Panick Attacks for first reviews?

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Re: Panick Attacks for first reviews?

Post by j p gilbert »

I have been struggling with the accept review button too. For a couple of days now, I have been reviewing the available list from top to bottom. Delving into the books information. Only once have I pushed the button. Only to chickened out, or to be saved by, the second button.

This is not me. I am not one to shy away. Goodness, I am reading a book on procrastination as we speak. Something, though has stumped me. Is this truly what it feels like to shown the boundary of my comfort zone? I am glad I'm not the only one to go through this. I guess it's only natural.
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Post by Christine_B »

Hi everyone, I couldn't find where to ask this question so I figured i'd ask it here because it's starting to give me a panic attack lol. Anyways are reviews on this site only about books that we have received on this website (review team?) or can they be books we've read before joining? I'm also really nervous because although I've been reviewing books for a year now the guidelines here are a lot stricter than i'm used. I'm used to writing one paragraph, sometimes short sometimes long, about what I liked or didn't like about the book i'd read but here the guidelines say minimum 5 paragraphs 400 words. I'm kind of afraid i'll write my first review here and miss something and have it rejected. Ok so that's what I wanted to ask. Thanks everyone.
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Post by moderntimes »

I don't know the actual review rules here on this site. I kinda think that "official" reviews are posted when the publisher or author submits a book for review -- that's how it's working for my own novels (2 thus far, the 3rd soon to be released). I however think that un-official reviews are welcomed. If you look at the section on the website for reviewed novels, you'll find "official" (paid for) reviews and un-official.

Bottom line, I don't there are any restrictions if you simply want to post a review of a fave book. But check first and see whether this book has already been reviewed. Don't go posting a review of a Harry Potter book, for example, ha ha.

Regarding the review itself, we're not limited to length. When I wrote print movie & TV & book reviews for a newspaper, we were limited to a certain number of column inches, for space limitations. But online, that's no longer a factor.

Primary to a good review is to tell WHY you liked or disliked the book. This is essential -- see the very long and quite informative thread in this forum "what constitutes and unfair book review" because there's lots of good stuff there.

When I way "why" you liked or disliked, you should talk about the style, the plot, the characterizations, the dialogue, the overall quality of writing -- all the things which constitute a good (or bad) book. If the plot is faulty but the characters are well defined and interesting, say so. Describe the various positive and negatives of the book.

Play fair. For example, and I'll repeat this because TOO many reviewers STILL miss this -- if for example the book is a spy novel, and it's the sedate and introspective style (John LeCarre type) and you prefer the more action-oriented type, lots of shooting and fights and such? You can NOT downrate the book just because its style is different from that which you prefer. You can only downrate the book if the way the sedate and interior-oriented story is sloppy or poorly drawn. But if it's done so with skill and expertise, you cannot diss the book if you don't like that particular style (IF the style is well done). Okay? Because lots of newbie reviewers miss this factor and downrate a book for this faulty reason.

Discuss the way the book made you feel. Was it dark and noir and moody, and gave you a great sense of mystery and intrigue? Was it enriching and humane and boosted your spirits? Say so.

Realize that any novel is a composite of several elements: dialogue, plot, characters, style, pacing, rhythm, overall impact, and so on. A good review should point out the positives and also talk about the flaws, a balanced review (assuming that the book itself is "balanced" between strong and weak elements).

What you don't want to do is just summarize the plot. First of all, you do NOT want to introduce spoilers of any kind. So omit the "easy" style review where you just tell the story. Instead talk ABOUT the story without actually revealing the story.

Smart: Hamlet comes back for his father's funeral and his father's ghost tells Hamlet that the death was a murder, and Hamlet now faces enormous difficulties in avenging his father's death. Hamlet also struggles with his own conscience because he's not a violent man and revenge isn't in his nature.

Not smart: Hamlet returns for his father's funeral and his father's ghost reveals that his younger brother killed him. Hamlet fights against the now-ursurping king and eventually Hamlet dies and so does the king and lots of other people.

Bottom line, "chat" about the book just like you would if you were telling a friend about this new book you read, how excited you were and why it got you so boosted.

