All Writers Can Benefit By Writing Book Reviews Pt2

Here Are Some Tips To Help You Get Started

Learn everything you can about one genre. You will be more successful if you tell publishers that you specialize in one genre. It takes a true fan to write a great review.

Read as many reviews as you can.

Write a positive, up beat, letter. Customize one version to magazine publishers, and one to webmasters. Never use a ‘one size fits all’ contact letter.

Find places that need reviews by typing the phrase ‘book reviews’ into your browser.

Join writer’s associations, fan clubs, and promote yourself.

Make sure the post office can manage four or five large packages at a time, without charging extra fees.

Build a website. It will advertise to authors that you do book reviews, and allow publishers to see your work.

Advertise to writer’s groups and email groups. I posted a notice in all the local libraries and found a few local authors to review.

Review Copies Are Free

A reviewer should never pay for the review copy, or shipping. It is not necessary to join a book review group that sends you copies to review. They charge you a membership fee and offer nothing you cannot find yourself.

If an author asks you to pay for a copy of their book, politely decline. Writers, who are published by small publishing houses, or self-published, do not receive review copies.

Reviewing is a Free Service

Review writers are not paid to write reviews, unless they are on staff at a publishing house, or writing for an information portal website.

A book reviewer can expect to have their name attached to the review, and it is acceptable to require your website URL is also included. If you review for a publication that wants all rights to the review, then advise the author to include the publication name in the credits.

Maintain a Professional Attitude

Accept all copies graciously, proof galley, desktop printed, digital, used, and damaged. It is unprofessional to refuse to review a book because you do not like PDF versions, or the writer sent you a damaged copy.

Never copy another reviewer’s style. Let your personality and style shine through every review.

Never accept more books than you can review in thirty days. Writers expect large publishing houses to delay offering a book review for months, but they loose faith in a freelance reviewer who cannot supply a review in a few weeks.

Writers pay for their review copies. Even those writers published by large publishing houses rarely receive enough review copies. This is why it is important to review every copy received. This may be a fun hobby for you, but it is business for the author.

Contact the author when the review is finished, and where they can read a copy. Authors consider it the reviewer’s obligation to let them know when the review is published, and where they can see it. This is the single greatest cause of frustration, and lack of faith, between reviewers and authors.

Career Building Tool

Many writers can build their resume and sharpen their skills by reviewing books. Depending on whether the audience is a local newspaper, a journal, internet or church newsletter, the reviewer's aim is to share her experience of a particular work of art in a manner that appeals to the book review's readers and hopefully makes them want to buy the book.

This may sound exciting to some writers, and unnerving to others. Good communication skills, a little knowledge of yourself and the book's subject and the courage of your convictions are required. You also need a website, like www.inspiredauthor.com, local papers, or other venues that will publish the review. Then you just send out emails to publishers and authors telling them what you are doing. They will send you the books.
Here are a few tips on reviewing:

First, a review contains a blurb of a book. Depending on word count requirements, your blurb may be five paragraphs or five sentences. However, do not spoil the review by giving away too many secrets. Second, discuss the writing style. Is it conversational, academic, or gossipy? Has the book's author made a clear (or unclear) theme or stated purpose? In addition, do you agree with it? How about the characterization? Are the characters real? Or, is there a lot of kneejerk predictable characters? How is the plot development?

If you were telling a close friend about this book, what would you say? You must hold your own emotions in check, this is about promoting a book, not showing off your wit. Above all else, be kind.

Some basics to include in your review are the following: The Book's Title, the author's full name, Publisher, Publisher's address, ISBN #, price in US$ and CAN$, publishing date, and page count. Include a rating also: Fair, good, excellent, classic (reserved for prizewinners or literary classics.) Include author information: other published works, author's degrees or career if applicable. You are ready to begin.






Book Reviews for reviews are:

Bookideas.com! Book reviews in all categories.
Women Writers: A Zine
Mostly Fiction: recommended books, reviews, chapter excerpts and free bo
The Black Book Network Book Club!
Midwest Book Review
nonfiction books - nonfiction book reviews - science - history - medicine
The Compulsive Reader :: A Haven for Book Lovers
mystery, romance, historical - www.inspiredauthor.com
Curled Up With a Good Book--Review for us!
www.inspiredauthor.com
www.authorsconnection.com
www.coffeetimeromance.com




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