Things You'll Need:
- An avid interest in reading
- A broad vocabulary
- A good grasp of the English language (think grammar, punctuation, etc)
- A critical eye
- The ability to create a balanced argument
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Step 1
READ THE BOOK FROM COVER TO COVER. It is amazing how many book reviewers make this fundamental error. It may not always be obvious that you haven't read the entire book; but one day it will catch up with you. Get in the right habit now!
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Step 2
MAKE NOTES AS YOU READ. Invariably, your opinion about a book will shift and change as you go along, it can be extremely valuable to note down your thoughts and comments as you go along. They are also a very useful tool for the write-up!
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Step 3
SHAPE YOUR REVIEW. A book review is no different to any other written document. It needs an introduction, discussion and conclusion (or beginning, middle and an end!). Give your review a structure and it will help keep you on track.
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Step 4
GOOD AND BAD IN MODERATION. Many book reviews fail to hit the spot because they do not provide a balanced view of a book. Instead, they merely reiterate the storyline, regurgitate the synopsis or cosy up to the author or publisher by waffling on about the unending virtues of the book. Some of this is helpful, but not all of it and not all of the time.
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Step 5
ENSURE YOUR CONCLUSION IS CLEAR. It's no good going through all these steps just to end up with a vague conclusion at the end. Is is obvious what you think of the book overall? If not, your conclusion needs editing!
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Step 6
REVIEW THE REVIEW. Before committing to your book review, always make time for a final read-through. Your first draft is highly unlikely to be the final draft and you should be prepared for this.
