Writers wanted (book summary-writing projects) | ~14 cents per word

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: KIRKUS EDITORIAL

Kirkus Editorial is seeking remote freelance writers to work on summary-writing projects on an ongoing basis. We’re looking for professional, organized individuals who can work independently to meet deadlines—writers who thrive on exceeding customer expectations.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reading a full-length text.
• Writing a chapter-by-chapter summary of the entire text. This summary should remain concise and objective and should not include the writer’s interpretation of either the text or the author’s views. These summaries should be between 6 and 8 percent of their book’s word count (therefore, an 80,000-word book would have a summary between 4,800 and 6,400 words).

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE HAS THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS

• 2+ years of professional experience writing for print or online media
• Exceptional writing skills
• Ability to meet deadlines while maintaining high-quality standards
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word
• Ability to condense information down to key ideas, written in a direct and objective style

RATE

Kirkus pays $.01/word (based on the word count of the source book) for reading the manuscript and writing the summary (e.g., reading an 80,000-word book and writing the 5,600-word summary would pay $800).

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your résumé and cover letter to Robin O’Dell (RODell@Kirkus.com). No phone calls, please.

ABOUT KIRKUS

For more than 85 years, Kirkus has been one of the most influential voices in publishing. Librarians and booksellers use Kirkus Reviews to decide which books they should order for their shelves. Morning talk show producers and consumer magazine editors scour the pages for guidance on which authors to cover and what exciting books are being released. Our subscriber base is replete with film executives, agents, and foreign publishers looking for early scoop on the best new books. Virtually every publishing house and literary agent in America reads Kirkus in some capacity, and the hard-earned starred review remains one of the most coveted brags in the industry.

We’ve been part of the industry long enough to witness many changes, and we are sensitive to the evolving needs of both writers and readers. With this in mind, Kirkus expanded its coverage of the industry to self-publishing in 2005 and became one of the only industry giants to include independent authors. Almost 15 years later, we are recognized as the most respected curator of self-published content for industry decision makers. While Kirkus innovated new ways to help the authors it discovered market their titles to consumers and industry influencers, we also developed a book editing division that offered independent authors access to our vast network of editors working for the best publishing houses in America.

It is from this unique position—with one foot firmly established in the traditional book industry and the other standing strong in the indie domain—that Kirkus has grown into a vital resource across all segments of publishing.

JOB SUMMARY:

• Looking for: Freelance Writers
• Location: Remote
• Compensation: Kirkus pays $.01/word (based on the word count of the source book) for reading the manuscript and writing the summary (e.g., reading an 80,000-word book and writing the 5,600-word summary would pay $800).

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Questions / applications: rodell@kirkus.com

Website: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/

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