This Week’s Topic: #Reviewathon and Reviewing Books
I was over at NetGalley the other day, checking out the titles, when I saw a link to a #Reviewathon post. I think it's fabulous, that NetGalley is encouraging us all to review those books we request.
I am actually pretty good about reading my books, because I hate seeing that ratio drop, but some reviews are really hard to write. I actually have a good ratio on NetGalley, but I checked out the post anyhow. I found some interesting information in the resource links, which I thought was helpful with respect to the hardest part for me, writing the reviews.
The two posts they linked to were essentially tips. They contained a lot of the things we normally see in posts like these, but a few points made in the different posts really struck me as great advice.
Give enough info about the plot of a novel or the facts in a nonfiction book that readers have a context for your opinions. Don’t provide so much info that your post turns into a book report instead of a review.
This is such an art. Being able to boil down the gist of the whole book in just a few sentences is not an easy task, but I agree with the author of this post, that it is necessary. I have read some reviews, where I have no idea what their opinion is based on, and it makes it hard to fully understand what was good or bad in that case. I also abhor the book report review. I have read some reviews, that were such a long and detailed, I felt I could mark the book "read" at the end of it. That's too long.
Make your opinion clear.A lot of those really long, retelling-like reviews tend to have no opinion or simply say something like, "I enjoyed this book." I expect a little more from a review. I read reviews for the opinions, and get a little frustrated, when I go through 16 paragraphs of summary to get one sentence of opinion. That is what I call a blogger foul.
Write conversationally.
This! Yes! The reviews I have enjoyed the most are the ones, which seem like the reviewer is talking directly to me. Like, we are in a conversation about the book. Sometimes, they are done so well, I will actually be compelled to ask a question. It's something I do, at times, but I never realized how much better my reviews are, when they are written this way.
Criticize the book, not the author, if you don’t like what you’ve read.
I nodded my head so hard, when I read this tip. I believe this applies to so many different areas, and I do find myself irked, when reviewers attack the author and not the work. They are humans, and I respect that, but because they put the book out there, it is 100% open to criticism.
Now it's your turn!
Anyone doing the #Reviewathon?
Do you have any great tips for reviewing books?
Let us know in the comments!
Do you have any great tips for reviewing books?
Let us know in the comments!
I like to mention WHY I had the opinion of the book that I share. I get annoyed by reviews that say they loved or hated it but don't say why. Was the writing style weird? Poor dialogue? Hated the MC? Incoherant? Weird? Plot holes you could drive a truck through? Tropes? I always go straight to one and two star reviews as they have more info than gushing 5 star reviews!
ReplyDeleteOMG YES! This IRKS me so so much, because the reason why someone hates a book might be why I like it! For example, you might think a book was too cheesy for you, but I'm hoping for a cheesy book. If you don't say why you hated it, then your review is of no use to me.
DeleteAfoma | afomaumesi.com/blog
One of the reasons I don't always include what kept me from giving all 5-stars to a book, is because I cannot pinpoint what exactly I didn't like, but I am usually really good at identifying what I loved. I have seen many positive reviews, where the reviewer did a great job sharing what they liked about the books, and I have seen MANY negative reviews, where all they say is "zero stars. I hated this book", and never give ANY reasons. I just want some explanation either way, and if it has to be vague, because it would be spoilery, that's ok. It's still an explanation.
DeleteFinding the balance in how much to say about the plot is definitely always a challenge. It's pretty annoying when I have to read eight paragraphs before I get to someone's actual thoughts about the book. And yes! I love when reviewers are specific (without spoilers) about what they did and didn't like.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely an art. I mean, how many times have you seen authors lament about having to write a synopsis for their book? It's a similar problem, but I want more opinion than summary always.
DeleteWith certain books, especially thrillers which I read a lot of, it is sometimes to not to give to much away from the plot without ruining it for those who haven't read it. So, I try and keep that in mind. I write reviews like I talk, and tend to get a little topic at times and a little overboard or so my husband tells me. lol...
