How to Write a Book Review

The IWSG question of the month: Book reviews are for the readers. When you leave a book review do you review for the Reader or the Author? Is it about what you liked and enjoyed about your reading experience, or do you critique the author? 

I would argue that book reviews are not only for readers, but for authors as well, and not just for the author of the book being reviewed, but for authors of similar books. They help us get a feel for our readers, what they like and dislike. They help us write better books, and they help us with marketing those books. 

So it’s important to know how to write a book review 

1. Most people would suggest you start with a brief summary of what the book was about, but when reading a review, I generally skip over this part because I’ve already read the blurb. But if you do include this, try to avoid spoilers. 

2. Share what you liked about a book. Did you like the characters, the pace of the story, particular scenes? Did the book keep you guessing or was it an engrossing page-turner. How did the book make you feel? Did it make you laugh or cry? 

3. Share what you didn’t like about the book. I’m guessing most authors wouldn’t like this part, but a well-rounded review has more weight than one that only talks about the best bits. Maybe the book had a cliffhanger or left you unsatisfied. Maybe the book wasn’t what you had expected. Maybe the characters were unlikable. 

4. Would you recommend this book to others? If so, who? 

Reviews don’t have to be long and they don’t have to be eloquent. Us authors appreciate any form they come in. A review is a way of spreading the word about the book. The algorithms of online retailers favor books with many reviews. 

Remember, every review helps.

The Joy of Getting Reader Feedback #IWSG

The IWSG question of the month for May: Has any of your readers ever responded to your writing in a way you didn't expect?

Whenever a reader responds--a good review, a fan email, a smile, a quiet thanks--I'm always surprised. Why? Because it means my writing touched someone enough that they went out of their way to let me know. It's easy to think you write in a vacuum, even when you're getting good sales. The stories go out, but percentage-wise, it's rare for anything to come back in terms of a response. Good, bad, or otherwise.

The time that surprised me the most was at a book festival. I was sitting around with other, better known authors, and a random person came up to the group and looked straight at me. 

"I know you," he said. 

I scrambled to place where I might've known him. At work? At school? At church? Nothing triggered.

"You wrote [insert novelette in an anthology that's now out of print--the same one I ended up rewriting and turning into the novella, Well of Ash]. I loved it!"

I kind of blinked at him. How on Earth did he recognize me? Turned out, he was a quiet follower of my blog and social media. This was an actual fan.They exist!

Don't think I've ever been more blown away.

So, if you love a writer's work, please let them know. We can live off that happiness for years to come ;)

Have you ever let an author know how much you loved their work? Have you ever been surprised by a reader's response?

 

This post was written for the IWSG. Every first Wednesday of the month, members post on their blogs about their writing insecurities or offer some encouragement to others. If you are new to the IWSG or want to learn more, then please go HERE.

Reviews, Interviews, and Ninjas

I wanted to share some quotes from some of the reviews for Cling to God that have trickled in:

"Honest contemplations from a consecrated heart."

"What a wonderful way to start each day with a small, edible bite of God's Word that applies directly to everyday life."

"On good days and bad there is something in these short messages that will lift the reader’s faith, give guidance and direction about the truths of scripture, about God’s unfailing love, power and greatness."

"This will make a good gift for anyone who has a habit of reading devotionals."

The reviews have warmed my heart and confirmed that I did the right thing to share my devotional with the world despite the crazy times I've been going through. This experience has shown me--again--that the only right time is God's time.

Amazon Paperback, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Oz Kindle, Nook, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iTunes, Goodreads.

Today, for something a little different, I'm over with the Ninja Captain himself, Alex J Cavanaugh. I'll be interviewing him rather than the other way around. Please pop on over to check it out.

Please also visit, Bish Denham. She is featuring my book on her site. Thanks, Bish!

What great plans do you have for this week? How do you get through the chaos?

You, Too, Can Review

Today the lovely Christine Rains is here, writing about the importance of reviews:
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You, Too, Can Review

Book reviews are a vital part of marketing for authors. Not only do they help you by letting you know what readers liked and didn't like about your stories, but more importantly, they help attract other readers. The big problem is getting readers to write reviews.

I've found a lot of people are intimidated by writing reviews. They're worried about their opinions being voiced out loud, so to speak, and about sounding like a gushing fangirl/boy or being too critical. But you know what? Authors love it when you gush about their books. I get giddy when I read someone rattling on about how much they love my story. I also appreciate it when someone tells me what they didn't like when done in a respectable manner.

