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To be good writers, we must read. Reading helps us learn more about good or bad writing. Writing a review about someone's story or book, helps us learn to examine what we read, organize our thoughts, and tighten our writing. Let's learn a bit about how to review.
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Writing a Book Review
Reviews can be informal or formal. I often used the informal approach for a blog entry. For a review for a journal, newspaper, or other publication, I follow the outline for what I call a a formal review. However, both type of reviews need to include some of the same information. The informal review may present the information less directly than the formal review.
1. The title of the story or book and the name of the author should always be included.
2. A brief blurb about the book, which should not give away the climax or plot twists.
3. What was good about the book/story.
4. What the reviewer liked about the book. What the reviewer didn't like about the book, if applicable. Whether the reviewer recommends the book or not.
Informal book reviews often take the form of a conversation between reviewer and author. Also, an interview with an author can be considered an informal book review.
I send authors a set of questions. They return the appropriate questions with their answers and other comments. I inform the author that they need answer only questions which apply to them.
The questions include the following: Author's name and title of book for the review. Authors should answer only questions applicable to him or her.
1 How did/does your history and home background affect your writing?
2. Tell us something about your educational background that made you a better, or more caring, writer.
3. Please share your hobbies, interests, or activities with us, you know the ones for during your leisure time (laugh), if you have any.
4. Authors are often asked when they started writing or what triggered their interest in writing. I’d like to know that, too, but I would especially like to know what keeps you writing.
5. (for a family person) How do you manage to write and care for your family,too?
(for an alone person) How do you manage to write and have time for relationships?
6. What inspired you to write your most recent book?
7. How did you decide the title for your book? Would you share something about your book ( bried summary without reveal any twists or the climax)?
8. Do you have a particular writing process or technique, and if so, what?
9. How do you feel when you complete a book?
10. What are your writing achievement and goals?
11. How do any writing groups benefit you and your writing? If you’re not in a writing group, why not?
12. Are you a member of any writing professional organizations (such as SCBWI, Sisters in Crime, etc.)?
13. Does writing help better you as a person? How?
14. What advice do you have for a new writer?
15. What is your favorite genre to read? Your favorite author or authors?
16. Who published your book? When was it released? Where can it be bought (include link to author’s website if he/she sells copies, link to publisher, etc.)
17. What other books have you had published by this publisher?
18. If an illustrated book, who illustrated your book?
Any other comment?
I then take the information and write it as an interview or as a conversation, as if we are chatting over a glass of iced tea or a cup of coffee. These questions and answers can also be used for an interview with the author.
For more formal reviews, I follow the following guide:
A formal book review allows the reader to get a glimpse of the book’s content, some information about the author, what is interesting about the book, what is missing or is detrimental to the book, and whether the reviewer liked or disliked the book and why.
The components of a formal book review include a heading, an introduction, a short summary (do not include ending but write an attention-grabbing blurb), other information about the book and author, and a conclusion (which includes whether the book is liked or not and why).
1. The heading contains the name of the book and the author (if illustrated, also include the name of the illustrator): examples – Dust of Lies by G. K. Davenport:
Under the heading is the phrase “review by” and reviewer’s name: example –
Dust of Lies by G. K. Davenport
reviewed by Vivian Zabel
2. The introduction should introduce the book and the author, should contain the subject of the book, a few sentences about the book (the blurb) without revealing any plot twists or the ending of the book. Garner interest without including spoilers so that review readers will want to read the book.
3. Other information about the book and author should include other books by the author (if doing a book for a particular publishers, please don’t publicize books from other publishers). Give a short but interesting sentence or two about the author, his/her style, etc. Tell whether the book has well developed characters or not, whether the plot is interesting, etc. Let review readers know whether the book kept your attention or not. Tell what or how the author kept you interested.
Tell where the book can be found (author’s website if he/she sells copies of book, link to publisher website, and add “other online and physical books stores,” if true).
4. The conclusion explains what the reviewer liked or disliked about the book, either recommends reading the book or not reading it – with reasons.
Finally, reviews can be any length, but people often have short attention spans; therefore, reviews should not be longer than a page or two. Often good ones contain only three concise paragraphs.
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