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Please enjoy this week’s WRITE-BYTES blog below for your convenience!📚📚📚
By Linda S. Gunther 
August 11, 2023 - #48 
TOPIC: 
WRITING BOOK REVIEWS

Probably one of the most joyful activities I’ve done in terms of writing is crafting a book review. I’ve only done this three times so far.l for publication. Before that, I’ve written book reviews on Facebook and Instagram, just for friends to see, usually only when I completely loved the book.

I think writing a book review might be the way to ease a writer into getting published. Why? Because you’re writing about someone and something else, a book you read from cover to cover and appreciated. You have unique thoughts and insights into what made that reading experience work well for you. Also, you will have the opportunity to develop your skills as a reviewer. You can shape your own distinctive style of discussing the merits of a book and how it affected you as reader. 

Another benefit is that you might be able to build your readership before you actually publish your own novel, memoir or book of poetry.

I haven’t done this as yet but another idea is to do video book reviews on YouTube or Facebook. That will help you introduce yourself to the general public, highlighting your personality.

So, what are the guidelines for writing a compelling book review? As you might imagine, some of the experts say that the writer should use a repeatable structure.

For example, one seasoned book reviewer said simply this:

- Start with a short summary of the book
- Give background information about the author and topic or theme of the book
- Offer your evaluation of the book content as reviewer

Another recommendation from an experienced book reviewer said this about structure:

- Introduce the book offering with a very brief summary to include the setting
- Outline the book’s content or general storyline
- Highlight parts of the book by selecting particular chapters or themes you favored or didn’t favor as much in the story (Explain, perhaps with an engaging plot point without being a SPOILER for potential readers)
- Describe your overall evaluation of the book and give an overall rating (using stars or numerics)

I must admit and some other book reviewers might agree, that when you use a repeated structure for every book review you write, it might get a little boring to the reader, and to you as reviewer. Keep your review fresh and appear spontaneous. Others might say, it’s good to have an expected, repeatable structure that readers can anticipate. It’s a choice for the writer. 

If I look at how I’ve written book reviews (at this point), I think I’m more into talking about how I came to read the book, what was happening in my life when I read the book (traveling on vacation, sitting in front of the fireplace on a rainy night, etc.), how engaged I was in the storyline, my favorite sections or memorable treasures from the book, and why I appreciated those elements. Then, I give my overall rating and final recommendation. 

For me, I prefer not to hook onto the same structure every time I write a book review. And this is why I don’t generally write sequels to my suspense novels or short stories. I want to explore something different each time I write a piece. 

In addition, I don’t like to drag out a book review and get so detailed that my description meanders and goes down a rathole.

Two questions that frequently come up with regard to writing book reviews are these:

1. When I write a book review, do I need permission from the author of that book especially if I might be making money from my book review?

The general answer I found on this is: 
No, people write book reviews all the time on social media and websites, and other open media like Twitter. There is no requirement to ask permission from the author or publisher. But don’t quote me on this from a legal standpoint. However, I haven’t found anything that says otherwise in my research on this issue. Also, you can look up FAIR USE on the following website: www.copyright.gov

2. As a book reviewer, can I quote passages of the book I’m reviewing without asking the publisher or author’s permission?

The general answer I found on this is:
In the U.S., book reviews are considered a category under FAIR USE. This means that you are permitted to quote copyrighted material BUT that    you are expected to LIMIT the amount of text you actually use to the least amount necessary to show the point you are making. That would likely equate to a line or two, not much more.

One of the most admired sources for reputable and cogent reviews is the New York Times. We’ve all either read or heard of the NYT Book Reviews. Some well-established book critics featured in NYT have individually mentioned one or more of these tips for writing a compelling book review:

- Share your opinion and explain WHY you feel that way about the book
- Persuade the reader to pick up the book based on your learnings and insights gained from reading the book
- Consider the work’s context, how the book’s key message(s) fits into the larger cultural or social picture or the time period referenced in the book
- Try to understand the artist’s intent in writing the book, your interpretation of his/her overall intent.
- Keep in mind that your book review is a reading experience in itself. It should be enjoyable to the reader even if they haven’t read the book or don’t intend to pick up the book.

If interested, here are the links to the three book reviews I’ve had published so far:

Book Review:  THE GUNCLE by Stephen Rowley (published in Sea to Sky Review – British Columbia)

https://www.seatoskyreview.ca/january-2023-life-issue/the-guncle-book-review

Book Review: ETERNAL by Lisa Scottolines (published in Synchronized Chaos Magazine)

https://synchchaos.com/linda-s-gunther-reviews-lisa-scottolines-eternal/

Book Review: WEST WITH GIRAFFES by Lynda Rutledge

https://theravensperch.com/west-with-giraffes-a-book-review-by-linda-s-gunther/

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