HANDYMAN'S HELPER - Douglas Cobb (AKA Professor Crazy) on Book Reviews
So, You Want To Become A Professional Book Reviewer?
by Douglas Cobb
(c) 2011
I am Douglas R. Cobb, and I write book reviews for various websites such as BestSellers World.com, Curled Up With A Good Book, Boomtron.com, and BookSpot Central.com.”
No, this article is not about a 12-Step Program to give up a harmful addiction, though you may find, like I did, that once you get started, it is an addiction to write book reviews. Whether or not it’s a harmful one is a subject best left to psychiatrists, though my wife might probably like to add a comment or two on the matter. It’s not always an enterprise that you can make money at, though it sometimes is, as there are a handful of websites that will pay for reviews. But, it is a way to get “free” copies of the latest books, often before they even hit the bookstores. Sometimes, you can even get ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) or signed copies.
But, to use an old cliche (as almost all of them are), I’m putting the cart before the horse. What is the first step to take if you are interested in becoming a book reviewer for websites like the ones I just mentioned? Many websites that deal with book reviews will have a button you can click on to let the editors/owners of the site know if you’re interested in doing book reviews for them. This is an important button, indeed, that may decide on how you spend your free time for the next several years, as it did when I clicked it.
Clicking on that button will take you to another page, which generally will inform you about the guidelines the editors of the site are looking for in a review. This would include info about things like the length they’re looking for a review to be, what types of info to let the readers know about, like the book’s author, the publishing company, the ISBN, etc. There will also be an area there in which you fill out your personal information, like your name, e-mail address, and your snail mail address, so that they can send you the books you request from a list they have if they decide to let you do reviews for them.
Some websites, like the first one I ever wrote a review for, Curled Up With A Good Book, asked at the time for me to also send a sample review. I’d written one for a book (I don’t recall which one it is now) that got used at the Powell’s Books site and earned me credit at the site to purchase books from them in their “Daily Dose” contest. It’s a pretty cool contest, and I highly recommend that you give it a try. You just might get lucky, like myself, and win $25.00 (or more) credit at their store, like I did!
The process of writing book reviews and the challenges you will face in being a book reviewer are sometimes difficult, but if reviewing books is something you think you might like to do, or if you’re already a book reviewer, you’ll find that the rewards you get in “free” books and occasionally in cold cash helps make up for the challenges. You have probably noted that I used quotation marks around the word free. That’s because, though technically you’re not paying any money to get the books you review, you do pay for them in a different way, as once you get them sent to you, you have the obligation and responsibility to actually read them and then review them.
This process can take several hours, if not longer, of your time. This is time that could have been spent at an actual job where you get paid an hourly wage or salary. It’s time you could have spent doing something constructive, like yard work, washing the car, or cleaning out your garage. It’s time you could have spent doing something fun, like bowling, watching television, going to the movies, strolling through the park, or skydiving, if that’s more what you’re into.
Though reading books is not difficult, it is time-consuming. I love reading great literature, so to me, it’s worth spending some of my valuable time reading the words of others. It’s also fun for me to think up interview questions to send them via e-mail, to learn more about their lives and their books, and then to let others know about those things by posting the interviews at the sites I write for. If you think that doing these things is also your cup of tea (I hope the cliche police won’t get after me), then writing book reviews could be a hobby or profession you’d like to try.
As for the challenges involved, besides being time-consuming, your reviews will be what often determines if a person who may be interested in checking out an author’s book will buy or not buy it. What you write might directly affect the author’s, and his/her publishing company’s, pocketbooks and reputations. You can potentially help decide by what you write to making or breaking a book’s chances to be a success. What you write will also be likely looked at by other reviewers, whose opinions may be swayed to yours, so that their reviews and opinions may mirror yours about a book. You hold power in your words and keyboards, so use it wisely, Jedi knights!
Another challenge is what to say in a review if a book is truly awful. I don’t generally run into books like this, but when I do, I’m face with some unpleasant, soul-searching decisions. By awful, I mean a book that genuinely stinks, not only in regards to the author’s skills at writing, but to his/her use (misuse would be a better term) of grammar, the division of paragraphs, and other basic factors related to the author’s style and organization of the book.
Don’t lie when you’re confronted with a book like this. Tell the world the truth, because, after all, your reputation is on the line, also. Sure, you should think about the author’s feelings, and the hard work that went into writing the book, and you shouldn’t be a total ass in your critique, but what you write may be what causes people to plunk down their hard-earned cash for a book. You don’t want the people who do this to think that you’re a crappy reviewer who doesn’t know what you’re talking about and who has caused them to waste their money buying a worthless pile of manure, so you should be honest, though not necessarily brutally honest.
Over the four or so years I’ve been reviewing books so far (I’ve lost track of exactly how long it’s been), I’ve have the privilege of enjoying reading far more very good books than bad ones. I’ve established rapports with many very nice and pleasant authors, like the one whose site I’m writing this for, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, and her husband, Mike McPhail, who is also an author. There have been times when I’d rather do other things, not write reviews for awhile, and even give up writing reviews entirely, but I’ve stuck with it, despite the challenges reviewing books sometimes presents. If reviewing books is something that you believe you’d also like to give a try, then I say, think of the Nike slogan and (after consulting a psychiatrist and your spouse): “Just Do It!”
--Douglas R. Cobb--
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From an author's standpoint I wanted to tack on to Douglas's post to give potential reviewers some insight on what is helpful to us.
When I find reviews of my book on line I look for several things:
Accuracy of detail - When you sit down to write that review have the book next to you and flip through to make sure you have names right. While you are reading, jot down a few details that you think you might want to highlight in your review so you be sure to get the information correct when you sit down to write the final review. After all...depending on how long it takes you to read--or write--it could be some time between the time you read and the time you review.
Professional courtesy - Regardless of what you think about the quality of the book, be considerate when you word your review. If you have a bunch of flaws to point out look for a few positives to mention as well. When addressing the flaws do so in a way that doesn't bash the book or the writer.
Blurb-worthiness - Any review an author receive they are going to look for some small snippet they can pull out as a quote. Keep that in mind when you are writing and give them the written equivalent of a sound bite. It gives them something to use for promotional use and it gets you some free promo for your site and your reviews, since they will be quoting you.
Writing Skills - Proofread your work. Make sure the words are spelled correctly and are, in deed, the words you meant to use. Pay particular attention to getting the author's name, the book title, the publisher, and any special use words particular to the book correct. Make sure you have written clear, correct sentences as all of this reflects on your credibility as a reviewer.
Now, I know everyone's experience and process are different, so please do share if you've got something on being a reviewer, or being reviewed!