How to Criticize Constructively
There comes a time in every writer’s life when a fellow writer approaches and asks:
“Will you write a review for my book for my website or back cover?”
“Will you write a review for my book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble?”
“Would you “like” my book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble?”
“Would you “like” my book on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, et al?”
What do you do? On a number of online discussions, I’ve seen many requests for “likes” and many responses in both negative and positive. Here’s what I do.
First, I decide if I want to read the book or not. Except for rare cases (see below) I won’t write a review unless I’ve read the book . If I agree to read, it’s with the caveat that I will try to get to it as soon as I can, particularly if I’m reading another book and have a top ten list of books in line. If I don’t want to read it, however, I’ll be honest and say that I’m not the right person to write a review since I usually don’t read . . . name your genre: horror, sci fi, non-fiction, etc.
For those books I do wind up reading and don’t like, I think about the positives and begin with those:
“Great atmosphere”
“Spunky characters”
“Vivid setting”
“Provocative premise for the book.”
Every book has good qualities. Really. Find them. Give that writer positive, encouraging feedback.
If the writer asks you to post a review on Amazon and you seriously don’t like it, I would be honest and say I can only give it two stars because:
“The writing is inconsistent”
“The characters are rather wooden”
“The setting is hard to visualize”
This might open the door for more conversation about how to improve the book– in your opinion, of course, which could be a good thing for both parties. And, like in critique groups, both writers come away with something valuable.
Thank you for this encouragement. I find myself in this situation a lot and appreciate your wisdom.
Glad you found this helpful. Thanks for reading!
Great advice, Lynne. What about for books you’ve picked for yourself? Do you write reviews of “pleasure” reads? I tend to prefer not writing negative reviews, unless the book is such a waste of time/money that I want to warn readers about it, since there are so many snarky reviews out there. But I also think that we should be honest about our opinions, particularly since 100% 5-star reviews don’t really help writers (since readers often view these as fakes, or written only by friends and family). I feel like there is a time and place for negative reviews, although if someone is requesting a review from you personally, it’s definitely best to go to them privately with concerns.
Laura, I agree with everything you said. If I read a book from an author I don’t know, I will generally write a review if I really like it. Sometimes, though, it feels good to be honest and negative if you don’t like it. Again, though, you don’t have to be cruel, just constructively honest. I guess it’s a bit of an art that we all must learn.
Thanks for addressing something we all deal with. Is there a better answer than, “I’m not the right person… since I normally don’t read (that genre)”? Because many times the fact is I DO read that genre, but the particular book in question is so badly written I don’t want to touch it. What do you say then? For example, “Will you share this book on your FB page?” What’s the proper way to handle that without making an enemy (if the badly-written book is by a friend, for instance)? I’m stumped over this possible scenario.
I just had this happen to me, actually, and it’s a tough one. I had to consider several things: first, did I want to hurt my friend’s feelings and second, as a fellow writer, I wanted him to review my books as well. So, when I analyzed the pros and cons here, I did write a fairly upbeat review, but I concentrated on the positives (the historical features) of the book and not “the writing.” Losing the friendship wasn’t worth it. I would not, however, share on FB but, luckily, he didn’t ask. The only other way out of this is to say you have too many other books to read or review before you get to his. Cop out? I’d love to hear other views! Please!