In part two of my “Thoughts From a Book Reviewer Series,” I’m going to talk about those first book review gigs. These experiences taught me how to review within the parameters of a site’s guidelines, what to write in a review, and how writing books of my own reshaped how I review others’ books.
Reviewing for other sites
Review guidelines for every website differs. Some heavily edit your work to fit their aesthetic. Others just publish whatever you send them.
Writing for other websites also means adhering to their specific guidelines. I’m a long-winded writer, as you can probably tell. I tend to bottle up my verbal opinions and then let them all spill out onto the page. It’s very therapeutic, but it’s not always conducive to another website or publication’s format. So, I have to get to the point sooner and stay very generalized.
Many sites only need a few hundred words or a few sentences from me. Sometimes that can be harder than writing a 1,000 word review, which is usually what I aim for when writing a review on my blog. But I think it’s good to have guidelines. It keeps my writing from becoming too formulaic, and it freshens the process, keeping things interesting.
Deadlines are usually pretty loose, but I still tend to give the books I read for other sites priority. I like to be professional and turn in a polished review ASAP. It can take up to a year for it to post on certain sites, but at least I can say I was efficient on my end.
Also see my post, “How to Write Awesome Reviews!”
Rating books
As an early reviewer, I was tough on the books I read, even those casual reads that I simply rated on Goodreads. I used to think that a 5-star review was reserved only for my favorite books of all time. So, it was a nearly impossible grade to get from me.
I don’t have a rating system on my blog, but I do still rate them on Goodreads, Amazon, and LibraryThing, and they all have a star rating system. So, I’ll only post reviews on my blog for books that I can rate three stars or higher on those sites.
I’ve also loosened up on my qualifications for a five-star review. Basically, five stars means that I looked forward to picking the book up again every time I put it down. It had no major plot holes, and I liked the characters. Basically, the writer has done everything right. Not perfect but right.
Every other site I’ve written for has used a four or five-star rating system as well. So, I’ve been able to keep my rating system the same. However, I know that I have to leave an honest review. So, sometimes I have to leave a one or two star review for a book I’ve read for another site, just to stay honest and service the site I’m writing for and the readers who will read my review.
How to voice negative opinions
Some websites allow you to choose the books you want to read. Others just send you books, and you have to read what they give you. That heightens the chances that you won’t like it. But as a professional reviewer, you have to finish and then share your thoughts.
I took a film review class in college, and we were given sample reviews from famous movie reviewers, most of whom loved to tear films apart, even the ones they seemed to like. It was apparent where the “everyone’s a critic” comment came from. These reviewers wrote with authority and as if they knew better than the filmmakers themselves.
A reviewer isn’t an all-powerful wizard of book knowledge. So, to me, when a reviewer comes off as smug or brutal in their opinions, they are abusing their power.
Luckily, I’m not in direct contact with the author when I review for other sites. I’m also just one opinion in a sea of opinions. Still, if I have to give a book a low rating, I explain the issues in a civilized way and also mention if the elements that weren’t working for me are subjective and could work for another reader.
Self-reviewing authors
Of course, a writer can’t objectively judge their own work, either. So, reviewers do have to maintain some authority, and that can task them with bringing out the weaknesses in a piece.
Some authors tend to be jaded in terms of the quality of their work. So, even when I’ve written a positive review, it has not been well received by the author. I’ve been asked to take down three-star reviews on my blog, and other websites have not published my reviews if they allow authors to determine whether or not to publish the review.
I’m never offended by this request. I’m even happy to break down the weaknesses in a book. Not only do I want to help the author make their story better, but I also want to show that the rating wasn’t intentionally brutal. Writers often welcome this feedback after the fact. They’re just so close to their work that it’s initially just a rough wakeup call to discover that their book isn’t perfect.
The relationship between creator and reviewer
If those who can’t do…teach, does that mean those who can’t write…review? This seems to be the argument that angry creative people use when they confront a reviewer who has torn their work to shreds with a bad review.
This confrontation between the creator and the reviewer comes up twice in the film Birdman. In one scene, Edward Norton’s character, Mike, a respected theater actor, confronts a notable theater reviewer in a bar and calmly and confidently makes it known that he’s not intimidated by her. When she asks him whether he’s afraid she’ll give him a bad review, he notes that he’s sure she will, “If I ever give you a bad performance.”
Later in the film, Michael Keaton’s character, Reagan, confronts the same reviewer in the same bar and confronts her, threatening and insulting her saying, “You risk nothing!” by judging his work.
Yet, her writing holds more power than his performance ever will in its ability to detract audiences from seeing it, ultimately shutting it down so that no one can see it and judge for himself. And he’s right, but his approach is so wrong. Ultimately, he proves himself worthy by risking everything in his opening performance, earning him a glowing review from the powers that be.
Should her unearned opinion mean everything to his success? No.
Should he have had to nearly kill himself in order to earn her respect? No.
But in an extreme way, his desire to please her made him the best he could be without leaning on his celebrity for success.
Both interactions make such solid points about judging others, particularly on a professional level. And while you can pick apart the issues on both sides, it’s a fascinating dynamic at play between the two sides of the coin.
Reviewing books after writing a book
Writing my first book completely reframed my viewpoint on reviewing books. Once you see what goes into writing a book, you learn not to judge so harshly.
Reviewing can cause you to seek perfection in an imperfect craft. Now, if I nitpick in a review, I admit that I’m nitpicking so as not to overinflate my views on minor issues to suggest that they severely weaken the story.
Workshopping teaches you to weed out every detail and note every thought, much like an editor. But a reviewer is not an editor. Reviewing means looking at the big picture along with a handful of smaller details that stick out, good or bad.
In my film review class, we learned how to write a review based on a single performance, how to write a review based on a generalized overview of the story, and one that highlighted three or four notable elements, such as a standout sequence, cinematography, and a strong ending with a few criticisms sprinkled in between. You don’t have to spell the whole thing out for a reader. You just have to give them the gist of what you think and be able to back up those opinions with clear and intelligent thoughts.
My review process changed dramatically after I became a self-published author. It also made me want to support the indie writing community by reviewing self-published books, highlighting the ones I liked. That brings me to Part 3: Book Blogging.
Do you review every book you read? Where do you do it? Do you write for other websites? How do you handle the power that comes from reviewing books? Share your stories, links, and process below!
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