Book Reviews?

[Devor]

Is the aim to find others who would like to contribute reviews, or to garner readers? Or both?

. . .

I'm going to try to find material on how to write good reviews if I can. That will give us some guidelines.

We have readers. I want to impress that point on everyone. Tens of thousands of people, likely well more than that, will read the reviews we're writing. But we need more people to write them, or we'll never get anywhere, and I think a book club will draw them in - they're a staple at most writing sites for a reason.

If you're more comfortable finding tips on writing good reviews, that's fine, thanks for suggesting it. What book are you reading?

 

[Cloud]

Cloud: Would you be up for picking one of those and making a thread to start the discussion? In particular, if one of those involves short stories, a discussion about how you think their example can help us learn how to write would be great because anyone could follow a link, read a few short stories, and then jump into it. But anything that will get people talking in depth about these things would be great. Doing enough of that kind of thing might make people want to read more works, join the team and write reviews.

Aiye-aiye mon capitan!

 

[Black Dragon]

We have readers. I want to impress that point on everyone. Tens of thousands of people, likely well more than that, will read the reviews we're writing.

Devor is absolutely right about this. We have tens of thousands of readers. While only a fraction register and post on the site, a staggering number of people spend time each day reading our articles and perusing the forums.

Also, we can promote reviews on our Facebook page and Twitter, which can bring in even more readers.

 

[Kelise]

To do this, we need:

- Template/Guidelines for writing each kind of review. I think that a review formula is okay, even for example, to the point of having each paragraph of the review open with a personal reaction and close with a line that reads like poetry. That kind of thing helps to maintain quality across different reviews.

starconstant: Can you put some kind of template together? Be sure to include Phin's notes above.

Aye aye. Only just woken up here in the annoying timezone that is Australia, but I shall try to have something good in the next few hours.

As a side note, I'm in a few bookclubs and would love to (help) run one someday. I wonder if that could be the next step for Mythic Scribes? One of the more popular bookclubs is 'Sword and Laser', who have a website and podcasts (now videos) and such. Over on goodreads, they review the book that's the current book the club is reading, which easily gets them heaps of hits on their written and audio review.

 

[Devor]

Cloud, starconstant - awesome. Cloud, I'll get back to your PM.

Starconstant, I'm going to want to pick your brain about a book club. I'd like to see something more than, "Okay, we're doing Game of Thrones! Post your thoughts!" But I can't get my head around what that would be. But let's focus on the template for right now.

 

[Kelise]

This is what I have so far. While I was toying with the idea of including ISBN, publisher, page count and so on, I think it differs too differently around the world between US/UK/Australia and so on for it to be useful – though if it’s agreed it should be there, then I have no issue with it ^^ I’m only suggesting why I’ve left it out of this draft.

And yes, this is a draft. How is it working so far?

Title:
Series it’s in (if applicable):
Author:
Other names the author goes by (if applicable):

Synopsis:

Paragraph of the assessment of plot:
Paragraph of how the characters worked for you:
Paragraph of the worldbuilding/language/religion and so forth:
Paragraph on general tone, themes and how issues were dealt with:
Paragraph on originality and general writing quality:

Star rating for plot:
Star rating for characterization:
Star rating for worldbuilding:
Star rating for tone/issues:
Star Rating Overall:

Links to purchase on amazon / amazon uk / book depository:

If you liked this book, you may like:

 

[Devor]

If we're posting these on Amazon, I don't think a synopsis should be much more than one very vague introductory sentence.

I'd also like to see the reviewer's personal reaction to the book, or possibly just some element of the book, be built in to the template. I think that'll help give it a personal quality instead of just an academic one. In fact, I think maybe twice - once in the beginning right with the synopsis, and again with your reaction to the characters.

 

[Kelise]

Indeed, this format is mainly for the posts on the Mythic Scribes site.

For posting on Amazon/Goodreads then we could probably just cut and paste this section of the review:

Paragraph of the assessment of plot:
Paragraph of how the characters worked for you:
Paragraph of the worldbuilding/language/religion and so forth:
Paragraph on general tone, themes and how issues were dealt with:
Paragraph on originality and general writing quality:

Star rating for plot:
Star rating for characterization:
Star rating for worldbuilding:
Star rating for tone/issues:
Star Rating Overall:

As for a personal element, should we have:

Two paragraphs on general feeling overall:

As you say, just after the short synopsis, and then:

Favourite quote:

Just before the star ratings?

