The Art of the Review A Literary Article |
Reviewing any artistic work, whether a novel, movie or painting, must satisfy its fundamental need for existence. Why do we authors wish our literary offerings assessed? One reason for wanting a work reviewed is rather primitive. We all have a deep urge to be recognized as good writers after pouring out our hearts, time and energy on a project. If it is our first, the butterflies are likely to be in high attendance until we hear the verdict. It is a career-shaping moment. Also, if we can garner positive comments from respected members of the profession, we'll disseminate them widely to make it available for many to read. Such a review will undoubtedly assist us in generating sales. Of course, it may not be possible to come before the eyes of one of the literati. In that case, you should take a little time to choose a person you respect, regardless of their nonentity status, by observing samples of their reviews or other writing that gives clear evidence of talent. Only the gifted recognize art better than their own and are likely to be ruthlessly honest. Be that as it may, it is important to distinguish between two types of commentary. A review is not a critique. Critical appraisals dominate the realm of performance and feedback for the purpose of making improvements, as in writing groups. Critiques also differ in that they can dwell on certain issues and seem overly harsh in order to induce positive changes. They require a mature attitude on the part of the author, for they are often uncomplimentary about some aspects of your writing. If offered by a knowledgeable person, they can prove invaluable in righting those shortfalls you didn't realize you had. The review, on the other hand, tends to appear more even-handed and fair. Those who do it well can find themselves literally swamped with requests for more. Only the most committed writers should delve this field because it compels you to be very thorough to analyze what is right and wrong about the material read. You must be genre-knowledgeable, know its successful writers, be willing and able to research uncommon issues, and be familiar with the art of the essay, knowing how to present an argument with conviction. You cannot entertain being a reviewer without possessing a clear image of its pitfalls and rewards. Should you charge? At first, no, or at least minimally. ($5) You can only hone the technique of succeeding by doing them. It may take 25 reviews before you are comfortable with it and feel some mastery. That requires finite time and it must fit into your schedule. You don't want reviewing to curb your other literary desires. Once you are satisfied with moderate success, you can raise your prices, if only to curb the massive number of requests that will undoubtedly come your way. The reviewer also needs to be honest, most especially in this literary business because it is replete with frauds who cannot help you. Establishing a reputation as a glitz-kudo prince/princess, one who praises indiscriminately and without much thought, is death. If one gleans Madison Avenue advertising techniques, as commonly employed in today's television commercials, or emulates the ethical standards of film industry hype, the sale of a client's first novel is likely to exceed all expectations. If the novel is brilliant and worthy, both you and the author will establish a great reputation. If, however, the opus sucketh, leaks, or indicates a distinct requirement for remedial workmanship, thou shalt sink to oblivion faster than the FDA can pull a pill off a pharmacist's shelf after determining that it's valued claims are false. In other words, if your blurbs are deceptive, misleading, or outright lies, like the majority of consumer products, your fifteen minutes of fame is likely to be very quickly forgotten. Libraries and brick and mortar bookstores are inundated by such lame ducks, all of which are slated for incandescent garbage disposal units. An honest opinion, then, is of paramount importance. Others may disagree, but no one should ever be able to question the integrity of your stated words. Next, consider the physician's creed. Do no harm! By that, I mean to suggest that impartiality is critical and should be readily observed. Favoritism is out. One should never entertain a review if the result will be either excessively positive or negative. A proper review of literature should always be undertaken with the idea of affording the author a balanced representation of your views. If your scale is likely to tip too much one way or the other, reviewing is not for you. It should go without saying that a work must be examined fully from cover to cover. I mention it because I have seen examples of those who did little more than scan the book in question, resulting in a poor or bad analysis. This is a clear disservice to an author and ruins your reputation. Read it all the way through from start to end. Take notes on the way, because it is improbable you are going to recall certain pages where you might want to illustrate a point later on. Some use bookmarks and fill them with relevant ideas and quotes. It is possible that a literary work strikes you as being so outstandingly written that you cannot find anything to criticize. I have never seen such a beast, but am assured it lives. The opposite is also plausible. In such a case, it might be wise to issue a disclaimer, mentioning the fact that you are nought but a single entity capable of error. Generally, I find it best, if a work is so poorly written that a review of it would engender more harm than good, to cease and desist. The author should be told the truth, but publishing your opinion should not be done. A very bad review could come back to haunt you for unexpected reasons. To achieve balance, one should give evidence of having thoroughly evaluated the material by quoting examples of both well-crafted and lesser quality phrases. Comparisons with quotes from more famous works is often a sharp technique. Elegant, brilliant and exceptionally artistic parts within the body of the whole should be brought to the reader's attention. Always back up your likes and dislikes with reasons. Never say, I loved/hated that and leave it hanging. The biggest and most urgent question an author/reader has of you is why you feel the way you do. If it's a novel, to be comprehensive, you should be prepared to cover topics such as the hook, premise, characterization, development, narrative description and dialogue, style and technique, twists and denouement. The short story or essay should be equally well covered, though to a much lesser extent. Also, a reviewer should never stray far from the author on a personal level so as to make reference to biographical elements in order to provide more depth and meaning for the subject at hand. Anything not understood and likely to cause reader confusion, should be exhaustively researched. If necessary and possible, and you cannot find the truth of something critical, contact the author by all means. Finally, a book is not solely the author's doing, but relies on the publisher and possibly an editor. Anything the house produces in non-conformance with the principles identified in the industry standard, The Chicago Manual of Style, should be identified. There are numerous buzz words in the literary business to be avoided if possible so as to insure a unique presentation, one not burdened by the repetition of other commentators. Of course, the standard expectations of grammar and punctuation apply the same as if writing your own manuscript. Your analysis will also be reviewed, so it must be literate. W. A. Rieser |
