Written by Satima Flavell | 11 September 2007

In writing this article, I have endeavoured to cover all the problems I have come across in editing reviews. If you are considering submitting reviews to The Specusphere, please read this article carefully and take its precepts on board.

Review writing is a marvellous tool for sharpening our skills in observation and critical awareness. More importantly, it can also help us to develop empathy and compassion – but more on that later. Let's start with the nuts and bolts.

First, know your genre. You can specialise if you like–I review mainly historical fantasy and humour, for example–but it helps to develop a general knowledge of all the speculative fiction genres and of writing generally. A reviewer with a broad general knowledge will usually do a much better job than one who has not read widely in both fiction and non-fiction.

Second, in structuring a review, the following pattern is pretty standard and is worth sticking to because it works.

1. In the first paragraph, be sure to mention the author's name and to place the book you're reviewing in the context of his or her work or within the genre generally. For example:

Pigs with Wings, A. Swineherd's ninth book, follows up the themes of mud and glory that characterised his previous works.

or

Felix Ninelives's latest offering is firmly set in the tradition of such classics as Cuddles' Cats in a Continuum Cradle and Fluffy's Tomcat's Adventures in Space, in that it deals with issues of feline infidelity and what this means for space travel.

You can go on for a paragraph or two in this vein, depending on whether or not you have in-depth knowledge of–or interest in–the author or the genre. If you have no such knowledge at all, see if you can get some by Googling.

2. In the next paragraph or two, tell us a little about the plot – only a taste, because review readers hate spoilers – and discuss the main characters. A discussion of themes can also be included here. When you are reading, look out for references that hint at themes. In Sean Williams's Saturn Returns, for example, we can guess from the title that this is about a person who is being forced into maturity. Why? Because when a person is about 29 years old, the planet Saturn returns to the position in the heavens that it occupied at the individual's birth. Astrologically, this is said to mark the beginning of a search for true adult maturity and if the subject is not actively seeking self-knowledge, circumstances may well thrust it into consciousness.

Look closely at the names of the main characters. Here again, using Saturn Returns as an example, we can surmise that our protagonist, Imre Bergamasc, is something of a tricksy, deceitful character, since the word "Bergamasc" is said to refer to the natives of Bergamo, a town in Italy whose citizens were noted for these characteristics. And, of course, the fact that the word ends in -masc suggests that we're dealing with someone who has more than one face. It might also refer to the scene at the end of A Midsummer Night's Dream when the rustic men who have just presented their play before the duke ask if he'd like it followed by a "Bergamasque dance". Indeed, Williams's character in some of his manifestations did lead some people on a not-so-merry dance of deception and even betrayal. Without stretching credibility, be on the lookout for such references and mention them if they seem appropriate. Do you see why a broad general knowledge is so valuable?

As an aside, I have learnt from the author that he did not know about the origin of the word "Bergamasc" and had only the "mask" connotation in mind. This happens quite often – a writer can be carrying unconscious knowledge which s/he applies in the right place! Sean Williams also explained that the name Imre wasn't an accident, either. Here's what he had to say about it:

His first name gives even stronger clues to another theme in the book: that of power, one's relation to it and the way it can be expressed. "Imre" comes via "Emmerich" and "Almaric" from words meaning "work, labour" and "power". It's also similar to "Imrie" ("my utterance"), "Imran" ("host") and even "I'm" or "I am". So this Imre we're following is an expression of his original self's authority, in a way, as well as being a mask trying to discover what true face lies behind itself.

3. In the next section, say what you liked about the book, whether that was characterisation, style, plot or whatever. Comparisons with similar works can add variety and interest. Be analytical: be sure to explain why you liked certain elements of the book.

4. In the next bit, say what didn't work for you and why. Again, comparisons can help, but make them tactful and kind.

5. In the second last paragraph, sum up your opinion and mention who is likely to enjoy the book – young adults; space opera fans; romantic fantasy readers etc. As reviewers, our job is not just to express a well-informed opinion but to entice the kind of reader who would enjoy the book into buying it.