 

[Devor]

I like it. Two paragraphs may be more than is needed for the initial reactions - we're getting a little long - but it's hard to say without seeing samples.

Also I think it would be stronger if there's conclusion/wrap-up statement - and I think it should be the best written line of the review. Give them a take away message from us, instead of just the quote (I do like the quote, is it too much to do both?).

Even though the template has these elements, and the first draft should follow the template, I think it's okay if some of that is lost in the editing. For instance, if our target is 500 words, maybe we should write 800 words and collapse it to the best material.

I'm trying to test a thought on editing here in the Challenges forum. Basically, skip the commentary, people simply reply to the review with a new updated version, until someone says "Okay, that's done." Thoughts?

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

I feel bad, because I'd enjoy participating in this, I just don't have the time. Maybe I can send positive thoughts out into the ionosphere or something

 

[Cloud]

I'd include a sentence on:

"Why I picked up this book and what preconceptions were held"
"Definitely read this book if you like....5 x similar novels"

 

[Devor]

"Why I picked up this book and what preconceptions were held"
"Definitely read this book if you like....5 x similar novels"

I like it. Maybe we should list some sections as "optional" for each review?

Starconstant, can you post an updated version?

 

[Devor]

I worked a little bit on the process thread. What do people think of this as a process for submitting reviews?

The goal is to make it easy for people to jump in with writing reviews for their favorite books, but to also push them into helping out with the editing and quality control.

Please let me know your thoughts so we can fix it into something everyone is comfortable with.



Join the Mythic Scribes Review Team

Any member of Mythic Scribes may jump into the editing without submitting a review.

To submit a book review:
- Study the Book Review Template and the Guidelines posted throughout this thread.
- Choose a fantasy book you've read which has yet to be reviewed. See the list here.
- Write a book review following the Template.
- Submit edits and rewrites for three separate book reviews.
- Contribute to the editing of your own review until it is polished and professional.
- When the Review Team Leader feels your review is ready, the thread will be locked and the review will be posted.

If you make a good faith effort in all of these steps, then no matter how much editing occurs to your submitted book review, when it is published, the byline will read:

by YourName and the Mythic Scribes Review Team

If you are currently publishing titles through Amazon, YourName will link to your author's profile there.

If you fail to make a good faith effort to use the template and follow these guidelines, your review will be locked and will not be considered. You may try again.

To edit a book review:
- Copy the Book Review
- Make the appropriate changes, cuts, additions and rewrites
- Underline troubling sentences you are unable to fix. It's okay to underline troubling sentences you've added yourself.
- Post the updated version.
- If you haven't read the book, you can still contribute to the language and flow.
- Please do not include any commentary.*

*Why no commentary? We're all writers and can see the problems that you're trying to fix. Allowing you to include commentary only gives you an excuse not to fix it yourself.



Post 2: Template.
Post 3: What Makes a Good Review Guidelines.

 

[Kelise]

Title:
Series it’s in (if applicable):
Author:
Other names the author goes by (if applicable):

Synopsis:

Why I picked up this book and what preconceptions were held:

Two paragraphs on general feeling overall:

Paragraph of the assessment of plot:
Paragraph of how the characters worked for you:
Paragraph of the worldbuilding/language/religion and so forth:
Paragraph on general tone, themes and how issues were dealt with:
Paragraph on originality and general writing quality:

Favourite quote:

Star rating for plot:
Star rating for characterization:
Star rating for worldbuilding:
Star rating for tone/issues:
Star Rating Overall:

Links to purchase on amazon / amazon uk / book depository:

If you liked this book, you may like:

I think the last line is pretty close to '"Definitely read this book if you like....5 x similar novels"' and there's not always five similar novels available ^^


Agree with everything in your post, Devor, that seems perfect.

