On his blog, Rick Roche gives a link to an online booklet on "How to write good reviews" that we feel would help authors with their writing. Not that we're putting the cart before the horse nor letting techniques get in the way of the story but, all things being equal, why not sit on the other side of the road and understand what it is reviewers are looking for when reading your book?

Rick Roche is a reference librarian and in his blog, So You Want to Be a Reviewer? RUSA CODES Materials Reviewing Committee Program, he talks about attending the ALA convention in New Orleans in 2006. He attended the session on how to review titles. In his blog he gives the link to a PDF we found quite helpful in understanding what goes into a good review.

The booklet was put together by the ALA and is titled, "Elements for Basic Reviews: A Guide for Writers and Readers of Reviews of Works in All Mediums and Genres, 2006." Besides the advice it gives on what needs to be included in all types of reviews it also has good definitions for the various genres books come under.