The Review Revue by Nola Passmore

A revue is a form of theatre that consists of songs, dances, and funny sketches.  Oh wait!  Wrong kind of revue.  I was thinking of book reviews.  But in deference to its theatrical homophone, here are some short sketches that outline what you need to know in order to write book reviews.

Reasons for Writing Reviews

• They help authors - Good, honest reviews help to create a positive vibe around a book which in turn can increase sales.  Once there is a critical mass of reviews (e.g. over 25), Amazon will also start recommending the book to readers who’ve made similar purchases. Writing a review is one of the best ways you can support authors and publishers.

• They help readers - Constructive reviews can help readers decide on their next purchase or library loan.  Is it the type of book you’d enjoy?  Is it well-written?  Is there anything you’d like to be warned about (e.g. swearing, graphic sex or violence)? Is it a light read or something that will stay with you long after the last page?  Reviews can help answer all of those questions and more.

• They help the reviewer - If you regularly write reviews, you’ll sharpen your analytical skills.  What was it about this book that compelled you to keep turning pages well into the night?  Why did that story drag in the middle?  What made that particular passage sing?  As you answer these questions about the books you read, you can learn valuable lessons to apply in your own writing.

Guidelines for Writing Reviews

• Be Honest - This might sound like a no-brainer, but it can be tricky, especially if you have reservations about the book and/or know the author.  However, the desire to support authors doesn’t mean you write a glowing review when there are a number of problems with the book.  Your integrity is at stake.  Readers expect you to give an honest evaluation so they can make an informed choice about whether or not to read the book.  An author worth their weight in fresh metaphors will also appreciate constructive feedback that can help them grow as a writer.

• Be Specific - Don’t just say it was a fantastic book and everyone should run out and buy it.  For the feedback to be constructive, you need to identify the elements that worked well.  By the same token, be specific about what you didn’t like and why.  Perhaps you couldn’t relate to one of the characters because they were too perfect.  Maybe there were too many long descriptive passages that slowed the pace.  Specific details add credibility to your review.

• Be Polite - Don’t feel as if you have to point out every flaw.  The aim is to help readers and authors, not to tear people down with your biting observations.  Imagine the author is your mother and think about how you’d like reviewers to address the problems in her book. 

• Don’t Give Spoilers - “This book has a fantastic twist.  I had no idea the sassy hairdresser would turn out to be the killer!”  EEK!  You’ve just ruined the book for me. If you want to discuss your feelings about the ending, save it for your book club.  There might be more leeway in this when reviewing nonfiction books, such as self-help books and how-to books.  Afterall, it’s hardly a spoiler to know that the croquembouche recipe appears in the desserts section.

• Follow Policies and Give Disclaimers - Before posting a review on a particular website, be sure to check their guidelines.  You should always disclose whether you have been given a free copy of the book for the purposes of review. Amazon also has strict policies about who can and can’t review a book.  For example, authors, family members, close friends or those with some involvement in the book (e.g. publishers, editors) are not allowed to post reviews. Sites like Goodreads are more flexible.  However, you should still give a disclaimer if you have any conflicts of interest.

Suggested Format for Reviews

There is no right or wrong way to write a review.  However, I’ve found the following format helpful:

• Briefly say what the book’s about.  As an optional extra, you could also note any key themes.
• Use the sandwich method to say what you liked and didn’t like about the book.  That is, start with something positive, then mention any problems or flaws, then finish with a positive.
• Give a recommendation (optional).  For example, what type of readers would like this book?
• Give any disclaimers where relevant (e.g. if you received a free copy or if you had any involvement with the book).

For an example of that format, you might like to read my review of Twice Stolen by Susanne Timpani.  It’s a bit longer than I would usually write, as I got carried away with the indigenous themes.  However, it gives you an idea of the different elements to include.

Where to Post Reviews

There are hundreds of potential outlets, but here are some of the major ones.

Goodreads – Goodreads is a great place to start if you’re a novice reviewer, as their policies are a bit more flexible than Amazon.  You can read their guidelines here.

Amazon – Be sure to put your review on the American and Australian sites as reviews don’t automatically cross over.  You can read their guidelines here.

Koorong – Koorong is an Australian Christian bookseller.  Reviews are restricted to 250 words, but you can earn $10 gift vouchers for every four reviews they publish on their site.  Click on the relevant book on their website and a link will come up that allows you to post a review. You can read their guidelines here.

Books in Stock – Books in Stock is an Australian company that offers a wide range of books, including Christian and family-friendly titles.  Click on the relevant book, and a link will come up to add a review.

More Information

To learn more about writing reviews, pop along to Iola Goulton’s workshop at the Omega Writers Conference in Sydney in October.  Iola has posted hundreds of reviews on Goodreads and Amazon, so she’ll have a wealth of experience to share.

Do you have some other sites to add to this list?  What do you look for in a review?  I’d love to hear your comments.

Nola Passmore’s poetry, devotions, inspirational articles, true stories and short fiction have appeared in magazines, journals and anthologies in Australia and overseas.  Although she’s a former academic with qualifications in creative writing, psychology, and Christian ministry; she’s found that you can never underestimate the power of friends, critique partners and mentors in the writing journey.  She’s a founding member of Quirky Quills and co-leads the Toowoomba chapter of Omega Writers. She and her husband Tim have a freelance writing and editing business called The Write Flourish.  

