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July 6th: How do you approach writing reviews?
The first step in my review process is note taking. With pretty much every audiobook and print/ebook, I open a page in the “notes app” on my phone and jot down my thoughts as I read. I take notes on plot points, theories and guesses to outcomes, narration, and what I like/don’t like. It’s become such a part of me, I can’t not do it. It’s helpful for when I write a review, especially if I don’t write it right away. But the notes also come in handy for when I read books in a connected series (like urban fantasy series), especially if there is a year or more between books.
Once I finish the book, I try to take some immediate talking points and my “gut reaction” rating. Sometimes I write a lot, and this basically becomes the review. Sometimes it’s only a few sentences. I’ll then write up a formal review, anywhere from later that day to a few weeks later.
I usually open the review with a few plot points to put the review into context. I then follow it with what I liked and/or disliked about the book. If it’s an audiobook, I’ll include a paragraph about the narration.
When it’s time to post the actual review, I usually have the review written, and then it’s a matter of pulling the book info and cover from Goodreads and Amazon. I have a set format for print/ebooks and a different format for audiobooks.