6. In the last paragraph, include a URL for the author's blog or website.

7. And I don't need to remind you, do I, to run spell-check and to consider carefully your grammar, syntax and punctuation. Or to avoid inane adverbs and adjectives such as good, interesting and nice. A chatty style is fine, but don't overdo the colloquialisms. They were created for conversation, not writing, for which they are seldom specific enough or clear enough.

Looking at layout for The Specusphere, I like to see the in the top left corner:

Name of Book by Name of Author

Reviewed for The Specusphere by Name of Reviewer

Name of Publisher, Date of Publication,  ISBN number (all in bold type).

Then the body of review, single spaced, left justified only, Verdana 10pt with no indents or spacing between paragraphs. (I know that's wildly contrary to what we've been taught, but it's because our system has been set up to perceive a single return as a double one, if that make sense.) Titles should be italicised. Leave only a single letter space, not a double, after a full stop. Of course, if you're writing for another publication you should follow their guidelines.

OK, that's the nuts and bolts done with, so let's move on to more in-depth matters. Remember I said reviewing can help us to develop empathy and compassion? Do I hear your eyes skid to a halt here while you say "Huh? Empathy and compassion? How so?"

A good reviewer needs empathy and compassion for three different people: the writer, the publisher and the reader. This is because a review serves three purposes, all equally important.

One is to help and encourage the author. You might be surprised how often reviewers get thanks from writers who say a review has made them take stock of their work and see areas where it can be improved. Working on the premise that this is best accomplished through a balance between measured praise and constructive criticism, it's a good idea not to let the latter overwhelm the former. Writers, like all artists, are sensitive souls. I've seen well-known authors utterly devastated by one bad review. I can understand that. It must be like putting your kid in a baby show only to be told to take the ugly little bastard home.

Another thing we can accomplish with reviews is to let readers know whether or not this is a book they would enjoy reading. That the reviewer didn't necessarily enjoy it is neither here nor there. In any case, the reviewer's opinion of a piece will not be the same as that of many readers who might have completely different taste. Therefore, soften criticisms with phrases such as "It might be seen as....", "Perhaps it would have been better if..." and "Some readers might think..." rather than jumping in boots and all with a strongly worded opinion that reads like a dictum from on high. It's fine, even necessary, to hold opinions, but not to express them as if they were fact. Complete objectivity is impossible and perhaps not even desirable, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't aim towards it, for otherwise our opinions will get in the way of our compassion.

The third thing a review does is help to publicise the book. To this end, it's a good idea to put in at least one pithy, complimentary quote that the publisher can use in publicity. I always get a warm fuzzy when I see a quote from one of my reviews in an ad or on a cover because it means I've succeeded in that part of my job, at least.

The very first essay I ever read on criticism–yikes, fifty years ago now!–taught me something I've never forgotten. It said something like "A man is a better critic than you are if he can see in a piece something of beauty that you have missed." While ignoring the sexist language of the fifties, I try not to let myself forget that sentiment. Whenever I write a review I remind myself to imagine how I would word my criticisms if I had to offer them to the author verbally, face to face. Not only do I not want to hurt their feelings, but there's always the chance that I could run into them at cons sometime. There's no point in alienating our authors when in fact a different choice of words might actually help and encourage them. Remember that to get published at all a work must have a fair degree of merit. Try to figure out what beauty the publisher saw in it that you, so far, haven't seen – and help the reader to see it, too.

Should a reviewer read other reviews? Yes, of course, but for my part, I try to avoid reading reviews of a work until my own is finished and on line. The only exception might be in a case where I absolutely dislike the book or can't get into it. In such a case I do one of two things a) Pass it on to another reviewer or b) Do some research, which might include reading other people's reviews and asking the opinion of friends who have read the book. Sometimes, this will give me a new perspective, allowing me to concede that there is, indeed, some beauty in the work!

Thank you for perusing this article. May you find much beauty in your reading and in your life!