Reviewing a tale is one of the best ways of learning how to tell a great story. It imposes on you the discipline of writing precisely and coherently, putting together a compelling argument while being fair and balanced in what you say.
In this piece, I’ll examine the art of writing effective reviews and some of the pitfalls to avoid. I will restrict this piece to the art of writing review for books, be it in non-fiction or fiction. Nevertheless, some of the basic principles mentioned herein can be applied to writing reviews for other things like cds, films, computer games, cars and so on.
As a starting point, remember that it is your duty, as a reviewer, to give an honest opinion so that your readers can judge for themselves. You should always aim to give the strengths and weaknesses of a book.
Writing a review can properly be divided into three basic steps.
Step 1 – Basic information
Start by making a list of the basic information about the book. For instance:
• What is the title of the book?
• Who are the publishers?
• Is it sold in paperback version or hard cover?
• What is the ISBN?
• How many pages are there in this book?
• What is the price of the book?
Step 2 – The essence of the book
What this part requires of you is the need to analyse the book proper. The following questions will help you establish the essence of the book you are trying to write a review for.
• What type of book is this? If the book you are reviewing is a work of fiction, is it a thriller? Is it a literary novel? Is it chick-lit?
• Who is the intended audience?
• What is the topic under discussion? Is this topic suitable for its intended audience?
• Analyse the quality of writing by answering the following questions:
o Plot
The moment you read the first page, are you hooked? Do you want to know more?
Do you feel as if you know the place the author is writing about? You do not have to have been there but can you feel it? Can you see, hear and smell what the author is at pains to describe?
Is the plot plausible?
Does the story flow from beginning to end?
Is there a proper climax in this story and has the build up been good?
Are you satisfied with the way the book ends? You don’t have to agree with the way the book ends but the question asked is, 'Are you satisfied?'
Did you enjoy reading this book?
o Characters
Were you able to identify your characters from the start?
Were there too many characters or were there just enough?
Could you see these characters in front of you or was it just a 'blurred vision of someone'?
Do you care for them? Do you feel their pain, their sorrow, their joy?
Do you like your central character?
o Purpose
Did this book have a purpose?
Was there a moral that the author needed to impart? Did the author succeed in imparting it effectively?
Step 3 - Offer your personal opinion
This is, by far, the hardest part of writing a review. You will note that I use the word 'Offer'. There is a reason for this. You see, you cannot demand that another person accept your opinion of a story; you can merely offer it to them. It is up to the people who read your review to accept or reject the offer you make.
In addition, you must remember, at all times, that there is a big difference between being fair and being malicious and petty. Never be a ‘Smart Alec’ or sneer at another’s effort. You are most certainly entitled to your opinion and a review is an expression of that opinion. Remember that while you may not like what you’re reviewing, the author will have put a great deal of effort into his/her work and deserves respect for that alone. Your criticism should always aim to be constructive and not destructive. I know, from experience, that I have learnt so much from the constructive criticism I’ve received for my work. Where the criticism has been destructive, I’ve come to learn that I am not alone in thinking that that particular reviewer is perhaps mad and/or absolutely unprofessional.
Here are some questions you may wish to ask yourself to help you form your opinion:
• Would you give this book as a gift to someone? Indeed, would you like to receive this book as a gift?
• Would you spend your hard-earned money on this book?
• Would you like to keep this book for all time?
• Have you developed a different perspective from reading this book? How and why?
• Are you glad you read it and why?
The above are mere guides to help you in writing a review. Indeed, the more you practice, the better you will become. Good luck.
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Aneeta Sundararaj is the editor-in-chief of 'How To Tell A Great Story' (www.howtotellagreatstory.com ). If you have written a review for a story you've read, by all means, submit your review to How To Tell A Great Story here: www.howtotellagreatstory.com/bookclub/indexofreviews.html
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