How to Write a Basic Review for Groups or Publication: From Book Reviews to Video Games

As a reviewer on various topics for several years, I find that though the process of writing a quality review takes time, there are rewards for it. I have published book reviews, comic book review, reviews of other peoples writing, video game reviews, even reviews of local establishments like my library and college.

What's great about writing a review is that there is always a need, and will likely be for another generation. People don't want to spend $30 on a book and then find it's a sour read. They don't want a video game that costs $50 to only be entertaining for a few hours. As a whole, the market for reviews is big, and can earn you some cash. With that said, there are a few tricks to writing a quality review that I will pass on.

The Product Review

This will cover all the general product reviews. Start asking questions from the outset of looking over the product. Does the book hold your interest? Are the graphics in the game outstanding? Or does the hair dryer overheat after five minutes of use? What did you learn from this item? This can be new takes on age old things like eating or writing. Usually a published product review will be written in the third person. There are exceptions, but you rarely see a first person book or video game review. What's more important is to be honest with the assessment; don't be afraid to write a poor review, or write a good review on something most other people dislike. The reviews of this sort vary both in word count and payment. A book review usually won't pay you much, but other items like computer add-ons (perhaps a jump drive) can hold much more value initially.

The Group Review

If you've ever been in a writing group that meets in person, or if you're involved in one online, then you probably know how hard it is to critique someone else's work. It could be other things, like painting, but writing is usually more popular. The key in writing a good review of someone's work is to find both good and bad things, whether you love it or hate it. We all want to be cordial and nice, but if you want to help the writer get honest and tell them what you think of the work. Always write something positive along with the negative notes. As a writer myself, and a critique, that's what I do. It fosters good relations, helps the writer, and is honest enough.

Overall, writing reviews is a practice that has been around for a while, and is always changing. You might hate the book that is considered to be the best book of the year, or dislike the darkness in a video game that is a smash hit. If you stay true to your opinion, you will gain more respect in the end.