Hope this helps. I write regular reviews for a mystery website and have about 100 reviews under my belt. Good luck!
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Post by gali »

Christine_B wrote:Hi everyone, I couldn't find where to ask this question so I figured i'd ask it here because it's starting to give me a panic attack lol. Anyways are reviews on this site only about books that we have received on this website (review team?) or can they be books we've read before joining? I'm also really nervous because although I've been reviewing books for a year now the guidelines here are a lot stricter than i'm used. I'm used to writing one paragraph, sometimes short sometimes long, about what I liked or didn't like about the book i'd read but here the guidelines say minimum 5 paragraphs 400 words. I'm kind of afraid i'll write my first review here and miss something and have it rejected. Ok so that's what I wanted to ask. Thanks everyone.
Un-official reviews are welcomed and less strict. Only official reviews have to meet those strict guidelines. You can post your reviews on books you have read on your own. Just check for existing threads relating to the books before you make new ones for your own. If one exists, please post your review there. If your review is too short ( just a couple of sentences), you can add it to the "What is the last book you read, and your rating?" thread. Good luck!

-- November 27th, 2015, 6:02 am --
moderntimes wrote:I don't know the actual review rules here on this site. I kinda think that "official" reviews are posted when the publisher or author submits a book for review -- that's how it's working for my own novels (2 thus far, the 3rd soon to be released). I however think that un-official reviews are welcomed. If you look at the section on the website for reviewed novels, you'll find "official" (paid for) reviews and un-official.
Not all official reviews are paid ones, and some are unpaid with the free ebook as the reward. 8)
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Post by moderntimes »

Thanks for updating the info, gali.
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Post by cranej80 »

rssllue wrote:I think the biggest thing to remember, is that there are people on here that will help you to improve with every review you write. The comments that they give have helped me to see where I can improve my subsequent review each and every time. They take the time to help us see where we can shore up some weaknesses, but also give encouragement in our strengths. Just like anything else, you will get better with practice, so just start writing them and go from there! Don't forget to have fun too! You are doing the author a great service by reviewing their book. It is very cool! :D
I was really glad to read this post. I was hoping to use the reviews to improve my writing skills. Something I have struggled with through school. I think it helps to read other people's reviews. Gives me an idea of what theu are wanting in a review.
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Post by moderntimes »

Just remember this as well... In your reviews, you have to observe the primary objective. It's not meant to help you become a better writer. Instead, it's meant to spread information about the book you're reviewing.

Most important: Realize that you're dealing with an author's livelihood and reputation here. What you write can affect the book's sales and either increase or decrease that author's standings within the scope of that genre or type of book. We novelists use reviews to bolster our sales and assessment of our work within the community.

This is why you must be completely fair in your assessment of the book. Tell it like it is, and be honest. Don't worry too much if your review isn't the finest piece of literature in the new century. Just discuss the book and relate your impressions. And don't concern yourself too much about trying to write some sort of complex analysis of the deepest themes in that novel. Write clear, clean, and easy to understand sentences. Play it straight with the author of the book and straight with those who read your review. You'll be fine!

-- 27 Nov 2015, 13:28 --

I'm going to post 2 of my reviews as maybe an example. Just remember that although I've written many reviews, I'm only one person and so the review is just an example of my own writing. These are by permission of the mystery website where I write, OverMyDeadBody.com.

The first review is a mid-level review, not top and not bottom. I point out the major flaw but also talk about the good features.

----

FOREST OF FORTUNE
by Jim Ruland

Published by Tyrus Books

Reviewed by Sam Waas (me)

--------
Stories of the supernatural these days are generally over the top, taking cues from the ceaseless slam-bang haunting films of the Japanese lexicon and furious action ala Michael Bay movies. It’s therefore refreshing to read Mr. Ruland’s novel, where elements of the supernatural are introduced slowly and subtly, adjunct to the principal motives and personalities of the lead characters.

Forest of Fortune is set in a fading, somewhat decrepit Indian reservation casino in California, sarcastically named Thunderclap. And the three main characters certainly belong there: Alice, a woman haunted by her own epilepsy, Pemberton, an alcoholic and coke head on his last rung, and Lupita Garcia, addicted to gambling.
Each of these three is indentured to the casino, each for various reasons. Lupita, of course, for her excessive fixation on the slots, Alice because she’s trapped in a low-paying job and unable to relocate, and Pemberton because his work as the casino’s publicity hound is a final refuge after fleeing an arrest warrant and a shattered romantic relationship.

