Recently, we at the Independent celebrated a milestone in our 11-year history: We published our 3,500th original review. Along with those reviews, our columns, podcasts, interviews, and features — everything that makes up our site — have been archived by the Library of Congress since 2016.

You’ll be forgiven for having missed the big event; we mostly did a virtual high-five — a quiet but enthusiastic “Go, us!” — and then got back to work bringing you the engaging, thought-provoking publication you’ve come to expect.

But we’re proud of what we’ve achieved: that as a small nonprofit, we’ve managed to thrive for over a decade. We’re proud of our presence in the DC writing community; we’re proud of the Washington Writers Conference (whose 10th iteration next spring would’ve been 11 if not for covid); we’re proud to have become a respected voice in the world of books; and we’re proud of our network of dedicated contributors.

If we’re most proud of one thing, though, it’s that you, our loyal readers, have stuck with us all these years.

Keeping a nonprofit afloat takes a village, and we’re forever grateful for the many folks who support us by contributing their time, their talent, their precious reading attention, and — yes — their dollars.

As we enter this season of thanks and giving, we ask you to consider making a donation by credit card, PayPal, or check in any amount so that we can continue on our mission. (Donating is easy, we promise.)

Feeling extra generous? So are we! Give $100 or more, and along with our undying gratitude, we’ll send you two excellent books — fiction or nonfiction, it’s your choice — signed by their authors. (We’ll think of other ways to thank you, too!)

Beyond financial support, we ask the same thing we did in our discussion of “What It Means to Be Independent”:

• Visit us often to keep up with all the bookish goodness we publish seven days a week.
• Tag us, link to us, and quote us on social media! (As God as our witness, we’ll stick with Twitter until the very end.)

It’s important to celebrate our success with everyone who makes it possible, and that includes you, dear reader. You’re a crucial member of the Independent family, and we’re honored that you’re with us on this literary journey.

Jennifer Bort Yacovissi is president of the Independent’s board of directors.

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