I often get asked what's involved in writing a book review for Edinburgh Perl Mongers, so I decided to write this short FAQ, reflecting my own thoughts on this matter.
Q 1. What's the deal with this book reviewing thing?
A 1. You write a timely and useful review of a book, and in
return for the review being published to an appropriate audience, you
get to keep the book.
Q 2. Why timely?
A 2. Typically, review texts are requested and issued following the
(re-)release of the title. A book review forms part of a publisher's
marketing mechanism for the title, and is of more value as promotional
material if the review appears in a timely fashion.
Q 3. What is timely?
A 3. I normally suggest an upper time frame of 4-6 weeks. Experience suggests
that if a reviewer is unable to turn in a review within this period,
the review is increasingly unlikely to ever appear.
Q 4. What happens if I don't write the review in a timely manner?
A 4. I'll ask you to return the book to the publisher, or to Edinburgh Perl
Mongers, so that someone else can do the review.
Q 5. Do you really ask for the book back if the review is running late?
A 5. Yes. Lets be realistic. The book is being offered for review by the
publisher in good faith that a timely review will be published.
Equally realistic is the fact that work and family life can throw
the best intentioned time estimates for a review into disarray.
There is a balance to be struck. However, please realise that the
book review is offered under the banner of the Edinburgh Perl Mongers,
and that delays to the publication of reviews reflects poorly on the
group and can have a negative impact on future requests for books.
Q 6. What makes a review useful?
A 6. Many factors contribute to this, such as; assessment of the book's
accuracy, style, depth, coverage, cost, competitors etc. However,
regardless of how many aspects you cover, it simply boils down to
asking yourself; "would a prospective purchaser of this book find
this review useful?". Publishers already make available a sales
pitch, index and table of contents for the book on their website.
You clearly have to offer more. Having read the book, you have to
form, express and support opinions of that text - with the bottom
line being an assessment of whether the book satisfies its own
stated objectives.
Q 7. How many words do I have to write?
A 7. Enough to be useful to the reader.
Q 8. Where will you publish my review?
A 8. Your review will be published in the book review section of the
Edinburgh Perl Mongers web site.
Q 9. Does the review have to be favourable?
A 9. No, however the review has to be useful to those reading the review.
Q 10. I'd like to do a review, but I'm not confident I can do it.
A 10. If, after reading a book, you are able to form, express and support
opinions of that text, then I would suggest that you are able to
write a review.