And of course, the casino takes these wayward people in, satiating its appetite for the downfallen among us. The ghost is incidental and although real, not the standard howling haunt that we might anticipate. It’s a background element, intelligently placed.

Mr. Ruland presents an engaging story with truly fascinating characters who are stuck in a unique and depressing environment, and for these elements, the novel is first rate. He’s an eloquent and skilled author. There are several clever sequences, too. One I particularly liked was the very funny internal feelings of someone who gets a marijuana high for the first time.

I wish that the entire novel was as good as its initial premise. Unfortunately, it bogs down with far too much backstory, at least a third of the book being spent on personal histories of the three principal characters. A certain amount of character biography is requisite, of course, so that we may learn about the people, but this novel carries it to excess. I kept wanting the author to get on with the current story line, but each time there’s a new plot revelation, we then have to filter through redundant flashbacks that soon become tedious. The main story also meanders toward the end and seems rushed, perhaps from an injudicious edit.

Forest of Fortune has many positive elements to recommend it, however, and readers may find the backstory sequences more interesting than I did, my opinions certainly not being gospel. I cannot give a totally enthusiastic recommendation for this novel, but still found it an interesting read.

----

You see? I talked about the good & bad points of the book as I saw them, tried to play fair. Now a very enthusiastic review:

----
DARK SPIES
by Matthew Dunn

Published by HarperCollins

(several ISBNs and editions listed)

Reviewed by Sam Waas

--------
The author bio tells us that Mr. Dunn is a former MI6 field agent, MI6 being the British equivalent of the CIA. Ordinarily I’d think this hyperbole but not so with Mr. Dunn, because he has crafted a superb and exciting spy thriller that is solid with verisimilitude and precision throughout.

Dark Spies is the fourth in the Spycatcher series, featuring joint MI6/CIA operative Will Cochrane, and from this novel, I can only recommend that readers grab the first three books as well. Dark Spies is that good.

It’s rare that a thriller has both depth of characterizations and locales, accuracy with weapons and other paraphernalia, and at the same time is a terrific, intense read that never lags in pacing or rhythm. Lesser books bog down the reader with overuse of minutiae, but not so here.

Also rare for a generally male-oriented thriller is Mr. Dunn’s superb depiction of female characters, not just there to hold the coat of the hero, but who are genuinely part of the story line and also not the stereotypical cardboard cutout we so often see, where a strong female character is simply a man in drag, so to speak. Here, the women speak for themselves and are as real as the male leads.
For all I know, his is not plagiarism but homage.

I cannot provide much of a plot summary without disclosing spoilers. Suffice it to say that the often ruthless antihero Will Cochrane starts on the run and never slows down, from Norway to Canada to Washington DC in his attempt to reveal a superspy’s identity and save Britain and the US from a terrible mistake. And his journey will take you to new levels of excitement.

Dark Spies is one of the finest modern spy thrillers I’ve ever read. Don’t let this one get away from you.

=====

Note that in both cases I talked about the various aspects of the book without revealing too much plot -- just a basic outline -- and tried to present all the plusses and minuses the books held.

I also tried to place the books within their genre by comparing them to others of that sub-genere (supernatural or spy) so that fans of either would be better informed.

Hope this helps.

-- 27 Nov 2015, 13:32 --

I'm sorry, the 2nd review posted incorrectly and for some reason I'm unable to edit the post -- ignore the 2nd review above. Here's the full review:

DARK SPIES
by Matthew Dunn

Published by HarperCollins

Reviewed by Sam Waas

--------
The author bio tells us that Mr. Dunn is a former MI6 field agent, MI6 being the British equivalent of the CIA. Ordinarily I’d think this hyperbole but not so with Mr. Dunn, because he has crafted a superb and exciting spy thriller that is solid with verisimilitude and precision throughout.
Dark Spies is the fourth in the Spycatcher series, featuring joint MI6/CIA operative Will Cochrane, and from this novel, I can only recommend that readers grab the first three books as well. Dark Spies is that good.

