Writing better book reviews isn’t a difficult goal to achieve. Generally, all book reviews follow a standard template:

• Short summary (usually as short as possible, 1-3 lines);
• Critical assessment (your reactions to the work, what strikes you as noteworthy, whether or not it was effective or persuasive, how you felt about the book, etc); and
• Your suggestion/assessment/projection of audience reactions.

That said, here are six tips to help you write better reviews:

1. Make it balanced. Remember to say BOTH what you liked and didn’t. Be honest (honesty =/= acerbic or saccharine). While this book might work/not work for you, this could be the opposite for someone else. Remember to state that this is your opinion (because it is).

2. Be specific. “I loved it!” is not a review. Neither is “I hated this crap!” What did you like or dislike about the story or writing? What do you think worked or didn’t?

3. Stay with the book. Leave the author out of it. The author’s face or beliefs aren’t important here. You’re here to talk about the book, not their social media posts. (If you have strong reservations about an author, it might be best not to review their book at all).

4. Review the writing and story alone. The book’s jacket, author photo, dedication, blurbs and typeface are all nice things, yes, but unless there’s something especially despicable about them, why talk mention any at all? Speak about the writing, the characters, the story, the research, the facts, etc. That’s the job.

5. Don’t just summarize. Offer clear thoughts. I could easily get a summary on Goodreads. If I wanted a terse review, I’d go to Amazon and filter to 1-stars. Offer clear and concise thoughts, stating why you think the book works or not.

6. Don’t give away the ending/twist/secret plot point. Seriously, don’t be THAT person.

Offering to do reviews is a great way to network, improve your critical eye, and an opportunity to help your favorite writers. Since many publishers (such as our own Apex Book Company) offers free review galleys in exchange for an honest review, it’s also a way to help ease the financial burden of your book buying habit!