Why Write a Killer Book Review or Three?
My principal objective for this article is to shame you into writing and sharing a critical review for every single book you read.
You already do that? Excellent! You are an advanced reader.
Let’s say you just spent a few dozen enjoyable hours enraptured by an author’s vision of interesting people you’ll never get a chance to meet or get to know, of places you’ll never visit or wish you could but won’t, and of situations either too daring or too deadly for your own safety. Maybe they only exist in the author’s imagination, and now in yours.
What do you do next? Just put the book down and cast a few warm thoughts toward the lunatic who spent thousands of hours bringing you this unique diversion, and nothing more? Is that fair?
For those of you who have never written a book yourself, you may not yet appreciate how much it costs an author emotionally and physically to write a book for you to read and for you to enjoy. Not only is writing a labor of love, it is often lonely and a deeply emotional series of events that can last years, but the author finishes it anyway.
As a reader, what does it cost you to write a thoughtful review of the book you just finished? Ten minutes? Twenty? More if you’re an advanced and conscientious reader? Compared to the thousands of agonizing hours the author spent writing, editing and rewriting it, not to mention the effort and cost of publishing it, wouldn’t you agree that a few minutes writing and posting a review is only fair?
Wait. Do you have reasons for not writing a review and posting a book review? As soon as you’ve finished reading? You’ve heard it said that reasons are just premeditated excuses, right?
Oh, you already posted a review on Goodreads, Amazon, Kobo, or elsewhere, not only for the last book you finished but for every book you’ve read, regardless where you acquired them? Well, good for you! Readers like you are why authors like me forge ahead down a lonely path, often with no seeming end in sight for months or even years.
Do you enjoy reading? Then continue to write reviews which encourages your favorite authors to continue writing. Deal? Yes!
But don’t worry. Reviews don’t have to be highly structured or formal or even lengthy. Authors appreciate them all, even when they’re critical.
Reviews can range from a single sentence to dozens of paragraphs, or anything in between. Do not dare to be daunted at the prospect of writing a review. Just jot down a few notes of your personal reaction to the book you just finished.
BUT but I encourage you to write your review as soon as you’ve finished reading the book. To procrastinate is to lose your valuable insights, and maybe your motivation.
If you lust for more definition and structure, I’ve listed a few conventional book review “how-to” sources here:
- Wiki-How
- The University of North Carolina – a more academic approach
- Tips from a freelancer at Writing-World
- eNotes How to Write a Book Review – a Ten-Step Guide
- Writing Academic Book Reviews
Or just Google “How to write a book review”. These articles range from very structured to very intuitive. Take your pick. Find your style. But write the reviews.
As an author, I wish to thank you for writing a book review, critical or not, for every book you read!
And if you’re so inclined, I’d very much appreciate a critical review of my debut novel, “Tarnished – Surviving the American Dream”, available worldwide on Amazon, Kobo, and since I’m a rabid reader myself, I’ve also posted it on Goodreads.
Last point: don’t be afraid to post your review in more than one place! You’ve put thought into it. Now share it broadly!
Thanks.
With pen in hand,
Gene
P.S. How about a few templates, just for fun…?
