How to Write Book Reviews

Part of my portfolio is to write book reviews. It is actually rewarding to do it because you also get the opportunity to read a lot of books!

Here are the tips:

1. Read the book. A lot of review writers think they can get around this, but it’s not worth it. If necessary, also read about the book. If the book needs a context, read a little bit of history about the environment or the writer.

2. Assemble your ideas. Instead of just sitting down and telling yourself to start writing, take the time to let things fall into place. Wait a day and think about the book before you write the review. See what sticks in your mind as good and bad. Make lists of what you responded to and didn’t. Keep your audience in mind. It may be that things you liked will not appeal to them, and if you know your audience well, you can recommend something that you did not enjoy.

3. Start writing. Don’t write the review immediately, but write a few sentences. Try to boil the book down to a very simple three-sentence paragraph. A synopsis of the book is essential to a review, but you don’t want it to take up half of the review text! Write an outline or write an opening and a closing. Try to say what you liked most or least about the book in one sentence.

4. Write the body of the review. Now that your brain has started moving, write the meat of the review. Write an opening sentence or two, then move to the summary of the book’s events. If necessary, after that write briefly about the context of the book or the writer and why they may matter. Finally, get into what matters: What you thought. Identify what was good and bad, but more important, tell the audience why. Tell the audience whether you recommend the book or not.

5. Summarize with blurbs. A modern audience, particularly one online, enjoys information stripped down to very simple sentences. Your review can be much more marketable if you write up blurbs in advance instead of making an editor do it. Give a few bullet points with pros and cons and end with recommended or not.

Recently I did a review on a novel by Mark Gimenez – The Common Lawyer – you can read it here.

Acknowledgement: Beau Prichard