The fact that your book didn’t score high enough for an award does not mean that you’re done with MWSA.

reviewers’ comments

• MWSA awards directors will forward your three reviewers’ comments shortly after we announce our awards finalists.

• Our reviewers are asked to evaluate your book using an objective system—involving 20 multiple-choice questions.

  • They are also asked to provide as many of the details behind their evaluation as possible.

  • Although we never release scores and internal deliberations, we share reviewer feedback/comments with our authors.

• Are your reviewers the final word with respect to the quality of your book?

  • No, but please consider your reviewers’ demographics.  All three of your reviewers…

    • are MWSA members (something you have in common),

    • are writers themselves (theoretically, a step above a “plain reader,” and also something you have in common),

    • volunteered to read your book.

    • In other words, they’re very likely “your preferred/target demographic!”

  • If three of these reviewers decided to answer our evaluation questions in the same way, it’s not unreasonable to recognize that they might have valuable feedback for you.

• What if you have more questions after reading your reviewers’ comments?  Ask if you can contact one or more of your reviewers.  He/She/They may agree to contact you and share their thoughts.

  • It happens every year: we get at least one or two books that reviewers love, but have to score lower based on our objective scoring system—they want you to succeed!

  • Although our system is designed to keep our reviewers anonymous, once the evaluation is complete, they don’t have to stay that way.

    • SOME reviewers will be happy to respond… others (perhaps even most) will not. 

    • Go ahead and ask, and we’ll see what happens.

  • Our goal is to facilitate an information-sharing and learning process—not to offer you a chance to convince your reviewer(s) how they were mistaken in their evaluation of your book.

• Frankly, in most cases, the problems identified by reviewers can be fixed with further editing—either by the author or by working with an editor.

• Visit our resources page and see if someone is offering help to work with you to address any problem areas identified by your reviewers.

• At the very least, your reviewer comments might give you food for thought.  Hopefully, the comments will help you strengthen your skills as a writer.