice the way Donna uses quotations to illustrate a point she wants to make about the book, as well as to give a sense of the unique voice of the narrator.
We'd like to know something about the author's background, education, or training. What other books has she written? (You can often find useful background information on the Internet.)
We'd like to know about your own personal experience of reading the book. In what important ways did you connect with it? How does the author's story relate to your own personal story? What did the book teach you or help you to see about your own life? How might it help other women?
Your review should focus on the book and your personal response to it. Please do not use the review as an opportunity to promote your own activities. If you would like us to announce your lifewriting-related publications or programs, email your request to news at storycircle.org.
For an example of a longer review, see Susan Albert's review of A Match to the Heart. For a model of a short review, see Peace at Heart, reviewed by Lina Tanner.
If you don't like a book well enough to give it at least three stars on Amazon (or a C+ in general), please don't review it. Our reviews are designed to guide readers to books they will find valuable. You may include a few negative comments in your review if necessary, but we don't publish reviews that are negative overall.
When you submit a review to us, you are giving us one-time, non-exclusive rights to print it in the Journal and non-exclusive, first-time rights to publish it on our website. We also automatically post it on Amazon unless you tell us not to. You retain the copyright to your work and are free to publish it elsewhere. If you are a working writer, you will find that clips of published reviews are welcome additions to your portfolio. If you have any questions about exceptions to this policy, please contact the editors.
Under no circumstance will we accept a review written by the book's author. If you are an author and want us to review your book, see Getting Reviewed.