Everyone's a Critic… Review Writing Basics

By Kristin Dreyer Kramer

Review writing seems to be a natural choice for writers. As artists, we tend to surround ourselves with the arts. We love music and books and film. And as writers, we often feel the need to write about our experiences and share them with our readers.

It's been years since I wrote my first review-- but I still remember the feeling that I'd reached some kind of breakthrough. I love movies... and I love to write. It seemed perfectly natural that I should write about movies... and books... and music… and games. And I've been doing it ever since. In fact, I loved entertainment reviews so much that I started an e-zine where I (and other writers like me) could voice my opinions.

But, more than just being a way to write about the things you love, review writing is also a great way to break into a new market. Publications may often be hesitant to assign a feature article to a new contributor, but submitting a review may help you get your foot in the door-- but only, of course, if it's well-written.

After several years of editing (and writing) reviews, I've found that there are a few things that every review needs-- and a few other things that it's nice to have. So let's begin by talking about the parts...

1) Introduction. This isn't always absolutely necessary. Some reviews work just fine without it. But if you've got some interesting background information or a personal tidbit or two-- something to grab your readers' interest and/or make the review read like a conversation with a friend-- throw it in. Don't get too chatty, taking several paragraphs to talk about your cat or the salesgirl at your local bookstore, before you manage to get around to the actual review. But a relaxed, conversational style is always good. Your readers will be more willing to read on if they feel like you're talking to them instead of preaching at them.

2) Description. This is absolutely mandatory. Don't assume that your audience knows all about the thing you're reviewing-- even if it's a movie based on a relatively well-known story.

If you're reviewing a book or movie, discuss the plot. Give readers the information that they might find on the back cover of the book or in the movie trailer… plus a little more. Explain the overall tone of the book/movie. Introduce readers to the characters. Give an overview of the story-- without giving away anything about the ending. (Never, ever, ever give away the ending.)  Don't go into too much detail, explaining every sub-plot and introducing every side character. Your readers are looking for a review-- not a book report. Just give an overview.

If you're reviewing an album, there really isn't a plot to explain (unless, perhaps, you're reviewing the soundtrack of a musical), so explain the overall feel of the album. Is it rock? Reggae? Heavy? Soft? Instrumental? Is it something you'd listen to while enjoying a glass of wine and a good book, or is it something that's best listened to with the volume cranked up at a party? Give your readers an idea of what to expect.

If you're reviewing a game, explain game play. This is often challenging, since there are often a number of small, detailed rules. But don't worry about catching them all. Just give the basics: what kind of game it is (A board game? A trivia game? A card game?), who can play this game (Kids? Adults? Just two people? A crowd of people?), how you play, and how you win.

3) Review. Again, this is absolutely necessary. It may sound ridiculous, but writers frequently submit reviews that don't actually include a review-- just a description. To write the review part of your piece, tell your readers how you felt about whatever it is you're reviewing. Did you enjoy it? Would you recommend it to others? Why or why not? Don't just say you hated it. Don't just say you loved it. Explain why. Give both positives and negatives, if possible.

Be honest in your review-- because your honesty will help you win the trust of your readers. If you wouldn't recommend it to a friend, don't recommend it to your readers, either. Or, if it's just not your style, let your readers know who might actually enjoy it.

At the same time, be fair and professional. If you write a long, sarcastic review stating all the reasons why this particular movie is absolutely ridiculous, you'll come off sounding like a bully. But if you state a few solid reasons why you wouldn't recommend it, you'll sound professional-- and trustworthy.

When writing your review, think about some of the following questions. You don't have to cover all of them in your review-- and there may be other topics you end up covering. The questions listed here are just to get you thinking.

Books:

Is it well-written?

Does the plot make sense?

Are the characters believable? Do you care about what happens to them?

Is the book as funny/dramatic/informative/exciting as it's supposed to be?

Does the conclusion make sense and/or tie up the loose ends?

