1. The purpose of a review is to inform others if they might be interested in reading this book. Talk about the things that make you interested in reading a book, or if you wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, the things that make you not wanting to read a book.
2. Review the story, the book, the writing.
Don't review the cover, cover blurbs, publisher, marketing, other readers, the author, political opinions etc. etc. That is, a book is not bad because you don't agree with the author's political opinion, you didn't like a character or the character's political opinion or sexual orientation, you don't agree with the message presented in the book. It's naturally OK to say this, but don't mark a book down just because of this.
Please, don't refer to other reviews. Don't refer to other readers.
Don't say "Here's my unabashed assessment, untainted by the millions of people who seem to LOVE this book". I don't give a crap about how unabashed you want to appear, how intelligent, above the stupid crowd, who LOVES things that are obviously below your level, and the level of any independently thinking, intelligent person.
3. Be civil. Be kind. Be polite. Try to think the author is a person you like and how you would feel if someone spoke to or about that person the way you talk about the author. What if it was you and your book?
Be honest. Don't use the review to hurt the author, to make an impression of yourself, to promote some other books
4. Start with a short description what this book is about, so that people know you have actually read the book :-D (Don't review books you haven't read. It's OK to review books you didn't finish, if you read at least 1/4 of them, because the reasons why you didn't finish it are important. Reviewing hearsay or blurb is stupid.)
5. What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? What irritated you, what enchanted you?
How did the story affect you? How did you feel about it? How did it leave you?
I really like reading people's reactions, especially the illustrated ones :-D
Was it an easy or a hard read? Why
Personal connections?
Why did you choose to read the book?
Did it keep the promises? Fail them? Exceed them?
What did you learn, realize from this book?
How are you different since reading this book?
Would you recommend it? To whom?
Think that maybe the author actually reads your review, and learns from it. If you just pour bile over it, the author will just get sad and won't change anything, but if you give constructive criticism.
You give constructive criticism by following the sandwich theory :-D Sandwich the body of criticism and everything negative between two pieces of something positive, good, nice, encouraging.
Be sure to state your opinion as just that, by saying "I think, I love, I hate, I like, in my mind, I feel, I believe..." Avoid absolutes and exaggerations.
Always say what you think the author could have done differently, better, how the author could fix this problem etc. Give solutions, suggestions and advice, not just judgment and condemnation. :-D
Explain both good and bad critique. Don't just say you liked the book, tell us why. Don't just say the book was boring, tell us why. If you can't, don't say it.
6. Most books should get 3-4 stars.
1 star - OMG! I HATE THIS! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS CRAP GOT PUBLISHED!!!
2 stars - I didn't like it
3 stars - it was OK, nothing special
4 stars - I liked it
5 stars - OMG! AMAZING!!! THIS IS THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!
7. Be careful with spoilers! That being said, I like one or two quotes from the book in reviews.
Mark clearly with "spoiler alert" if you think there's ANYTHING you say that could be a spoiler.
8. Proofread your review. Check your spelling, grammar, facts, especially check the spelling of names, and quotes.
9. To get better, read reviews and learn - emulate what you like, avoid what you don't like.
(Really, if you don't like reading a scathing mean review of your favorite book, don't write scathing mean reviews.)
2. Review the story, the book, the writing.
Don't review the cover, cover blurbs, publisher, marketing, other readers, the author, political opinions etc. etc. That is, a book is not bad because you don't agree with the author's political opinion, you didn't like a character or the character's political opinion or sexual orientation, you don't agree with the message presented in the book. It's naturally OK to say this, but don't mark a book down just because of this.
Please, don't refer to other reviews. Don't refer to other readers.
Don't say "Here's my unabashed assessment, untainted by the millions of people who seem to LOVE this book". I don't give a crap about how unabashed you want to appear, how intelligent, above the stupid crowd, who LOVES things that are obviously below your level, and the level of any independently thinking, intelligent person.
3. Be civil. Be kind. Be polite. Try to think the author is a person you like and how you would feel if someone spoke to or about that person the way you talk about the author. What if it was you and your book?
Be honest. Don't use the review to hurt the author, to make an impression of yourself, to promote some other books
5. What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? What irritated you, what enchanted you?
How did the story affect you? How did you feel about it? How did it leave you?
I really like reading people's reactions, especially the illustrated ones :-D
Was it an easy or a hard read? Why
Personal connections?
Why did you choose to read the book?
Did it keep the promises? Fail them? Exceed them?
What did you learn, realize from this book?
How are you different since reading this book?
Would you recommend it? To whom?
Think that maybe the author actually reads your review, and learns from it. If you just pour bile over it, the author will just get sad and won't change anything, but if you give constructive criticism.
You give constructive criticism by following the sandwich theory :-D Sandwich the body of criticism and everything negative between two pieces of something positive, good, nice, encouraging.
Be sure to state your opinion as just that, by saying "I think, I love, I hate, I like, in my mind, I feel, I believe..." Avoid absolutes and exaggerations.
Always say what you think the author could have done differently, better, how the author could fix this problem etc. Give solutions, suggestions and advice, not just judgment and condemnation. :-D
Explain both good and bad critique. Don't just say you liked the book, tell us why. Don't just say the book was boring, tell us why. If you can't, don't say it.
1 star - OMG! I HATE THIS! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS CRAP GOT PUBLISHED!!!
2 stars - I didn't like it
3 stars - it was OK, nothing special
4 stars - I liked it
5 stars - OMG! AMAZING!!! THIS IS THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!
7. Be careful with spoilers! That being said, I like one or two quotes from the book in reviews.
Mark clearly with "spoiler alert" if you think there's ANYTHING you say that could be a spoiler.
8. Proofread your review. Check your spelling, grammar, facts, especially check the spelling of names, and quotes.
9. To get better, read reviews and learn - emulate what you like, avoid what you don't like.
(Really, if you don't like reading a scathing mean review of your favorite book, don't write scathing mean reviews.)
No comments:
Post a Comment