The Problems of a Good Book

No, that title is not a misprint. I really do mean the problems of a good book. What problems could there possibly be in reading a good book, I hear you ask. Apart from the fact that I hate being torn away from a good book and resent others things that require my attention instead of reading, the real problem comes after you have closed the last page with a sigh. For the time of that book you have been totally engrossed but then emerges the problem of finding the next read. That’s where the problems start.

After having a book that has intellectually and emotionally engaged you and swept you into its world so that you have lived every moment with the characters, it is hard to move easily onto the next one. It’s usually at this stage that I start reading and quickly discarding books because they are not engaging me. For that reason it is good to have some people whose reading taste and reviews you trust. One of my criteria is that they know how to write review that does not give the plot away as some people erroneously do. With this in mind, I find suggestions on this site are great if you like reading Christian fiction or non-fiction. But I need a diet that consists of other types of books as well. For this, I rely on a few trusted readers and reviewers over at Goodreads. Some books I would never have picked up if it had not been for the raves of others.

So I thought I’d share some of my good books from this year. No, they are not Christian books but they are all well written books that involved me. I hope some of you might find some you love some of them too.

Mr Wigg – Inga Simpson.

I’d heard about this from several people on Goodreads before I finally got my hands on a copy. From start to finish I adored it. You can read my review here. And I loved the cover as well, which makes perfect sense once you have read the book.

Don’t Let Me Go – Catherine Ryan Hyde.

 I’ve read a couple by this author that have moved my emotions. The characters are so real. Be prepared to have your emotions come to the surface.

The Goodbye Quilt- Susan Wiggs.  

I had a copy with two novels in the one volume. The second,  Home before Dark, was nowhere near as good a read and I wouldn’t recommend it, but The goodbye Quilt had me emotionally invested from the start. Any woman who has ever seen a child off to uni or going out on their own should read this. Maybe men should read it too.

The House of Memories- Monica McInerney. 

Another engaging family story from Monica Mc Inerney who is as warm and delightful in person as her books are. 

The Nine Lessons: A Novel of Love, Fatherhood and Second Chances -Kevin Alan Milne. 

This was one that I admit I picked up initially because of the cover. When it mentioned golf I almost put it down again. I am so glad I did not. Although there is golf in it, it is really about life and relationships.

Delights and Shadows - Ted Kooser

This was my first encounter with this Pulitzer prize winning poet and I savoured every moment. Filled with interesting observations, use of language and imagery as well as real emotion. Review here.

There were many others I could have added. If you would to have a look at them you can find them on my books readhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4800708?shelf=read 

If you have read or get to read some of these books I would love to hear your thoughts.

Common Courtesy

Recently I saw a woman standing in line at the supermarket. She had one item – a bottle of milk. Our supermarket does not have any express lanes. She was third in line. The couple directly in front of her had a trolley filled with groceries. They looked at the woman and her bottle of milk several times and I expected they would do as my husband or I would have done in that position and let her go before them.  Not so. When the person in front of them finished they placed all their items on the conveyer belt, ignoring the woman and her one item. To say my husband and I were flabbergasted was an understatement. Both of us could not believe people could be so inconsiderate to keep her waiting for the next ten minutes while their accumulations of groceries went through. What in the world has happened to common courtesy? It seems common courtesy is a disappearing commodity in our world.

It’s not much different in the world of writers and readers.  The reality is not everyone is going to like a book. This results in some books being given 4 or 5 stars while the same book by another person can be given 1 or 2 stars. If writing a negative review, the reviewer needs to say why the book does not work for them. Often the very things one reader may object vigorously to in a book  may not worry another reader at all. Bad language and sex scenes are just two that come to mind. Of course I’ve seen other people say when a book doesn’t have these things that the writer is not living in the real b world by not portraying them. Again, it is a difference of world view, of beliefs and of opinion.

A while ago I started to read a book and was turned off by excessive language and explicit sexual scenes.  I gave up on it. Other times I have been persisted to read the book, skimming over bits, because the rest of the story was so good. As a courtesy to others who may wish to read the book, when I have written the review I have usually commented on those aspects that I had trouble with.  That way if someone is not comfortable with such things they know and may choose not to read the book.

Another book I started, bored me because of the way it was written. To me it was a book where nothing happened. Yet other people have enjoyed this book. I made my comments about why I gave up reading it and gave my reasons but was attacked by someone online because their opinion was not the same.

We all have different ideas of what constitutes a good book and what is acceptable to us. I gently explained to the person that we were probably at a different stage in life with different expectations and interests. When she persisted in telling me I was wrong and attacked me, I withdrew, not my review, but withdrew from making any more comments.

Often when I have written a review that it is negative I have said it is a personal reaction and others may like the book. It just wasn’t for me.

It reminded me of someone I knew who hated living on the coast. She preferred living inland with rolling hills. I live near the sea and feel blessed by God to be able to do so. I never ever expected such a thing would eventuate.  I have lived inland but much prefer living on the coast. She is happier going for a walk in bushland. I love going for walk by the bay near our home.

Different people with different ideas.   We accept that we are different. It doesn’t mean her view is right and mine is wrong .It doesn’t mean I am right and she is wrong either. It’s just different views. It doesn’t mean we can’t be friends because our ideas are different. Sometimes it’s those very differences that enhance our friendships and other relationships. Think how boring it would be if we were all the same? The thing is to allow other readers and writers the courtesy of having different opinions just as we do with our friends. It’s just common courtesy.

Over the years Dale has written fiction, poetry, children’s fiction, bible studies and Sunday school lessons. More information about Dale can be found at www.daleharcombe.com or on her Write and Read with Dale blog http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/