Answers for authors considering a QuillQuest review.
Choosing a review service can feel uncertain, especially when your book represents months—or years—of work. These questions explain how QuillQuest Reviews works, what authors can expect, and how reviews may be used once completed.
General Questions
Do you guarantee positive reviews?
No. QuillQuest Reviews does not guarantee praise. We guarantee thoughtful attention, honest assessment, and respectful editorial judgment.
Can I keep my review private?
Yes. Authors may keep a review private and use it as editorial feedback. QuillQuest does not publish commissioned reviews without author approval.
Are these paid reviews?
Some QuillQuest reviews may be commissioned by authors. Payment covers the time and editorial labor involved in reading, evaluating, and preparing the review. Payment does not determine the outcome of the review.
How should I disclose a commissioned review?
When using a commissioned review publicly, we recommend clear disclosure, such as “Commissioned editorial review from QuillQuest Reviews.” This protects both the author’s credibility and the reader’s trust.
Who writes the reviews?
Reviews are written by the QuillQuest editorial staff, including Johan Pavel and selected Pen Odyssey editorial voices. Books may be matched with an editor based on genre, tone, audience, and purpose.
Submitting a Book
What kinds of books do you review?
QuillQuest reviews fiction, nonfiction, memoir, satire, essays, children’s books, young adult fiction, speculative fiction, literary works, and selected niche projects. We reserve the right to decline books that are outside our review capacity or editorial standards.
Do you review unpublished manuscripts?
Yes. QuillQuest may review unpublished, pre-publication, ARC, or already published books. The review will be based on the version submitted.
What file formats do you accept?
PDF and Word documents are preferred for manuscripts and pre-publication copies. Published books may also be submitted through retail links, author websites, or other accessible reading formats.
Can I submit an updated manuscript after submitting?
Please submit the version you want reviewed. If substantial revisions are made after the review begins, a new review or Second Pass Review may be required.
Do you review audiobooks?
QuillQuest may consider audiobook reviews in the future. At launch, reviews are focused primarily on written book formats.
Do you review AI-assisted books?
Yes, when the author is transparent about the nature of the work. AI assistance does not automatically disqualify a book, but the submitted work is still evaluated as a finished reading experience.
Review Options and Timing
Which review option should I choose?
Choose The Quick Take if you need a concise professional impression. Choose the Editorial Review for a deeper review in usable marketing language. Choose The Strategic Review if you want to review, position, and promote assets together.
How long does a review take?
The estimated turnaround depends on the selected review option. The Quick Take is typically completed fastest, while deeper reviews require more time. Current timing is listed on the Review Options page.
Can I request a specific editorial voice?
Yes. Authors may request a specific QuillQuest editor. When no specific editor is requested, QuillQuest will assign the best fit based on the book’s genre, tone, audience, and purpose.
What is a Second Pass Review?
A Second Pass Review is an optional follow-up to an author’s revision of the book. It may include updated observations, refined pull quotes, or a short assessment of how the revised version reads.
Using Your Review
Can I use excerpts from my review?
Yes. Authors may use accurate excerpts and pull quotes from their completed review for marketing, book pages, author websites, social media, press materials, and back-cover copy.
Can I edit the review before using it publicly?
You may excerpt the review accurately, but public use should not alter the meaning of the original review. Pull quotes should preserve the intent and context of the reviewer’s assessment.
Will QuillQuest publish my review on the website?
Only with author approval. Some reviews may be suitable for public posting on quillquestreviews.com/, while others may be used privately by the author.
Can I use the review on Amazon?
You may use review excerpts where platform rules allow. Authors are responsible for following the current policies of Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, and any other platform where review language is posted.
Editorial Standards
What makes QuillQuest different from other review services?
QuillQuest treats a review as an editorial asset, not merely a verdict. Depending on the selected option, a review may include pull quotes, audience-fit insight, positioning language, and promotional support designed to help the book find its readers.
What if my review is mixed or critical?
A mixed review may still be useful. Authors may keep it private, use it for revision, or request a Second Pass Review after making changes. QuillQuest aims to be honest without being dismissive or cruel.
Do you provide editing or proofreading?
No. A QuillQuest review is not a line edit, copyedit, proofread, or manuscript rewrite. It is an editorial assessment of the book as submitted.
Can QuillQuest decline a book?
Yes. QuillQuest may decline books that fall outside our review capacity, standards, or appropriate editorial scope.
Still Have a Question?
If you are unsure which review option fits your book, or whether QuillQuest is the right match, you are welcome to reach out before submitting.