Crafting Engaging Book Reviews for Your Target Market

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the constant creation of how-to articles for your business promotion, why not try your hand at writing a book review? I suggest you pen a review about a book you've enjoyed that is relevant to your products or services. Your review should conclude with a brief author bio, including your contact information and website URL. Many article directories, e-zines, and websites that usually accept articles will also welcome book reviews. Additionally, there are numerous sites dedicated to book reviews where you can submit your work.

Crafting Your Review: A Step-by-Step Guide

When starting a review, I typically follow the format recommended by Midwest Book Review. I then adjust the format and word count to meet the requirements of each submission site. Midwest Book Review suggests the following format (examples of paragraphs are enclosed in parenthesis):

• Book Title
• Author
• Publisher
• Publisher Address
• ISBN
• Price
• Publication Date
• Page Count

Reviewer Contact Information:

• Name
• Address
• E-mail

First Paragraph:

Include information about the book's format. Commenting on the cover design, table of contents structure, and/or glossary at the back of the book adds a nice touch.

Second Paragraph:

Detail the recommended audience and explain why they should read the book.

Third Paragraph:

Discuss the book's structure and layout, number of chapters, and topics covered.

Fourth Paragraph:

Provide a brief biography of the author, including their name, name of their business (if applicable), business or personal expertise, and if available, include titles of their other books.

Fifth Paragraph:

Recommend the book and offer some ideas of its practical use by individuals or groups. If applicable, mention that it would make a good gift book and conclude the review with a positive summary of the book.

After crafting your review, add your copyright statement and byline to the bottom of the review. As always, have the review proofread by an editor before you begin submission. Your book reviews can serve as powerful marketing tools that will generate significant exposure for you.

(c) 2005. Davis Virtual Assistance. All rights reserved. Permission to publish online or in print granted provided the article and byline are printed intact with live links.