It's not that difficult to write a review. No one is expecting a deep analysis. Just a couple of sentences about what you liked and didn't like is wonderful. Here are five quick and easy things you can mention when writing a review:

1. Characters. Who was your favorite and why? Who was your least favorite?
2. Plot. What was your favorite part of the story? (Please try not to give any spoilers!) Did the author move too fast or too slow? Any glaring plotholes?
3. Setting. How was the world building? Was it realistic? Beautiful or uninspired?
4. Style. What was the writer's style like? Was it fast-paced, poetic, or gritty?
5. Originality. What makes this book stand out from others? Or what makes it stale?

Give it a try. You'll make a writer's day.

Do you write reviews for the books you read?

Six supernatural tenants
Living in a haunted apartment building
On a floor that doesn't exist.

Six novellas telling their tales.

A retired demon acquires a price on his head.
A werewolf is hunted by her pack.
A modern day dragonslayer misses his target.
A harpy challenges Zeus for the soul of the man she loves.
A vampire is obsessed with a young woman he can't find.
A banshee falls in love with someone who's death she has seen in a vision.
And a sweet ghost must battle a primal monster to save them all.

All the stories take place at the same time intertwining their lives together on the 13th Floor.

Includes “The Shadow,” a bonus short story.

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Goodreads 

Author Bio:
Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not writing or reading, she having adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor series is her first self-published series. She has eight novellas and twenty-one short stories published.
Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

--

Also, check out the cover of Lexa Cain's up coming book, Soul Cutter. I love all things Egypt, so I'm looking forward to reading this young adult novel when it's released on 6th December 2013.

Why Bad Reviews Don't Bother Me and Shouldn't Bother You

Because I throw everything I have into my stories and my writing means so much to me, I thought I'd have an exceptionally hard time when it came to reviews. I expected my heart to rip in two at any slightly negative comment coming my way. Certain I'd lose sleep for days, I readied my emergency stash of chocolate.

Instead I found myself totally fine with the whole process. Sure, I won't deny the initial sting when I found someone who didn't like one of my stories, but I got over it pretty fast--way faster than I ever could've guessed. Surprise made me work out the reason for my duck's back reaction and I thought I'd share why bad reviews don't bother me and shouldn't bother you.

Confidence in the story. If I'm not completely happy with my story, I won't put it out into the public forum. To have the confidence to put it out there, I first need to make sure it's the best it can be--by sending it to critique partners and beta readers, using the expertise of professional editors, and listening to their advice. Let's not forget the benefits of learning the craft, attending workshops and conferences to develop the craft, and writing more than just one story. If I like my story, then it won't matter as much what other people think.

We can't please everyone. It's often just a matter of finding your audience. Often reviews come from readers who picked up the book for free and who would not have normally read a story in that genre. I can shake them off because it's not personal, whether the reviewer tries to make it personal or not. Not every story will suit the same audience either.

Bad reviews validate good reviews. When I check a novel's reviews before I buy and it only has glowing five star ratings, I'll skip the book because this tells me only the author's friends and family have given a review. I no longer trust the good reviews. Every book gets some bad reviews. It's inevitable and it's needed for a balanced representation of the novel.

We can learn from bad reviews. Some less than shining reviews can be truly helpful through the constructive criticism they offer. Rather than getting upset, or dismissing them in a huff, it's worth rereading them to see if something can be learned from them.

Not all reviews are honest. I find it difficult to get upset over a review that was written out of spite, a need to knock down the competition, or a general grumpiness due to quitting caffeine the day before. Because most readers of reviews can spot these types, they bear little weight. They tend to reflect more poorly on the reviewer than the story being reviewed. Whatever a person's motivation behind writing a bad review, if it's not an honest review, then it can easily be dismissed. Perhaps a small chocolate can help wash away the negativity.

Getting upset dulls the shine. It's just not worth wasting our precious time getting upset over the little things. Yes, bad reviews count as the little things. If you're being reviewed, that means you're published. Celebrate that instead.

How do you handle--or think you'll handle--bad reviews? 

Progressive Book Club: Save the Cat

M. L. Swift is hosting this monthly book club event. To learn more about it, click here. This month we're discussing, Save The Cat! by Blake Snyder.

I wanted to get excited about this book, especially after some friends gave it such glowing recommendations. However, I approached with caution. There are so many books and movies I haven't enjoyed and yet people have raved about them. Would this be the same, a lot of streamers without the cake?

