Reviewing:
I wanted to post some helpful tips to start readers out in reviewing. I keep
seeing so many that thinks re-telling the story is reviewing. Remember you’re
not doing a book report as you did in school; you’re doing a critical analysis
on what you just read.
Here are a few helpful things you can address when you’re
reviewing a book.
The
whole story: Did you like it or not? Why did you like it or not?
POV’S?
Was it first person, second persons or third persons? You’d be amazed some
people don’t like reading first persons POV.
Who
is the attending audience for the book?
Would
building: Was it easy to understand or not?
The
characters: Did you like them or not? Why did you like them or not?
Tell
some about how you pictured the hero and heroine. Like were they strong,
sloppy, or just mean?
Other
characters: Did you like them or not? Why did you like them or not?
Was
the sex hot or not? What did you like about it or not? Was it too much and why
was it too much. Was there taboo things in there you know others won’t like or
will like.
Did
the setting draw you in and why?
Was
there too much story being told and not enough romance?
Make
sure you keep your word count down as much as you can. Good rule is under 500
words. Just keep in mind people doesn't have all day to read a book before they
get to the book.
Villains:
I love a good evil villain, so tell me some of what the villain was like without
spoilers.
Would you recommend the book or not?
Most
of all, please don’t give out spoilers unless it’s necessary.
You
don’t have to do everything listed above but this is a good start. Basically
you need to sit back and think about the book you just read and then start
writing your feelings. Now, if it’s a book you really hated, than I do suggest thinking
about it a few days before you write the review because sometime things will
settle in your mind and you just might start liking the things you hated, if
not just be kind. Remember to have respect while you write your review, you have no clue how many hours or how much
money that author put into that book, besides someone else might just like it. I
have bought a many books others didn’t like and loved it.
Aaaaand this is why I don't write many reviews. lol I suck at them. I know years ago I gave away spoilers and just didn't do a good job at explaining why someone should read the book. So now if I really like a book I just say hey, read it, it's good. lol
ReplyDeleteSometime I feel like saying the same thing, Mary. LOL!
DeleteI suck at writing reviews too! LOL! Thanks for the tips. There's several books that I'm wanting to leave a review on but I'm not sure what to say without giving away the good stuff. I can do it in person but writing it's a different story. LOL!!!
ReplyDeleteSusan- You'd be surprised it take some of us weeks to find the write words and sometimes I don't ever feel like I did a book justice.
DeleteGood advice, It's ok to put spoilers in the review, actually sometimes its hard not to do but the main thing is if you are going to put spoilers then make sure you state "spoiler Alert" at the beginning of the review.
ReplyDeleteAlso I like to know if the book was fast paced, was it a novella or a full length novel, a series or stand alone.
Good points Ronda.
DeleteOMG there must be something in the air... I just posted an article I wrote on saving friendships when writing reviews on my blog. I hate "spoilers" and am happy when I read reviews that concentrates on the positive things within a book (rather than the negative) and at the same time leave out the spoilers. Too many times people write reviews like a book report. I know I want to know what captivated another reader...
ReplyDeleteVirginia- Sometime I feel like I am reading a book befoe I get to the book. LOL
DeleteWell in my reviews the first thing I do is write up a quick draft review in Word then let it sit for a day or 2, then go back and rework it. I have found over the years that writing a review quickly after you finish is usually a bad idea.
ReplyDeleteWriting a review online also worked out badly for me, write it on your computer where you can save it and hone it a bit until you are happy with it and it also gives you time to remember the good/bad parts of the book in case you loved/hated the ending but loved/hated the rest :)
My weakness is writing too much many times, reviews need to be a short as possible and still convey the points you want to make, I fail at this many times because I want to tell a lot and I try to NEVER use a spoiler since I consider that horrible for a review. In forum posts or such the **SPOILER** tag might be acceptable but if you are writing reviews and can't do it without a spoiler then maybe it is one you should skip (NOTE: As always I am sure there are exceptions to any rule)