What file formats does FirstReader accept?

.docx, .pdf, .txt, and .md files. Most writing software can export to .docx, which we recommend for best results.

How long does a full manuscript analysis take?

Most manuscripts are analyzed within 24 to 48 hours. We use batch processing to keep costs low. You get an email when your report is ready.

Will FirstReader change my manuscript?

Never. FirstReader analyzes your writing. It never modifies, rewrites, or generates prose. Every finding is a suggestion with a cited source. Your voice stays yours.

How is FirstReader different from Grammarly or ProWritingAid?

Those tools check grammar and sentence-level style. FirstReader does developmental editing: story structure, character arcs, pacing, dialogue, POV, and showing vs. telling. Editor-level feedback, not proofreading.

What if I only want story structure feedback, not prose analysis?

The Story tier (a $24.99 platform fee plus $1.10 per 1,000 words, about $113 for an 80,000-word novel) gives you chapter-by-chapter developmental analysis and a full continuity check. Plot, character arcs, pacing, timeline consistency. No prose-level feedback unless you want it.

Is my manuscript private?

Yes. Your manuscript is stored securely. When you delete it, we permanently erase everything. Your writing is never used to train AI models.

What fiction genres does FirstReader support?

All of them. Literary fiction, mystery, thriller, romance, sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, and more. The craft principles are universal to storytelling.

How accurate is automated book critique?

FirstReader is built on the same craft principles professional editors use. Highly accurate, but a tool, not an oracle. Think of it as a knowledgeable alpha reader, not the final word.

Can I use FirstReader before sending my manuscript to a human editor?

That is one of the best ways to use it. A cleaner manuscript means fewer revision rounds with your editor, saving you time and money. Professional developmental editors are already using FirstReader on client manuscripts.

Is Kindle Unlimited worth it for authors?

It depends on your genre. Romance, thriller, and science fiction and fantasy readers live inside Kindle Unlimited and read fast, so page reads pay. Literary fiction, middle grade, and children's books often do better going wide.

What does joining Kindle Unlimited cost me?

Ninety days of exclusivity. Through KDP Select, your ebook can only be sold on Amazon during that window, so you give up Apple, Kobo, and every other store.

Do Kindle Unlimited readers buy pre-orders?

No. KU subscribers are waiting to borrow the book for free, not buy it, so they will not touch a pre-order.

July 31, 2026

Is Kindle Unlimited Worth It? It Depends on Your Genre

This is the question that gets asked more than almost any other, and the honest answer is: it depends, and it depends on one thing more than the rest. Your genre. Let me explain what you're actually deciding, then who should say yes and who should probably say no.

What you're signing up for

Joining Kindle Unlimited happens through KDP Select. It does three things. It locks your ebook to Amazon for ninety days (you can't sell it on Apple, Kobo, or anywhere else during that window). It adds page-read income, so you get paid as KU subscribers read your book. And it gives you a "read for free" badge that some shoppers respond to.

So the trade is real: you give up selling the ebook wide for ninety days, and in return you get page reads and a badge. Whether that's a good deal comes down to whether your readers actually live inside Kindle Unlimited.

Who it helps

If you write romance, thriller, or science fiction and fantasy, KU usually earns its keep. Those readers are voracious, many of them read almost exclusively through Kindle Unlimited, and they burn through five or more books a month. That reading speed turns into real page-read money, and the borrows feed your rank. Romance, the various flavors of romantasy, and progression fantasy in particular are built on KU right now.

Who it doesn't

If you write literary fiction, middle grade, or children's books, hold it loosely. Fewer of those readers are on Kindle Unlimited, so the page-read upside is smaller than the hype suggests, and you're paying for it by giving up every other store for three months. Going wide (selling on Apple, Kobo, and the rest) often makes more sense for these genres.

Middle grade is a good example of why genre is the deciding factor. The buyer is usually a parent, the format that sells is often print, and the kid reader isn't sitting inside a Kindle Unlimited subscription burning through novels. The whole KU engine that works for romance just isn't there. (I wrote more about why middle grade plays by different rules if that's your lane.)

One thing to know either way

A pre-order and KU don't mix well. Kindle Unlimited subscribers are waiting to borrow, not buy, so they won't touch your pre-order. If you're running one, point your buying readers at it and don't count on your KU audience for launch-day sales.

The short version

KU is a genre call, not a universal best practice. Romance, thriller, and SFF authors usually benefit. Literary, middle grade, and kids' authors often do better wide. And whatever you choose, the ninety-day exclusivity is the real cost, so go in knowing what you're giving up.

Kindle Unlimited is one decision inside a bigger launch. The free launch playbook covers the rest, genre by genre.