It’s no secret that we were more than a little gobsmacked when the Washington Post dropped its book coverage — all of it — without so much as a fare-thee-well. As we said then, we’ve been sharing our love of books with you for 15 years, and we’re not going anywhere. Book reviews matter. Especially here in DC, with its vibrant landscape of independent bookstores, there’s an audience for thoughtful and eclectic book coverage.

We owe a huge amount of our success and longevity to the one-time, sometime, and longtime contributors who consistently write the engaging reviews, essays, and more that keep readers coming back. We know they deserve to be paid for their work, and we’ve always tried to show our appreciation (as much as our nonprofit budget allowed). Starting in 2015, that meant paying $25 per piece; last year, we were able to increase it to $50.

Now, we’re very excited and proud to say that, as of July 1st, we’re increasing our rate to $100 per published piece. We hope it helps fill at least part of the gap left when the Post, the Associated Press, and other outlets abandoned books altogether.

We love books, we love readers, and we love the folks who write for us. We’re still here and we’re not going anywhere. So, come hang out with us; we’re a good read.

Jennifer Bort Yacovissi’s novel, Up the Hill to Home, tells the story of four generations of a family in Washington, DC, from the Civil War to the Great Depression. She reviews regularly for the Independent and serves on its board of directors as president. Follow Jenny on Bluesky at @jbywrites.bsky.social.