ReplyDeleteI can totally understand the struggle there. I often see people talk about the tension, the build, the predictability, and such with those types of books, and I understand not wanting to give too much away. The way a book affects me is a huge part of my review. I read for entertainment, and the emotional impact or couldn't-put-it-down-ability of the book is really important. I am not looking for an analysis of the writing, but rather, is this something that will occupy me, keep me interested, and leave me feeling something in the end.
DeleteThese are great tips! A conversational tone is something I appreciate too, it just makes reading the review more fun I think. I mean we're not the NY Times Review of Books or anything, so it doesn't have to be all serious lol. And I do like getting a feel for the plot without a complete run down of the entire book! Which frankly sometimes I struggle with in my reviews- how much plot info do I give, etc.
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion!
I don't expect a dissertation from a blogger, and honestly, that type of review has me skimming. I love fangirl reviews, where it seems like they are talking only to me. There's a reason why some of us put off reviews. There are so many challenges with respect to how much to reveal, how to succinctly share your thoughts, how to properly capture your feelings about the book, and some books are easier to review than others.
DeleteI'm not doing the reviewathon mainly because, like you, my ratio has (knock on wood!) been well over 80% for a long time now. Those are all great tips though. I struggle with the first one and the third one. I do try to give enough plot points to give the reader an idea of what I'm basing my opinion on but it's definitely easy to write way too much. The English major in me also wants to write an essay rather than a conversational review, lol.
ReplyDeleteSame, I don't need this event to help me, but I am always open to tips for writing better reviews. I guess I benefit from having my degree in engineering. I would never want to write my review in a technical writing way (or as a lab report), though, I would love to include more graphs.
DeleteThese are the best reviewing tips! I genuinely agree with them like you do. I love a review that doesn't recap the story too much but gives you enough you aren't lost. I just want to read someone's opinion of the book and keep it (mostly) spoiler free. And when it's conversational too then it's great and I feel like the excitement (or lack thereof) comes across far more.
ReplyDeleteThey had three articles in the post, and these were the tips that were, like, WOW! for me. Spoiler free is such a big thing for me. I actually hid a review on GR, because I could not express myself without including a certain idea. Though technically not a spoiler, it seemed like an foreshadowing to me. YES! Conversational reviews definitely capture the reviewer's mood and emotion regarding what they read. That is exactly why I like that style too.
DeleteI'm always trying to work on my book reviews. I find I do re-tell some of the story more than I probably should. It's a work in progress. I definitely agree about the whole "criticize the story, not the author." SO TRUE!
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Writing is a skill and an art, regardless of what you are writing, and these tips had me taking a good look at how I write my reviews, and I think just wanting to be better is a great first step to improving.
DeleteI feel like in a review you need to give at least a little bit of a plot synopsis; otherwise, the review doesn't really make sense, at least to me. I think my tip for reviewing books would be to get creative and do what works for you - traditional reviews don't work for everyone, but there are so many different ways to write reviews (like your bullet point reviews!).
ReplyDeleteContext is important, I always have a short paragraph at the beginning of my reviews, which along with the synopsis sketch a good picture for the reader, but I have seen 10 paragraph reviews, with 8 paragraphs being recap. That's a review foul for me. There are definitely a LOT of different ways to write reviews. I have seen lots of bullet points, broken down into parts, gif reviews, etc. I personally like to mix it up, to keep myself on my toes, but I agree, that you need to find a way that works for you.
DeleteSome good tips there. I bullet point my reviews so you can skim through and pick up what you want from them. I also liked the part about criticizing the book not the author totally agree with that !
ReplyDeleteI get so frustrated, when I see reviewers hammering an author. You don't personally know that person. How can you pass judgment on them as human, when you've never met them or interacted with them? Passing judgement on their book is fair game, though, and I appreciate people, who can be honest, while still being respectful.
