Emma
asked
Jessica Day George:
I am floored by the fact that you've written reviews for almost 2500 books. My goal for the new year (for reading) focuses on writing reviews for the books I read. Do you have a template, or a generic game plan, for the average review that you could share with me? And how do you keep your reviews so focused on the positive aspects of the book?
Jessica Day George
Well, I have been on Goodreads since 2008!
I don't have a template, I just write my thoughts. And it tends to be positive for several reasons: One, I don't want to smack talk other authors. These are my friends and colleagues. Two, I'm not a professional book critic, so it's not my job to point out the flaws. Three, I'm reading to be entertained, so a book has to be really, REALLY bad for the flaws to stand out more. And four, I generally choose books that I know I will like, that I'm excited to read, so I find very few "duds."
I don't have a template, I just write my thoughts. And it tends to be positive for several reasons: One, I don't want to smack talk other authors. These are my friends and colleagues. Two, I'm not a professional book critic, so it's not my job to point out the flaws. Three, I'm reading to be entertained, so a book has to be really, REALLY bad for the flaws to stand out more. And four, I generally choose books that I know I will like, that I'm excited to read, so I find very few "duds."
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