 

[Cloud]

I think the last line is pretty close to '"Definitely read this book if you like....5 x similar novels"' and there's not always five similar novels available ^^

That was more a kind of 'up to 5 similar novels (or series) where possible (but no more than that)'

Devor - good solid process/rules

On a side note:
It's really nice to see so much movement on a topic started by a newbie here says good things about the forum

 

[Devor]

So, what's left?

1. I think we're ready for someone to write the first review.

2. I'd still like to see a list of books that any good fantasy reviewer would be expected to review, something of a goals list.

3. I'd like to include Guidelines for writing good reviews, stuff like "Refer often to the author" and tips on making it memorable. Phin should be putting some things together.

4. We need to figure out a way for people to "claim" a book review before writing it. Like, "I'll review LOTR by next week. If I don't have it by then, I'll respond here or lose my claim on it."

5. Should there be a template for writing the longer, contributions-to-the-genre book reviews? Is that something we still want? Maybe just put out an ask and see if anyone writes one?

6. I think three reviews in six weeks is a reasonable goal. But maybe the actual process should be, whenever three are ready they go up together.

7. We need to find ways to pick up the depth of the discussions happening in the Novels & Stories forum to help draw people in. Book club is great - but what else?

8. We need to agree on the responsibilities of a Review Team Leader and select someone for the role; it's also not unreasonable to select multiple people to share the responsibility. We need to figure that out.

9. Does anyone know if Amazon, GoodReads and Barnes & Noble have rules about posting a review in multiple locations? We don't want to run afoul of anything.

10. I'll ask Black Dragon to set up a "Book Review Workshop" (sub)forum that's under the same 5-post rules as the Showcase. I don't want to do so until I'm ready to put up the rules thread, and that will happen within a few days. But don't think you need to wait for it to do anything.

Am I missing anything? What are your thoughts on these?

 

[Devor]

So we need someone to write the first review so we can iron out the process.

Phin Scardaw, are you still volunteering?

I would also love to hear thoughts about the ten items above, and anything else covered so far, even from people who haven't yet pitched in.

 

[Phin Scardaw]

So we need someone to write the first review so we can iron out the process.

Phin Scardaw, are you still volunteering?

I would also love to hear thoughts about the ten items above, and anything else covered so far, even from people who haven't yet pitched in.

YES! Please excuse my momentary absence. I manage a piano bar, so the weekends are always a bit crazy for me.

I've picked up a copy of The Last Unicorn which I've never read before, and so far I've read one chapter. I'm really excited about this one and I'll have a review written by next Monday or Tuesday following the guideline templates that we've decided on and we can go from there. Cool?

I'll also have the Review Tips in the next day or two.

 

[Devor]

YES! Please excuse my momentary absence. I manage a piano bar, so the weekends are always a bit crazy for me.

Great! I look forward to seeing it.

I was thinking a little about the "reactions" section at the start of the template, and how Mythic Scribes could stand out. I think, what are your reactions as a would-be author? is largely the take that other reviews would be lacking. Thoughts? I think give it a try and let's see if it works.

 

[Devor]

1. Phin is reviewing The Last Unicorn.

3. Phin is working on the Review Guidelines.

5. I'm just going to put up an ask for the longer Contribution-to-the-Genre reviews, but I still need a list. I'm going to start a post about it in the forum.

6. Whenever three reviews are ready, they will be posted together. Barring additional feedback and suggestions, I think that's going to be the process.

7. Cloud: Are you still going to post on the Hugo awards? Kelise: What kind of timeframe were you looking at to launch the Book Club?

8. I think, for now, we'll share the responsibilities of Book Review Team Leader, whatever they are, and figure out how many people get into this. I'm not sure whether or not the few people posting here in this thread is a clear indication of how many will be interested. Once things are going, we may find that we need multiple people for the job, and that there are new volunteers. We'll post a new thread on it when that time comes.

9. It looks like Amazon claims rights to anything posted there, and some people like to post on their own blogs a few days before they post on Amazon for SEO purposes and the like. In addition, there may also be a problem with hotlinks on Amazon. We'll get a better idea once we're posting that first review and can decide how many differences there should be between the Mythic Scribes copy and the Amazon one. I've already talked to Black Dragon about some of the other issues.

10. Book Review Workshop forum, coming soon.