If it's non-fiction, does it effectively teach what it's supposed to teach? Does it get its point across?

Movies:

Many of the same plot/character questions apply. Also think about:

Were the right actors chosen for the parts?

Was the dialogue natural and believable?

Did it keep your attention the whole time?

How were the effects? Lighting? Sound?

Music:

Do all the sounds come together?

What are the lyrics saying?

Does it make you want to get up and dance? Does it soothe you?

Do all the songs sound the same, or is there enough variation to keep it interesting?

Games:

Is it fun to play?

If it's supposed to be challenging, is it?

Is it especially competitive and strategy-based? Does it all depend on skill? Or is it just based on chance?

Is it easy to learn? Do the instructions make sense, or are they too confusing?

Is it unique, or is it like other games you've played?

Is it good for the whole family? Is it just for kids? Or is it just for adults?

4) Conclusion. While it isn't absolutely critical, a conclusion usually is necessary-- to work your way out of a piece without ending it abruptly. A review often leads comfortably into a conclusion, though, so it shouldn't be too much of a challenge. In your conclusion, give a brief summary of your review-- and perhaps tie it in to your introduction (if you used one).

Once you've got the basics figured out, the rest will start to fall into place. But while you're working your way through writing and editing the key parts of your review, there are also a few other things to take into consideration:

Tense:  Reviews are typically written in present tense (though there are a few exceptions). Make sure your entire review is written in the same tense-- or, if you have to switch tenses (if, for instance, you're talking about what happened before the movie begins or what happened while you were playing the game), be sure the tense switches are smooth and understandable.

Length:  Many publications give guidelines for length, though final review lengths vary widely, depending on the topic. Since NightsAndWeekends.com is a web-based publication-- and web readers often prefer to read shorter pieces-- we try to keep our reviews brief. But occasionally we find that it's necessary to include longer reviews. If a movie has been especially controversial, for example, it's understandable that the reviewer will want to go a little more in-depth. Generally, if we feel that a reviewer has covered everything that needs to be covered, the review is long enough. If there isn't a lot of unnecessary description or other fluff, it's short enough. But when writing for a specific publication, keep that publication's guidelines in mind. Unless you're a regular contributor-- and you know what the editor likes to see-- do not ignore a publication's guidelines. It will only hurt your chances of being accepted.

Audience:  For whom, exactly, are you writing? Take a minute to identify your audience and consider what they're looking for. Casual moviegoers probably won't care about minute cinematic details-- but film students probably will. Be sure to write your review specifically to your audience.

Publication: If you're writing your review with a specific publication in mind, write the kind of review that that particular publication tends to publish. It's important to follow the publication's guidelines-- but you can do better than that. Simply read the publication, and you'll know exactly what they're looking for.

Once you've gotten your thoughts down on paper-- and before you submit your review to an editor-- be sure to read through it. Read through it with the careful eye of an editor. Is it grammatically correct? Does it include the critical parts? Does your plot description make sense, and does it accurately describe the thing you're reviewing? Do you give reasons for your opinion? Does the text flow from one sentence to the next? The more professional your review looks, the more likely you are to get it published.

Finally, as with other forms of writing, just keep practicing. The more reviews you write, the more natural the process will feel. Sure, some reviews will be more challenging to write than others-- sometimes you just won't know what to say. But keep working, and in no time, you'll be unable to sit through a movie, read a book, listen to music, or play a game without simultaneously writing the review in your head.

Whether that's a blessing or a curse is for you to decide.

Since founding the entertainment ezine NightsAndWeekends.com in 2002, Kristin Dreyer Kramer has written so many reviews that-- no matter how hard she tries-- she can no longer watch a movie, read a book, or listen to a friend telling a story about a funny thing that happened at the mall without noticing the holes in the plot.  Though she lives a somewhat nomadic life, Kristin currently lives in Ohio with her husband and her well-worn laptop.  She can be reached at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.

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