It’s rare that a thriller has both depth of characterizations and locales, accuracy with weapons and other paraphernalia, and at the same time is a terrific, intense read that never lags in pacing or rhythm. Lesser books bog down the reader with overuse of minutiae, but not so here.

Also rare for a generally male-oriented thriller is Mr. Dunn’s superb depiction of female characters, not just there to hold the coat of the hero, but who are genuinely part of the story line and also not the stereotypical cardboard cutout we so often see, where a strong female character is simply a man in drag, so to speak. Here, the women speak for themselves and are as real as the male leads.

Mr. Dunn does borrow a plot sequence from Thomas Harris’ Hannibal and his demonic pigs, but I’ll give him this small token. For all I know, his is not plagiarism but homage.

I cannot provide much of a plot summary without disclosing spoilers. Suffice it to say that the often ruthless antihero Will Cochrane starts on the run and never slows down, from Norway to Canada to Washington DC in his attempt to reveal a superspy’s identity and save Britain and the US from a terrible mistake. And his journey will take you to new levels of excitement.

Dark Spies is one of the finest modern spy thrillers I’ve ever read. Don’t let this one get away from you.

-----

Thanks again
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Post by quadbrookie »

My first official review has been posted! Please, everyone, check it out! http://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-quadbrookie.html Anyone who can help me with character development, perspective, tone, narrative structure and/or dialogue please send a PM!

-- 05 Dec 2015, 14:13 --

My first official review has been posted! Please, everyone, check it out! http://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-quadbrookie.html Anyone who can help me with character development, perspective, tone, narrative structure and/or dialogue please send a PM!
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Post by donaldzlotnik »

Be honest...PERIOD! Authors look at their books as children and are easily offended--but reviews are a part of the business. I look at reviews seriously, but I do not let them dictate to me. I have had more than my share of bad reviews, but in my case they were surrounded in hidden agendas dealing with non-fiction incidents. (CYA stuff.) Reviewers are human and we authors need to treat them as such. It would be nice to know the CREDENTIALS of the reviewer--but--that doesn't really work either. There is also some jealousy in that game also. Bottom line--be honest and able to back up what you write with fact. When a reviewer writes, "I FEEL...." I stop reading. :D
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Post by donaldzlotnik »

I have taught creative writing in three universities and the standard approved method for critiques, etc has always been to present the pros and cons for the argument/review/critique and reviewers seem to think they MUST say something bad about a novel to make the review balanced and fair. I've read thousands of reviews and some reviewers will absolutely trash a badly written book and then end with "something positive" or rave about how great a novel is and then end with a negative comment. I have had the pleasure of reading John Steinbeck's original manuscript for "Grapes of Wrath." It is amazing how many spelling and grammar errors are in the manuscript--yet--someone saw through all of that and we have ended up with an American classic--that by the way had some nasty reviews when it was first published. One of the reviewers commented on the horrible "sex scene" that is now a classic part of the novel. My Point: Be honest in your review and if it is good or bad, say so and leave it at that. If you trash a book and then make a small positive comment it will NOT make the author feel better and if you praise a novel and end with a negative--you've made an enemy for life! :D
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Post by moderntimes »

The donald (ha ha) brings up some excellent points. I agree that there's this common belief that a reviewer has to say one good thing about a bad book and vice versa. That's just not necessary.

As he urges, speak the truth. And yes, authors take legitimate and honest reviews seriously. And they treat stupid reviews like chaff. I've learned from a couple of honest reviews which pointed out some flaws, and taken that criticism to heart. In one case it resulted from my putting my novel through a rewrite.

A small added point. donald speaks about the "sex scene" in a famed novel. In a recent comment about my own novel, the acquaintance who read it was put off a bit by the fairly explicit style of my "shower scene" between my protagonist and the woman he was fixated upon. But I had written this intentionally as a mechanical and animalistic encounter, with no real love or humanity visible. Insert Tab A into Slot D. So in a way, the scene fulfilled its purpose.

Anyway, just call 'em as you sees 'em and be honest and fair. And remember -- it's okay to mention a personal preference, yea nor nay, about the book's themes or narrative or whether it's explicit versus too bland. But ONLY grade the book if these characteristics are detrimental to the novel, NOT if it's just not your cuppa tea.
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Post by moderntimes »

A very good first review. You played it fair, discussed the book's positive and negative aspects, did not give spoilers.

