Guildlines for Submitting Products for Review Consideration
Over the last 20 years, I've had the priviledge of hearing, using, or investigating thousands of resources that relate to music, worship, technology or church ministry in some way. In that time, I have written dozens and dozens of reviews for publication. Some for professional magazines (like Worship Leader Magazine, Inside Worship, etc), some for book publication (like Ultimate Worship Resource Guide) and some for online blog and newsletters (like Digital Worship News).
Many people ask: How can I send in my CD, book or resource for Kim to review?
Short answer: In most cases, you cannot send a copy of your product to us, and we do not guarantee a review. However, you can recommend a product to us to consider.
Here are the details.
First, I don't really review things strictly on request or simply because someone submitted a request product. There are lots of reasons, but I only really do reviews from three kinds of vantage points:
- Reviews of Personal favorites - Like everyone, I prefer some music, books and resources and don't like others. I review what I like so that I don't have to review stuff I don't think I won't like. I find that lauding the great stuff that is personally a favorite is easy to do and makes for genuine writing and consistent reviews.
- Commercial review for private feedback - I have consulted with many companies, including EMI, Integrity, Vineyard and private individuals (such as Paul Baloche, Don Moen and others) on various worship and resource projects, from CD's to promotional pieces to instructional DVD's. I do this kind of review as a consultant to help critique and better my clients projects. It is indepth, purposeful, critical and sometimes painful for the producers. The point is to make whatever they are doing better. I charge money to do this. If you have a project like this for me to work on, contact me and we will talk.
- Reviews for Publications - I review stuff for magazines, including my own digital newsletter. I normally choose stuff I have drawn from the other two areas (personal/commercial reviews) as the source of what I might re-write for publication.
I do, however, get lots of people sending me material and requesting review. Due to FTC rules, I do not accept ANY product submissions of CDs, books or anything. You cannot send me review copies. I won't accept them. What you can do is simply send me a note of the specific product you would like me to consider. If it is something I am interested in, I will actually purchase the product on my own. This keeps my reviews like they have always been- a matter of my own opinion. I am not influenced by gifts or gratis products or anything, and this policy simply clarifies this.
Simply said- send me a note about the product and make sure that you include the information I mention below, in case I am interested.
If I find a CD/book etc that I think is something unique enough to work on, I may write a review. But if I find nothing spectacular or unique enough that isn't already out there in some way, I normally will pass. The reasons as simple- time and impact. I don't have a bunch of time and when I do I want to write about something that will make a unique impact.
If you wish to send a review request, I have a couple of rules related to any product we review:
- Your product must be available for sale on Amazon.com
- It should be available in physical format. It is fine if you have a digital product (MP3 album, eBook etc), but I want to listen, read and review a physical product, not a digital one, most of the time. You chances of having me review your project go down about 50% by trying to get me to consider a digital only product.
Send your review request to use directly on our Contact Us page.