Summer Reading Post #5

Today’s Summer Reading post is about writing (and sharing) book reviews, When to write them. How to write them. Why they matter. Most of this is going to be covered by a very special guest writer today, my friend and yours: Kym. I asked her because I think she writes excellent book reviews. They are thoughtful and useful, and always leave me with a sense of how a book might make me feel, which is one of the most important things I consider when it comes to choosing a book.

Without further words from me, here is what Kym has to say about her book review writing process . . .

A few years ago (just looked it up; it was 2017), I got frustrated with myself because it felt like I was “processing” books . . . instead of “reading” them. I’d pick up a book, tear through it, and as soon as I was finished . . . I’d pick up the next one and do it again. I realized I’d read so many books for so many years that they were really becoming a muddle in my brain. I wanted to try and make books “stick” more with me after I’d closed the cover and moved on to the next one, and decided I actually needed to . . . slow my reading down; to build in some “white space” between books. 

In 2018, I started taking notes while I read, and using those notes to write little mini-reviews for my Goodreads account. I’m sure this sounds rather “school assignment” to most folks, but it’s not like that. I’m talking very quick notes, nothing formal or “fancy.” I use the Notes app on my phone, and I just jot down a list of main characters as I read (with my eyes or ears). I make note of any short quotes or page numbers I may want to revisit later. That’s pretty much it. Very brief little jog-your-memory notes. And then, after I finish the book (but before I pick up the next one), I rate the book using Goodreads’ 5-star rating scale, and write a little quick-and-dirty review. 

What goes into my review? Basically, I try to capture my immediate thoughts and impressions about the book – how it made me feel, what I liked or didn’t like about it, why I found it compelling (or didn’t) . . . that sort of thing. I especially focus on character development, language, setting, and pacing. (Those tend to be the most interesting things about books for me.) I try to write my review as soon as I’m finished with a book. If I wait too long afterward (even a couple of days later), I tend to overthink, and then it becomes a lot harder. I really try to capture my thoughts immediately after finishing.

What doesn’t go into my review? A summary of the plot! Why? Because I’m not writing a book report here. I’m only trying to capture my impressions of the book immediately after reading it. (Besides, I can read the summary on Goodreads or inside the book flap if I need one.) I find it much easier to just quickly jot down my impressions and not worry about the details or the nuances of plot. 

I’ve discovered that jotting these brief notes while reading, and then following up with a quick review immediately afterward, really does make a difference in how I remember what I’ve read, longer term. Writing reviews has become a solid reading habit for me; just a normal part of how I read books, and not a chore at all. I find it enhances my reading, brings closure to the book, and helps me remember what I’ve read.

I have to say, my review writing process is pretty similar to Kym’s. I don’t always take notes but I often highlight passages that feel important to me (it’s very easy to do with the kindle) and those passages help me when I sit down to review a completed book. I also wholeheartedly embrace the concept of a review not providing details of the plot because that is readily available elsewhere and feels redundant to me. And I couldn’t agree more about writing a review while the book is still fresh. I sometimes delay a day but never more than that because it takes longer and never feels as genuine.

I know writing reviews isn’t for everyone but I really want to urge you to give it a try. It will (probably) help you to remember a book better and it will (definitely) help you when a friend asks you to recommend something great for them to read. As a librarian I’m all about those recommendations! And it gets easier the more you do it. So go on and practice (see what I did there) your review writing skills.