Reviewing the Art of the Review

Next week, you’ll find my second book review.  I’m excited (aiming do do one every two months and, hopefully, more frequently down the road).  This inspired me to pen a quick “refresher” post re writing one (see The ABCs of . . . Reviewing Reviewed).

If you’re new to writing reviews, or are thinking of setting up a book review blog, there are several things to consider, but let’s narrow it down so it’s not overly daunting.

The first thing to do is identify the book by author, title, and genre.  Then, add a bit of background and/or brief overview of storyline/plot.  Easy, right?  Of course!

In subsequent paragraphs, incorporate the following.  Be as detailed or succinct as you deem fit.

♦ Title:  Is it catchy, fitting the storyline/plot . . . good?

♦ Genre:  Does it fit the intended category?

♦ Storyline/Plot:  Is it easy to follow, logical, strong, intriguing?  (What’s the story about?)

♦ Characters:  Who are the main characters?  Were they believable?  Were there quests and issues to add tension, friction, or suspense?  Could you relate to any of them and if so, why?  (You may want to make mention of a favorite character.)  What about character POV: is it is logical / does it work?

♦ Did you like the book?  If you loved the book, state this.  If it was simply another well-written book, say so.  If you hated it, don’t claim you loved it, but be considerate when you provide a reason for not being enamored.  Remember: you didn’t write the book, someone else did.  We all have different writing styles and approaches; let’s respect that.

Make sure to include some author bio info—what he or she has previously written, any qualifications or awards, and website and/or blog links.

When offering a summation/conclusion, include an appraisal.  Would you recommend it?  Is there something you didn’t like about the book?  Maybe it wasn’t a five-star project in your estimation.  Why?  Is there something you would have done differently?

. . . Feel free to ding me if I follow my own recommendations/guidelines.   <LOL>

Author: tylerus

I'm primarily a writer of fiction and blog posts, and a sometimes editor and proofreader of books, manuals, and film/television scripts. Fact-checking and researching, organizing and coordinating are skills and joys (I enjoy playing detective and developing structure). My fiction audience: lovers of female-sleuth mysteries. My genres of preference: mysteries (needless to say), women’s fiction, informative and helpful “affirmative” non-fiction. So-o, here I am, staring up a new blog for aspiring and established e-Book writers. The plan: to share the (long) journey of getting to this stage, and share "learnings" and "teachings". There's a lot I hope to accomplish with this blog, but it may be a while before that happens as there's a lot on the ol' plate - taking care of Mom, working full-time, and attempting to get another book in the Triple Threat Investigation Agency series written (never mind blog postings and other writing projects). It's very challenging and it's all good. As I like to say: teeny focused baby steps are just as effective as long forceful strides. It may take a little longer, but we will get there. View all posts by tylerus