DeleteI am absolute rubbish at writing reviews (although I think I've gotten a little better recently but not at the same time) so these little tips you have in this post are fantastic. Also, it's so cool that NetGalley is doing this Reviewathon thing! It's great. I'm surprised I didn't notice they were doing this.
ReplyDeleteI like that NG is encouraging people. I get that it's easy to go request crazy, and I found myself drowning in review books here and there, as well (I am have more self control now). I am always looking for ways to make my reviews better, which, I mean, should happen with practice, right?
Deletesome reviews seem to write themselves for me and others i have to work on. some i'm happy with, others not so much. i saw the reviewathon too. i had a lot of back reviews on net galley, but have caught up. i have two to read and review and the rest are scheduled. i now make a point to limit the books i grab from there. it's very hard to not go crazy on the clicking. lol
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
TRUTH! I read a book last week, where I didn't even have to think about what I was writing, but I find it harder to properly articulate myself with other books. *applause* to you for catching up on your back reviews. It's such a good feeling, isn't it? I have learned to put hard limits in too, and am trying to set a limit of 12 review books a month. It's really easy for the rest of the year, with the light releases schedule. Let's see if I stick to it for the new year.
DeleteWow those are really good tips! I mean, not to brag (okay fine I'm bragging a *little* but my Netgalley ratio is pretty fantastic, so I am pretty much set with doing the actual thing. But these tips are awesome! And frankly, maybe if I actually reviewed books right when I finished them, my life would be easier, so perhaps I could learn something from this reviewathon after all!
ReplyDeleteYou should brag about your ratio, because I am shocked, when I hear some people's. I just couldn't let mine drop below 80%. It pains me. I agree, that it is easier to review books right after finishing, mostly because, my reviews are usually about how I felt, and I can more easily capture my emotions, while I am still sort of feeling them.
DeleteI probably really struggle with this! I'm a naturally wordy person and so probably write too long of reviews. I loved the bits you pulled out. Give context. (I probably don't always do this for fear of spoilers!) Say how you feel clearly (This I do well I think!)
ReplyDeleteThat's the writer in you, but at least what you write is written well, right? The spoiler thing is what makes many of my reviews difficult to write, and I can see this being an even bigger issue with SFF, mystery, and suspense-thriller type books.
DeleteGreat post! I agree with these points. It's so important to provide some context and be clear. I can actually pinpoint why I don't like a book, but I have a harder time writing positive reviews because all I want to do is talk about everything I love, but that would lead to major spoilers!
ReplyDeleteI am the complete opposite of you. Maybe it's because I never finish books with HUGE issues. I DNF books like those, so, for the most part, I enjoy the books I finish, but there is something, and I think that maybe it's more a case of something that is missing versus something that is there being not for me. You know what I mean? I am so much better at gushing about what I adored. It is hard to properly communicate what you didn't like, if it is too closely tied to something that you feel is a big plot point and would then be spoilery. Reviews are hard.
DeleteI think when I first started writing reviews they were book report-y, but I realized if someone wants a summary of the plot, they can read the book description. It's really hard to write reviews sometimes. My mind goes blank, especially on books that I didn't love, but didn't hate. Just liked. I do try and give my opinions because I know that's what I'm looking for when I read a review. What worked and didn't for the reader. Great post, Sam! :)
ReplyDeleteI think the hardest reviews to write are for those 3 - 3.5 star books. I liked them, but I didn't necessarily love them, but they weren't bad. See, I can hardly explain it. I am looking for opinions, that's why I read reviews, and I think the opinion part should dominate the review.
DeleteI agree. It's not classy to bash an author because you don't like a book.
ReplyDeleteThose reviews always leave a bad taste in my mouth. I usually unfollow bloggers, who continuously do such things. There is a way to express your dislike with a book without making it a personal vendetta against an author.
DeleteYes yes and yes! This is very interesting and helpful Sam! I confess that the most difficult for me is summarise the plot to only give the context and not write a book report. I know that I am not always successful as sometimes I barely hint at the plot and sometimes I wonder if I gave too much away ....
