My Steps when Writing a Review
We authors are constantly begging for readers, and then we’re constantly begging those readers to please review our books on Amazon, Goodreads, and the like. (Considering Amazon keeps removing reviews of my books, it feels like a losing battle, but hope springs infernal.) Readers who don’t review regularly are sometimes paralyzed by the task, which feels daunting to them. It’s true that you don’t need to write more than, “I really liked this book,” or mention that this is one of your favorite authors. ^_~ But if you want a template for something more thorough, consider including some of the following:
1. Position Yourself in Relation to the Material
Is this a genre you usually read? Is this author new to you? Did you pick up the book because it was recommended, or you’d heard about it somewhere, or simply because the cover was pretty? If you have any biases, list those too. For example, I’ll often mention that sci-fi is not a favorite genre for me, but I still try some of those books now and then. I recognize that it’s harder to get me to like sci-fi books, and I always let my audience know that if I’m reviewing one.
2. Summarize the Plot
What is the book about? This doesn’t have to be in depth, just a high-level overview. (Always warn if you’re including spoilers! Goodreads allows you to hide them.)
3. What You Liked
What about the book worked for you? Characters? Tropes? Pacing? Banter?
4. What Didn’t Work
Here, I usually will reiterate my position and/or biases. For example, if the writing style doesn’t work for me, I’ll remind readers (or my YouTube viewers) that I’m an editor and therefore probably pickier than the average reader. If I just couldn’t get invested in the characters, well, ::shrug:: I’ll always make it clear that these are personal, subjective issues (barring things like poor grammar and typos, which are objectively incorrect). Again, always warn of spoilers ahead of time (and hide them if possible)!
5. Who is the Book For?
If I enjoy a book, it’s pretty easy to recommend. But I also will let people know of anything that might not be to their liking. Example: “I loved this one because I’m a cat person, but if you don’t like talking animals, skip this one.” Or, if the book wasn’t for me, I still try to find an audience for it. Example: “I didn’t love the romance here because it didn’t really build, but for some romance readers, that won’t be a problem. It gets to the sexy stuff pretty fast.”
I do honestly believe that there is a readership for [almost] every book. Reviews are designed to help those readers find their books and vice versa. Think of it as a matchmaking service, which can be a fun way to picture it when writing a review. Who would you set this book up with if they were looking for a “book date”? Answer that question via your review and you’re golden!