A few comments:
1- Not everyone knows what CTMH means. Better is when you list acronyms which are not commonly known, you spell them out, like "He's a PI (private investigator)."

2- Mentioning a Stephen King book but not giving the title is something better omitted completely. Perhaps just saying that the direction of the story was a bit too predictable and letting it go -- too much info here essentially gives us the title of the book anyway and therefore it becomes a spoiler.

3- Your stating that characters and locales are well described is a positive move. This is just my own opinion here, but I think that you spent too much time summarizing the plot and not enough time discussing the book's style, dialogue, underlying themes (alienation perhaps, with the undertones of racism added?) and so on. Telling too much about the plot has sort of given us the spoiler, especially since you mention an "early" King novel -- not much guesswork needed after this. Maybe decrease the plot summary by 1/2 and then expand on how realistic and believable the dialogue was, or how authentically the author depicted the main characters, etc.

Overall, however, an excellent review! What was most important was that you were fair and logical in your discussion. This is essential and you did this just fine. Keep on keepin' on!
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Post by quadbrookie »

Thanks @moderntimes for all the constructive criticism. I am in much need of more critiques like this! Keep them coming!!
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Post by bookowlie »

I enjoyed reading your review. Congrats on your first one...you are officially a reviewer. :) I know you asked for feedback on another post. I agree with Moderntimes' assessment, particularly points 2 and 3. There is too much summary vs. critique. Although the summary is interesting, it's very long and overly detailed. Think of your opinions as the "main event" and the summary as something to get out of the way so that people understand what the book is about. I'm not saying that you should have a tiny summary either...you get the idea, I think.

You made a few interesting, objective points in the discussion section. Moderntimes took the words right out of my mouth - I would suggest maybe expanding on your opinions in more detail and/or adding a few additional observations about other elements. Anyway, nice job!

One more thing. Regarding the Stephen King reference, I think I would make the reference more general so as not to give people a spoiler if they figure out the book you are thinking of. For example, you could say that the book has a Stephen King feel to it (don't mention that it reminds you of an early book) and then mention in a separate paragraph that it was a little too easy to figure out where the plot was going and so that people don't put 2 and 2 together.
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Post by moderntimes »

First of all, understand that our comments regarding your review are meant to be constructive. We want both the reviewer and the book's author to excel.

Aside from your possibly giving away the critical surprise by referring to an "early" Stevie King book -- oh, let's see -- young naive woman picked on and she takes measures to revenge herself -- gosh, wonder what book that might be? (sorry, but it couldn't have been more obvious), let me talk a bit about what an ideal review might contain.

A book is not just its plot. Owlie points out that you may have spent too much time on the plot. Remember that these days, especially with popular TV drama shows, it's all about "what happens" and not much about "why it happened". Now in your review you did mention the woman's catty mother and how the young woman is perhaps thrust into a very uncomfortable situation, but maybe you might have spent more time talking about the inner motives and how they are seen in today's society. A sort of "literary essay" on contemporary society as seen in this book, and whether the facts of today's societal posture toward black females was well depicted (or maybe not).

Realize that a novel is assembled from numerous components. Plot is only one of them. Other elements include narrative thread (is it trustworthy, is it well written, is it a good "carrier" for the primary themes of the novel's author), dialogue (is it realistic, does each character speak with a specific and recognizable "voice" or do they all sound the same, is the dialogue realistic and does it echo how real people speak or is it stiff and wooden), rhythm and pacing (not just is the plot a good one, but is the reader brought into the story in a compelling way or is the reader "lectured to", do the chapters provide ups and downs of pacing so that the reader's attention is maintained, or is the pacing flat and "pushed" onto the reader).

Maybe in future reviews, you might back off on getting too deep into the plot (realize that plot is only one element of a novel) and discuss the way dialogue is realistic (or not), whether the underlying motives of the author and the objectives of the novel's themes are well described, and are the various characters portrayed in a realistic way (or not).

Understand, these are only suggestions. But I review a lot of books for a mystery website -- over 100 thus far -- and I've been writing reviews for major news dailies for years, so I've got a bit of experience. And I'm just trying to pass this on to you and others here.

Like I say, we're all in this together and this community of writers and readers exists to benefit everyone here.
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