The risk is fairly minimal \u2013 the cost of the review, which, granted, for many, is a lot of money \u2013 but the rewards can be substantial. So how do you decide if it\u2019s a good opportunity for you or a waste of money?<\/p>\n

1. If the review cost will drain your marketing budget, skip it.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cA budget of about $500 isn\u2019t really enough to launch a full marketing campaign, but if that\u2019s all the author is able to spend, she might want to use it for something that she doesn\u2019t come with any surprises, e.g., promotional materials or advertising,\u201d Schechnersays.<\/p>\n

2. Be honest with yourself about your book\u2019s quality. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Nobody \u2013 not Kirkus, not your cube mate, not your mother \u2013 will give you a glowing review if it\u2019s a bad book. (Okay, maybe your mother will. Maybe.)<\/p>\n

As Schechner puts it, \u201cGetting a great review from Kirkus Reviews<\/i> or any other publication is the easiest thing to understand and one of the hardest things to do: Write an excellent book. How? Read widely. Take the books you love and reverse engineer them to see how they\u2019re constructed. Write often, listen to feedback, and revise. Hire an editor!\u201d<\/p>\n