How to Write a Book Review

As a published author I have asked numerous readers to read Silenced and review it. Over the past week of the release of Silenced, several people have asked me what exactly is a review. Well... to start off... reviews are an authors life line. Great reviews help drive that author to continue in their writing and the not so good reviews help the author grow to become a better writer. They are not a way of editing but to help potential buyers.

Below you will find a brief explanation of what authors expect from a review ... good or bad.. and how to write one. So here we go.

Book reviews are an evaluation of a books quality, meaning, and goal. They should focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the content. It's not a critical book report or summary. It evaluates how much the author has succeeded in reaching their main goals with their work. When writing a review there's no correct way to do it.

First when books reviews are started, they should state the essential information within the first paragraph, which can include the authors name or the title of the book. If it's known, state the authors purpose for writing that particular book. Mention from what point of view it was written and if the author did it well.

Second answer several different questions in sentence form. Did you enjoy the overall story? Was it worth the read? Would you recommend the book to another? What did you think of the storyline and characters? How did the book affect you while reading it? Did you come to care about the characters or relate to a certain character?

Book reviews can range from 50 words to 1500 words. There's really not a limit on how long they have to be unless it's specified. Most authors aim to have reviews published on sites such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Some tend to invite Bloggers to write reviews as well.

One main point to remember is that when you are writing a review.. the plot should not be given within the review.

There you have it. My personal views on writing reviews. Enjoy and I hope I cleared up some of the confusion.