Well, I can assure you there is cake!

Blake Snyder starts by explaining why his book is not just another book on screenwriting. His approach, unlike many other books out there, is far more practical, based on knowledge gleaned from actual industry experience, rather than glossed up theory.

This personal trumpeting would normally turn me off, but Snyder's passion for what he does shines through. He cares about storytelling. In fact, he does the very thing he advocates through the entire book. He 'saves the cat' by showing me his human side, therefore making himself likeable and relatable.

"…liking the person we go on a journey with is the single most important element in drawing us into the story." Blake Snyder, Save the Cat

It seems the theory works in non-fiction as well as fiction because I immediately became more willing to listen to what Snyder had to say.

I found it interesting that he started the book with the importance of knowing what the story is about and being able to express it in one line. Many of us writers will write the book and then work out what it's about.

I recently told my new hairdresser that I was a writer. She asked what my book is about. I wasn't prepared. I stumbled and stuttered and came up with the lamest line in history. I told myself, it's okay. I haven't finished the manuscript yet. I have a few months before I need to think about pitches and querying. Wrong!! If I don't have a clear enough idea of what my book is about, then how can I expect to write it?

While Save the Cat is written in a how-to format it deals best in explaining concepts instead, which is part of a how-to, but not all of it. Occasionally I found myself asking the air, 'But how?' I 'get' the concept but I'm not a hundred percent sure how to implement it. Or perhaps I'm a little thick and missed some of the references because I was reading this for novel writing rather than screenplay writing.

It's a book with so many gems that it needs to be read many times, just as a reminder, to soak it all in, to get those ah-ha moments and hold onto them.

If you've read Save the Cat, what did you think of it? What other great books on writing have you read?

I'll be back in full swing for the A-Z challenge! Woo hoo!

Make Believe Giveaways and Christmas Cheer

Today: Over at Burning Impossibly Bright Ambur is interviewing all six authors in the Make Believe anthology. How awesome is that? She is also hosting a fabulous giveaway, so pop on over and check it out.

December 28th: there will be a review of Make Believe at Once Upon a Time, plus a giveaway.

December 31st: Kindle and Me will be hosting a spotlight and review of Make Believe plus there will be another e-book giveaway. Woot!

I will be enjoying the Christmas break with family and friends and will return in the new year.

Please have a peaceful Christmas 

and a safe and happy New Year.

Giveaway of an ARC of Make Believe!

Since today is the first Wednesday of the month, it's time to post for Alex J Cavanaugh's Insecure Writers' Support Group. To find out more about the group, or to join our growing masses, click HERE.

For this group I try to write mostly encouraging posts or ways to deal with insecurities writers might harbour. Today, however, I must confess an insecurity of my own: the dreaded review.

I've not had to worry about reviews before today. The most I've had is star ratings attached to some of my published works, and thankfully I've received good ratings, but an actual review, where strangers spell out why they liked or didn't like my stories? Nope.

Reviews are one of those things that are both exciting and terrifying at once. Exciting, because it means I’ll get honest feedback from my readers. Terrifying, because it means I’ll get honest feedback from my readers.

What if they don’t like my work? What if they find a terrible flaw in my story that I somehow missed even though it’s as big as an elephant? What if they say I should quit now and never return to writing ever again?

I know I’ll keep writing no matter what is said. I know I can’t please everyone. But the thought of someone reviewing my work sends me into a spin because it’s based on a work that has been deemed finished—no more fixes, no more tweaking, no more excuses.

However, hoping there will be many reviews written about my published works, I need to be less of a princess about it, suck it up and accept that reviews happen: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

And you know what? That's part of the joy and agony of being a writer.

--

And now for the scary/exciting bit: 
The Giveaway!
I'm offering an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) of Make Believe (in ebook) to one of my readers in exchange for a review. My short story, Birthright, features in this anthology. Yay!

If you enjoy reading fantasy, urban fantasy and romance, and you are willing to write up a review and post it up in all the cool places before December, then please say in the comments you'd like to enter. I will announce the WINNER on Thursday 11th October.


This Giveaway is also hosted by the other wonderful authors featured in this anthology, so feel free to check them out:
J.A. Belfield
Jennifer M. Eaton
J. Keller Ford
Terri Rochenski
Kelly Said

#IWSG
#MakeBelieve
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