ReplyDeleteOne of the formative testing techniques I used when teaching, was having the kids summarize the lesson, and it was really hard for a good portion of the class. Summarizing is not an easy task, and then when we are talking about a book, we have to be careful not to reveal anything important too. I always post the synopsis with my review, so between that and the summary I provide, I hope there's enough context for the reader.
DeleteThere is so much that goes into writing a review and so many ways to do it. I am not a fan of the book report reviews but I guess I always thought that they much have their audience. I think that negative reviews can be an extra challenge. Meaner reviews seem to be popular on Goodreads but those aren't what I want to write and it is never okay to attack the author. Great tips, Sam!
ReplyDeleteI am not part of the book report review audience, I can tell you that much. I have seen some that are SO LONG, I totally skimmed it like a school assignment. It's kind of sad, that society at large elevates and promotes bad behavior, but I will never be one those rude, ranty reviewers.
DeleteI struggle with reviews and hold my hands up as not the best reviewer but I try to say why I liked/didn't like. I really need to work on my netgalley score... It's went below 70% with the surprise acceptances for all the holiday books!
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started out, a surprise batch of approvals would tank my ratio, but now, because I am at like 500 approvals, it's a bigger chunk of books to move the ratio either way. It's nice to get a bunch of holiday books. Are you doing Ho-ho-ho-a-thon?
DeleteTotally agree with you about how tough it is to strike the right balance between sharing enough of the plot to provide context, but not sharing too much. I read some reviews that seem more like a very long retelling of the synopsis without offering any opinions. I want to hear what the reviewer thinks! And being critical of the book and not the author... oh boy, that seems so obvious but I cringe at the number of times I see authors critiqued (or even attacked) for content when it’s really just a matter of personal preference.
ReplyDeleteI think most of us find reviewing to be a challenge, but I do feel as though I am getting better with each review I write. I'm like you, and I pretty much adopt that attitude with everything - art, movies, TV, clothing, politics -- critique the thing, not the person. It frustrates me even more, that people encourage such behavior. I guess I am old and not into that sort of confrontation.
DeleteI'm definitely guilty of the first one. I find when I'm struggling that hard to drum up the enthusiasms to write reviews - I just wait now because I'll give my thoughts with no context. lol
ReplyDeleteNow on Goodreads - if I'm just writing what I thought for my own record - then I don't care. It's just 1-2 sentences to remind me of what I thought.
Karen @ For What It's Worth
I can be pretty lazy about non-blog/non-review books, because those are just thoughts for me, but my "official" reviews always have a little something to set up the opinion part. Some are shorter than others, but there's something.
DeleteThese ARE really great tips. It's so hard not to sound like a book report.
ReplyDeleteI totally limit myself to how long I am allowed to recap. Most of the time, it's one paragraph, and the rest is opinion/gushing.
DeleteThe plot tip is funny. I actually hate when reviews include too much info on the plot. I prefer just a copy & paste of the synopsis from Amazon or Goodreads, and then the review. Usually plot points in the review can be a bit spoiler-y so I try to avoid them!
ReplyDeleteIt's a pet peeve of mine, when the recap is essentially the whole book. I always include the synopsis from GR, but sometimes they don't provide enough context, so I include 2 or 3 sentences to set up my reviews, and I do all that is in my power to keep spoilers out.
DeleteThose are honestly the best tips that someone could give! People sometimes ask me how to write negative reviews, which can be very hard. But I mention to them that however much they dislike a book and can explain why it wasn't for them, give AT LEAST one reason why it might work for someone else. Because I know there are so many books out there that I hated but someone else could easily love.
ReplyDeleteI am always open for tips and ways to improve. I love sharing anything that I thought was helpful. OMG, yes! I get really frustrated, when I read a negative review, that doesn't even tell me why.
DeleteI agree that these are all great tips. Sounds like the people at NetGalley know what they're talking about!
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Or they know which articles to point us towards. Some were NG writers, but there were a few other articles. All were worth looking at for me.
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