This is the second in a series - the first was So You Want To Be A Critic. These are guidelines you can use as you're writing a review to help you remember the critical elements.
Hook Guidelines:
- How can I surprise the reader with something unexpected?
- Did I capture something unusual, profound, funny, tragic, or unexpected in the first sentence?
- Am I coming up with interesting new ways to say things or am I relying on tired old clichés?
- Does my next sentence play off the first in a logical, compelling way or did I just introduce a totally new idea which will confuse the hell out of the reader?
- Does the hook serve as an introduction to the rest of the review, or did I wander off into clever-land without realizing that it has nothing to do with what I’m reviewing?
Body Guidelines:
For a book:
- What was your reaction when you finished the book? If it was powerfully positive or negative, that may be a good place to begin.
- What is the writer trying to accomplish? It’s different for each genre: thrillers, romance, literary fiction, sci fi, etc. Does it work or not, and why? (Sometimes the idea is great but the mechanics are so bad that it has no power - see a list of the mechanics, below.)
- It could be the narrative - a story so compelling that you can’t put it down or so vapid that you found yourself flipping pages just to get through.
- The characters may be so powerfully drawn that what happens to them becomes your primary concern... or they could be so two-dimensional or trite that if one dies, you don’t even notice - or care.
- How does the writer handle dialogue? Does it flow easily, sounding natural, or is it stale with too many adverbs describing the characters' mood. Remember the goal in fiction is to show not tell.
- What about how the artist describes surroundings and people. Again, too many adjectives and adverbs create weak writing. Is there too much needless description that just interferes with the narrative flow?
- All books have to create some kind of tension leading to a climax and then a resolution. How does the author create or fail to create that tension. Is the ending anti-climactic - telegraphed well in advance? Were you surprised in a good or bad sense.
- Does the storyline hold together or does it feel that the author is using too many coincidences and tricks to hide what is really a flawed plot?
- Even in fiction, the theme or philosophy behind the story may be the dominant feature - either well or poorly done.
- How does this book fit in the overall work of the artist? Does he or she use common themes throughout or is every book a surprise - an exploration of an entirely new idea?
- Is there anything about the author’s personal life that’s relevant?
- For non-fiction, what is the author’s central thesis and how well is it explained and argued?
- Or, for non-fiction, is there something besides the central thesis that dominates — which is usually a bad thing — and distracts from what the author’s trying to say.
- Maybe this is just another in a hundred other books on “Parenting for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” It’s all been written before, so why bother to write another?
- Does the book break new ground in some way? Combining two genres (humor/thriller or romance/sci fi) or doing something revolutionary or evolutionary with a genre?
- How does the book compare to similar books in the same category? Why is it better or worse? How can you talk about other books and the category in a way that educates your reader?
- If non-fiction and controversial, are there other books or articles that support or criticize the position taken by the author? Do you have any expertise to add your own point of view or should you just let the experts fight it out?
- Finally, after examining all the pieces, is this an important book? You may begin your review with your assessment, but you’re going to have to support that judgment with critical analysis.
For a music CD:
- What was your overall reaction when listening? If it was powerfully positive or negative, that may be a good place to begin if that wasn’t already in your hook.
- Is there an overall theme that is explored through each song? Is it compelling, making you stop and think about important issues...or is it trite, becoming mind-dulling by the end. (You can integrate both good/bad and like/dislike here, but remember that the good/bad usually comes first - that creates the context into which you can introduce your personal opinions.)
- If there’s a broad social theme (anti-war, love & relationships, society), does the music say something new and different? Does it make you consider these themes in a new way? Or is just another social commentary you’ve heard before.
- How does this CD fit within the history of the group’s other CDs or music? Is their music always within the same format and formula? Are they breaking new ground? Going back to tried and true formulas that are interesting and fun but not particularly noteworthy?
- Which songs blew your mind (and why - be analytical even though you’re talking about an emotional experience) and which made you want to blow your brains out?
- Compare the musical genre to similar artists and the kind of work they’re doing? Be critical and analytical in your judgments. Explain why one is better than the other (although this is a place where you can also talk about what you personally like.)
- The order of songs is always important as artists try to create an overall impression. Does it work or not and why?
- Given the genre, how good is the music and what makes it that way? What about the lyrics? Are they powerful, traditional, inane...and again, why?
- How well does the band play together? Is it a seamless, tight performance where the musicians are in synch - or is it ragged and almost amateurish? Is there one musician who is particularly good or bad?
- How are the production values, the mixing, the sound quality?
- Is there anything about the musicians’ personal lives that’s relevant? Is the first CD in a long time? Why? Do they have a new member in the band, and what effect did that have on the overall performance?
- Is there anything about when the band goes on tour that’s relevant to this CD?
- Finally, after examining all the pieces, is this an important CD? You may begin your review with your assessment, but you’re going to have to support that judgment with critical analysis.
For a Movie
- What was your reaction when the movie was over? If it was powerfully positive or negative, that may be a good place to begin.
- What is the director trying to accomplish? It’s different for each genre: thrillers, romance, drama, sci fi, etc. Does it work or not, and why? (Sometimes the idea is great but the mechanics are so bad that it has no power - see a list of the mechanics, below.)
- Is the theme so powerful that it makes up for problems in other parts of the movie?
- Are there social, cultural, political, religious issues that the director is drawing your attention to? How does he do it? Is it subtle, heavy handed, clever, compelling, annoying, etc.?
- It could be the narrative - a story so compelling that you’re drawn into the world of the movie and lose all sense of place and time... or it’s so boring that you can hear every squeak in every seat in the movie house.
- The characters may be so powerfully created that what happens to them becomes your primary concern... or they could be so two-dimensional or trite that if one dies, you don’t even notice - or care. Are the characters appropriate for the genre? Do you have people in the year 3203 speaking like we do today with the same slang?
- Which of the actors should you highlight? What about their performances is particularly noteworthy or ragged? Can you tell if it’s bad directing or just a bad actor (or vice versa?)
- How does the writer handle dialogue? Does it flow easily, sounding natural, or is it stale and trite making it impossible to get to know the characters.
- How does the lighting or set enhance or distract from the movie?
- If there are special effects, how well are they done and how well are they integrated into the movie? Or is it just a movie to show really cool special effects?
- All movies have to create some kind of tension leading to a climax and then a resolution. How does the director create or fail to create that tension? Is the ending anti-climactic — telegraphed well in advance? Were you surprised in a good or bad sense.
- Does the storyline hold together or does it feel that the director is using too many coincidences and tricks to hide what is really a flawed plot?
- How does this movie fit in the overall work of the director? Does he or she use common themes throughout or is every book a surprise — an exploration of an entirely new idea?
- How well does this movie either fit its genre or break new ground or rely on tired old clichés? What other movies can you compare the various elements to?
- Does the director’s work remind you of other directors? Is that good or bad?
For Television
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Article comments
1 - jonas
this article is great help thanks!!
2 - john
cheers