Sunday, June 21, 2020

How I Write Reviews


 How I write reviews
  By Ada Brownell

I’ve reviewed more than 60 books for authors who are members of American Christian Fiction Writers. Besides that, I wrote reviews for non-fiction Christian books for The Denver Post in the 1980s.

When I open a book to read, I usually look to see where it was published. Because I’m a writer, too, I am familiar with a few secular and most Christian publishers so that sometimes tells me what to expect. The publisher’s name often tells me the denomination represented; doctrines; and sometimes even the type of story or premise that will be inside the book’s cover.

Since independent publishing has gained more respect, I don’t frown on an author going with Amazon or other reputable print-on-demand publishers. But I won’t review one from a publisher I know scams authors and doesn’t bother with editing. We used to never review a book done by a “vanity” publisher and a few of those are still around preying on people.

I usually look at the summary, table of contents, and then I critique in my mind as I read. With fiction, I jump into the story and watch to see whether I like the lead character and whether the person has a worthy goal. The minor character doesn’t need to be likeable, but even if he is the villain he needs to be developed enough to make me either like him or hate him early. With non-fiction, I’m looking for a great premise and a fresh way of approaching a significant subject.

The core of my review revolves around whether it is squeaky clean (even non-fiction can have unsuitable language, goals or suggestions) and in fiction I want enough plot to keep me reading.

During the course of working through the book, I take notes, and if I own it, I’ll turn down pages and underline sections I like, don’t like, or don’t understand. Then I’ll make notes in the front of the book giving page numbers and a brief explanation for indexing purposes. If it’s not mine, I make notes on little piece of paper and insert where I have a comment.

Great writers keep me reaching for my pen to write down sentences and phrases I might want to quote in a review. I usually don’t use them because of space limitations, but I might share them with my writers’ group and further advertise a good book.

Yet, there is something else important to me. I’m not looking for perfection. I want to know what the writer did exceptionally well, and I usually find it if I like the book well enough to read it to the end. Most of my reviews are 5-star because I focus on the one thing I can rave about. I don’t review books I can’t give at least a 4-star rating.

I take my notes, sit down to the computer and make myself think about the story and start writing. It’s amazing how fast it usually flows because I narrowed my focus. I never reveal important twists or the ending in a fiction book and no reviewer should.

The important thing is to sit down and write the review. Anybody can do it. Truth is, all you need to do is say, “I enjoyed it!”

I rarely write a review now since I’m cutting back on writing because of my age. Yet I still read, and read, and read.
Here’s my new book, Following the Tracks on my Amazon Author page. https://www.amazon.com/Ada-Brownell/e/B001KJ2C06
 Among others, The Lady Fugitive,  an historical novel; Imagine the Future You,  a motivational Bible study; Joe the Dreamer: The Castle and the Catapult, a suspense novel for middle school up; Confessions of a Pentecostal; and Swallowed by LIFE: Mysteries of Death, Resurrection and the Eternal, a popular Bible study. Purchase the books on Ada’s author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06
Ada’s blog: http://www.inkfromanearthenvessel.blogspot.com



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