Book reviews
From time to time I’ll be reviewing paperback Indie books I’ve read (click on the 'BOOK REVIEWS' tab above to read my reviews). I grade on a 100-point scale in honor of my daughter, who just started college this semester. Here’s my breakdown:
LOOK/DESIGN – 20 points. This is important, and whether it deserves 20 points might be debatable to others, but I believe a lot of people will not give a book a chance if the overall package is not appealing.
EDITING/FORMATTING – 20 points. This is probably a lot more important to others, but if a story is good enough, I will overlook a few editing issues. I recognize most Indie authors do not have the resources to hire outside help, and I know from experience how difficult it is to do it all yourself. I actually expect some typos to slip through – it’s common even in traditionally-published books – so it’s not crucial to me. And heaven knows I’ll never qualify as a member of the Grammar Police, so a lot of those errors will not even register on my radar. I’m lucky my mother edits my manuscripts, or I’m sure I’d be torn to shreds in every review. Believe me, I’ve tried to improve my grammar, and every resource I check has conflicting rules! Just tell the story, keep me interested, and if I don’t have to go back and re-read sentences to figure out what you’re trying to say, you’ve done a good job in my opinion.
CONTENT/STORY – 60 points. This is what matters most to me. If a book gets 60 points in this category, it’s perfect for me and one I’ll remember and recommend, regardless of the scores in the other two brackets.
I will try to find something to criticize in each area, mainly because I appreciate when someone tries to help me improve my own books. So if I have to nitpick in order to offer suggestions, it only means you’ve done the important stuff correctly! Perfection is impossible, but my goal is to help nudge someone a little closer. I hope my remarks are taken in the spirit they are given, and sincerely wish success to all Indie authors!
From time to time I’ll be reviewing paperback Indie books I’ve read (click on the 'BOOK REVIEWS' tab above to read my reviews). I grade on a 100-point scale in honor of my daughter, who just started college this semester. Here’s my breakdown:
LOOK/DESIGN – 20 points. This is important, and whether it deserves 20 points might be debatable to others, but I believe a lot of people will not give a book a chance if the overall package is not appealing.
EDITING/FORMATTING – 20 points. This is probably a lot more important to others, but if a story is good enough, I will overlook a few editing issues. I recognize most Indie authors do not have the resources to hire outside help, and I know from experience how difficult it is to do it all yourself. I actually expect some typos to slip through – it’s common even in traditionally-published books – so it’s not crucial to me. And heaven knows I’ll never qualify as a member of the Grammar Police, so a lot of those errors will not even register on my radar. I’m lucky my mother edits my manuscripts, or I’m sure I’d be torn to shreds in every review. Believe me, I’ve tried to improve my grammar, and every resource I check has conflicting rules! Just tell the story, keep me interested, and if I don’t have to go back and re-read sentences to figure out what you’re trying to say, you’ve done a good job in my opinion.
CONTENT/STORY – 60 points. This is what matters most to me. If a book gets 60 points in this category, it’s perfect for me and one I’ll remember and recommend, regardless of the scores in the other two brackets.
I will try to find something to criticize in each area, mainly because I appreciate when someone tries to help me improve my own books. So if I have to nitpick in order to offer suggestions, it only means you’ve done the important stuff correctly! Perfection is impossible, but my goal is to help nudge someone a little closer. I hope my remarks are taken in the spirit they are given, and sincerely wish success to all Indie authors!
