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Elizabeth (Alaska)
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Aug 22, 2011 07:20PM
How do you start actually writing?
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I usually have thought about my review as I'm reading. So at the beginning of writing the review, I jot down a sentence or two. Sometimes this is enough, sometimes not. Also, most of my reviews quote a couple of sentences or short paragraph to illustrate the thought I want to share. Copying that down helps me to arrange some words either before or after to capture my thoughts of why I chose this particular section.
I have to have an "angle" that I want to come at my review from - it can be a random (or not so random) thought I had while reading the book, a quote, or something about the book that struck me.If I can't think of an angle, no matter how much I liked the book, I won't do a review.
Does that make sense?
eta: Excellent idea for a thread, Elizabeth!
It's wierd because I never liked writing in those silly outlines that they gave us in school. My writing is always very stream of consciousness.But my reviews are always very structured. First what kind of book it is. Then what i liked about it. Then what kind of interesting societal or cultural topics it touched on that I thought were interesting. Then what I didn't like. Then who I think would like it and whether I would recommend it.
My grade school teachers would be proud. I have become the automaton they always wanted!
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Hmm, good question Elizabeth. I don't think I have a universal strategy. I think mostly, unless something about the book prompts me to be creative, I start by explaining my star-rating. I think I usually start with what I liked about it first if I did like it, or what I liked about it least if I didn't like about it. I might go into some length here, pull some quotes, compare it to other similar books or books by the author. Then I'll go to the opposite, to try to give some balance. Then maybe a summary of my main point, or a note of who might like it.
That is, say I give it 2 stars.
I'll say 'disappointing because... for example "..." and the author's book "X" was better' and then I'll say 'but aspect Y made me glad I finished' and then something like, maybe, 'only completists need read this minor effort by this prolific author.'
So, I've fallen into a structure - but I surely don't always follow it. :)
Hmmm, there is no rhyme or reason to my reviews. Some of them I take notes, some I include quotes, some are a real struggle to write while others virtually write themselves. I find that if I'm forced to stick to certain format the words dry up which is why I mainly review for myself instead of a newsletter or website. I do try to always write a bit about the plot and then focus on what worked for me and what didn't. Sorry I'm sure that was ever so helpful ;)
I just start writing! Sometimes I wait and let my thoughts stew until the next day. I believe in letting the words flow, and then I go back and change some parts if I'm not happy with them.
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You might not have to do a lot of revising. I usually don't change too much in my reviews, except making it more clear and coherent, since I write based on my impressions and feelings. That usually doesn't change with revision.
I nearly always wait until the next morning/day to write my review. I've slept on it. I might rearrange a sentence or two when I proof. I've also been known to switch the order of paragraphs when I thought what I've written doesn't follow as logical a progression as I'd like. But again, that's when I proof. Once I save, it's done and I'm on to something else.
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Sometimes I write reviews as soon as I finish a book, and sometimes I sleep on it. I find if a wait too long, I've moved onto another book and gotten distracted. I'm not afraid to go back and edit though, and I often do as my reactions evolve.When I write reviews, I just start writing and go from there. Often times writing my review will give me a new idea or perspective on the book, so I edit a lot as I go. :)
I usually start writing using a pen and paper haha :P
David wrote: "I usually start writing using a pen and paper haha :P"Neil Simon always wrote in longhand for his first draft. You're in good company.
Since I have a book journal, my reviews are based on my book journal comments. The book journal is handwritten and private. I think of my book journal as a rough draft. The comments there tend to be disorganized. I also may rant about some issue in my book journal which may have very little to do with the book. The rants don't make it into my review. I got it out of my system in the book journal. I also do all sorts of spoiler discussion because no one else is going to seeing it. The spoiler discussion often clarifies my thinking about the book. In my review, I won't include spoilers unless they allow me to make a really important point and then I will enclose the spoiler in the spoiler tags that GR has given us.
I start by giving me some time (an hour to a week, depends) then close my eyes and see what scenes I can remember from the book and why. If the book was good, I can remember a lot of things. If it were complicated it sometimes takes time to sort things out. Since I also like taking note of subtle things their easier to see that way. Once I have those in my mind, then I step out and take a look at the entire work and go from there.
You must have a fabulous memory. I find things start to get hazy when I start another book. If I don't write my reviews asap all is lost. I've even had to reread a book because I waited too long to write the review and couldn't remember much at all.
I believe I have an okay memory. it is perishable information though and the more new reading I put in there, the more the scenes fade. Generally, I'm not talking about something that affected me and then was reenforced through other parts of the book so, it's not like remember who was in the 7-11 when it was robbed.
