Comments on The Book Vixen: How Do You Prepare to Write Your Reviews?

I use a notebook to take notes. I'm pretty goo...

2011-10-19T06:19:33.524-07:00

I use a notebook to take notes. I'm pretty good at forcing myself to write down my thoughts as they come to me whether I think they'll fit into a review or not just so all of the context is there. Then I put it to one side and when I come back to write the review I get out my highlighters and go through the most relevant points and then form a review from that. My notes are enough of a reminder to remind me what the book was like and what I can say and the highlighters help me to organise my thoughts!
Once Upon A Time

I just write my reviews straight onto my blog as s...

2011-08-24T03:28:06.534-07:00

I just write my reviews straight onto my blog as soon as possible after I've finished reading. I reckon that if I can't remember something then it isn't worth mentioning. I end up with some rather short reviews sometimes. but I think they contain all I want to say.

@De...

2011-08-16T20:57:07.156-07:00

@Denise Z

That's happened to me before too - no time to write a review after I've finished reading a book. Or I finish reading a book before going to bed. Or I'm in reading mode and want to read another book and not write a review. LOL

Let me know if the voice recorder works for you :)

@Je...

2011-08-16T20:55:39.663-07:00

@Jess (The Cozy Reader)

I've waited months before writing a review before and it just makes it so difficult for me. I've lost most of my thoughts by then. (Not for review requests but for personal reads.)

I forget names too if I wait too long. LOL

I write my thoughts in a journal notebook when I&#...

2011-08-16T14:21:06.242-07:00

I write my thoughts in a journal notebook when I'm collecting notes to help my reviews. I never used to do this, one day i did and realized it did help a lot!

Sometimes (rarely though) I take notes on the book...

2011-08-16T13:54:37.109-07:00

Sometimes (rarely though) I take notes on the books that I'm reading, but the majority of the time I just go where my thoughts lead me when I write my reviews.

Although I have been known to write a review months after I read the book just because I couldn't sum up my thoughts till then.

A tape recorder sounds like a great idea, wish I has one because I think way faster than I can write. =)

Orchid
The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia

I was thinking about using my voice recorder just ...

2011-08-15T14:36:44.064-07:00

I was thinking about using my voice recorder just the other day - I will often finish a book and just do not have time to write the review at that time and I will start a new book as soon as I finish - thanks for validating that idea :)

What a great topic! I however, have no means of p...

2011-08-15T10:52:40.024-07:00

What a great topic!

I however, have no means of preparing for writing a review and REALLY need to do something about that. Why? Because it can end up being MONTHS before I sit down to write a review. I know, I'm such a BAD blogger!

I recently came across some bookmark pads made of paper (DUH!) that I may buy for this very thing. I end up forgetting secondary character names and especially the town name.

I always use the same template when I write the review. I almost need to print it out and fill it in as I read, but honestly, I wouldn't enjoy that kind of a distraction. It would almost feel like work then, and reading is not something I want to feel as work.

Thanks for the idea on the recorder. I think I'd be best with written notes though.

@the...

2011-08-15T07:51:41.020-07:00

@thelibrarianreads

I take notes on my iTouch as well :)

@Am...

2011-08-15T07:50:42.213-07:00

@Amused

Good ideas and thoughts usually come to me in the shower or when I'm driving :)

I always like reading these kinds of posts and fin...

2011-08-15T06:26:08.024-07:00

I always like reading these kinds of posts and finding out how other bloggers get their creative juices flowing :) I'm like Kiya,I like sticky notes too

I take notes in a post draft on wordpress while re...

2011-08-15T06:24:27.538-07:00

I take notes in a post draft on wordpress while reading (either on my computer or iPhone). And I always write a rough draft or short hand of a post as soon as I finish a book. Even if I'm writing on random scrap paper (once I did one on my airplane ticket!) Oh and I bookmark in the nook and in physical books...i'venever been a highlighter

I put sticky notes on my favorite pages and then I...

2011-08-15T06:13:10.873-07:00

I put sticky notes on my favorite pages and then I re-read them to get my mind going about my favorite or not so favorite points... I really like the recording idea!

I do use post its in my books to capture things I ...

2011-08-14T20:12:51.856-07:00

I do use post its in my books to capture things I may need in my reviews. I also start the posts in draft modes as I have time. I will put in the book cover and the synopsis and add quotes, pics, or ideas into the draft so when I open it to write it, I have it all there.

I just free write as well but a voice recorder is ...

2011-08-14T18:31:56.289-07:00

I just free write as well but a voice recorder is a great idea! Unfortunately I do my best thinking in the shower so a recorder or post it notes wouldn't do me any good in there :)

What an interesting post! Wish I was that organize...

2011-08-14T15:28:18.228-07:00

What an interesting post! Wish I was that organized! I try to write my reviews immediately after finishing a book, but it doesn't always work. I tried having a notebook right next to me and/or using post it notes to mark important passages, but I get into the story and forget all about the notes. *sigh*

A voice recorder is brilliant! Although I'd pr...

2011-08-14T15:26:14.725-07:00

A voice recorder is brilliant! Although I'd probably ramble into it. Hahaha.

Right now I keep a index card in every book I read with the title and the author on it. Then I jot notes on it while I'm reading. Plus it doubles as a bookmark!

I'm a post-it note gal myself but I kept findi...

2011-08-14T15:20:50.719-07:00

I'm a post-it note gal myself but I kept finding that I would be out somewhere when a review epiphany would strike. I didn't always have a pen & paper handy so I would type notes on my phone notebook - then I discovered the voice memo feature. Now I can record things much easier than scrambling around for paper.
Some reviews hit me immediately and others come months after I've put the book down....often at around midnight. LOL
Fun post.

@Fi...

2011-08-14T14:47:53.209-07:00

@Fiction Vixen

If only you could hear what my playback sounds like! I've always got kid chatter in the background. LOL

@Ma...

2011-08-14T14:46:56.227-07:00

@Maria

I definitely recommend giving a voice recorder a try. And you can find them cheap at places like Target. (That's where I got mine, many years ago.)

I think my reviews tend to be 300-500 words, on average. I don't make too much of an issue about word count. I just want to make sure I get all my thoughts and feelings about the book across in my review.

@S....

2011-08-14T14:43:30.746-07:00

@S. Leighanne

*gasp* You highlight in the actual book?

@Bl...

2011-08-14T14:42:32.970-07:00

@Blodeuedd

Another reviewer who writes their review right after reading the book! I envy you!

@Ch...

2011-08-14T14:40:34.101-07:00

@Chrystal

You're right, it is best to write your review right after you finish reading the book. Everything is fresh in your mind. But sometimes I'm on a 'reading roll' and just want to keep reading. LOL

I could never use a voice recorder cause my voice ...

2011-08-14T13:38:17.999-07:00

I could never use a voice recorder cause my voice sounds horrible when I listen to it on a recorder. I've done it once and never again:)

My method is simply to ramble down words when I write my reviews. While reading a book I have thousans of thoughts and opinions. But when I forget some parts I was thinking to have in my review, I just think it wasn't probably that important:)

My iPhone has a voice recorder and I tried using i...

2011-08-14T13:28:40.833-07:00

My iPhone has a voice recorder and I tried using it but there is always so much background noise in my house it's just silly. LOL. I use post it notes to mark pages and keep notes.