Tips for writing about books

  • Limit yourself to 50-100 words.
  • Don’t re-tell the story or summerise the plot. Use just one phrase or sentence to introduce the book or describe the setting.
  • Be personal rather than academic (concentrate on what the book made you feel and think).
  • Aim to say 3 interesting things about the book to give other readers a real flavour of the reading experience.
  • Write in a language which is light and informal – use colloquialisms rather than specialist vocabulary. Imagine that you are writing a letter or email to a friend – or talking about last night’s TV - that’s a good tone to aim for.
  • Give tips on how to get into the book. If the first few chapters are tough going – say so. But think what else can you say to encourage a reader to continue.