Friday, May 22, 2015

FF Friday: In Which I Reveal My Secrets (Of Book Reviewing)


Feature & Follow is a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

This week’s question: How do you write your reviews?

Answer: Not very well.

Better answer: I usually wait 2-4 days after finishing the book so that I have time to think about it and let everything sink in. Then I start by writing my own synopsis because the ones that come with books often suck. Seriously, I sometimes wonder if the summary-writers even bothered to read the book before writing the synopsis.

Next, I write down all of my thoughts about the characters, plot, dialogue, pacing, world-building, structure, theme, tone, and writing style. No spoilers. I think about how this book compares to the author’s other books and to similar books in the genre. Then I try my hardest to organize my thoughts into something that people can actually read. My first drafts of reviews are usually hot messes.

I point out the positive and negative aspects of every book. I never want my reviews to sound like I’m bashing a book, so I attempt to write two positive comments for every negative comment. I also try to start and end the review with something positive. An exception to this is my DNF reviews. For me to DNF a book, I have to really, really not like it. Those reviews always come out more negative than positive.

Finally, I keep my reviews between 200 and 600 words. Short reviews don’t look legitimate, and I have a suspicion that nobody actually reads long reviews.

That’s it. You now know all of my reviewing secrets. Go forth and review books.

~*~

The follow part: If you are a book blogger and you leave a link to your blog in the comments below, I will follow you on Bloglovin’. I’d love it if you also followed me. If you want to be friends on Goodreads, TwitterBookLikes, or G+, that would be awesome, too. Click the links to go to my pages on those sites. I’m looking forward to “meeting” you.

9 comments:

  1. I try to not write it too soon, as the emotions will likely affect what I write. However, sometimes I need to write it soon so I can get the emotions out. Old follower!

    Lizzie @ lizziethesarcasticblonde.blogspot.com

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  2. Hopping through. I've never done DNF reviews. I don't have anything against them. I think usually I'm so annoyed with the book, I don't want to write anything about it.
    My FF

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  3. I'm such a perfectionist that it takes me a while to think of what to write and then I just hope that I can get it down the way I had it in my head.

    My FF: http://onceuntold.blogspot.com/2015/05/feature-follow-friday-writing-reviews.html

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  4. I try to talk about the same things you do, focusing a little more on characters because to me they can either make or break a book.
    New google+ follower :)

    Joana @ The Boundless Book List

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  5. This sounds so structured! I feel bad about my process now! But I do think in my case it's better if I write down the review maybe a day after reading the book, tops. I have the worst memmory ever so if I let days or weeks go by I will forget a lot of stuff. I know it. Your post makes me realize I should be more organized with my thoughts on the books and not talk so much based on my emotions towards the books!

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  6. Great answer. I always try to be positive with my reviews too...but for me I read like a book a day, so I try to do my reviews within a day or so of reading it. That way I have it fresh in my mind.

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  7. Hi! I also like to write reviews a couple of days after reading a book to let all my thoughts sink in and gather themselves!

    Old follower! :)

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  8. I think it is good that you wait a bit of time for things to sink in before breaking out into your review. By that time I have already started my new book as well! I usually only wait a day or two, and sometimes if the book was slow or wasn't amazing then I don't even need to! Only if the book has me thinking about it and truly blown away. Otherwise it would be an emotionally impulse written review.

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  9. Whoa. My "process" is very very different. More chaos, mostly. Sometimes I write it directly after finishing, sometimes two months after (though in that case I better have taken notes, otherwise, memory holes take over and prevent me from finishing).

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