steps to book review

How to Write a Book Review? 12 Step Guide with Examples

Last Updated on February 18, 2023 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD

Do you have a burning desire to write an engaging book review? Writing a book review is often thought of as a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be a case of “throwing the baby out with the bathwater”. With these tips and tricks in mind, you can easily craft a well-structured and captivating piece that will leave your readers wanting more.

Writing reviews is like cooking up something special – you need just the right ingredients to make it work. To get things started on the right foot, let’s begin by looking at how to grab people’s attention from the beginning. We all know first impressions last forever, so why not use one idiom or catchphrase to set the tone for your review? This could be something along the lines of ‘a rollercoaster ride’ or ‘an absolute gem’. these phrases will instantly draw people in and help them understand what kind of journey they are about to embark upon.

What is the Purpose of Writing a Book Review?

Getting a feel for the book you just finished can be an exciting experience. Writing down your thoughts in a book review is one of the most effective ways to share what you think with others. So, why write a book review? It’s simple: by writing a review, you help people decide whether they should read something or not.

When it comes to crafting a well-thought-out book review, analyzing the main character and their journey are essential points that need to be included. Additionally, providing a star rating at the end will also give readers an idea about how much you enjoyed the story overall. after all, everyone wants to see if other people like it too! With this information in mind, make sure to incorporate these elements when writing your book reviews and provide insight into what made the story unique – was it suspenseful ? Was there romance? Did it surprise you in any way?

Writing thoughtful reviews is no easy task but once done right, they serve as great recommendations for bookshelves everywhere!

Step 1: Read and Take Notes on the Book

Reading and taking notes on the book is an essential part of writing a great book review . To start, you should read through every page carefully to understand the author’s message. As you’re reading, pay attention to bibliographic information such as title, author’s name, publisher, date of publication, and so forth that can be included in your book report . Additionally, make sure to jot down any thoughts or opinions – this will help when forming your evaluation of the book later on.

While it may seem tedious at first, making detailed notes while reading is key for creating an insightful and comprehensive review. Keep track of plot details like main characters and their motivations; look out for themes and symbols used by the author; also consider how techniques like foreshadowing are employed. Having taken all these into account, you’ll be able to form a well-rounded opinion about what makes the story unique – which could then become one of the focal points in your book review!

Step 2: Analyze the Book’s Strengths and Weaknesses

If you’re looking to take your writing skills up a notch, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of a book is an excellent way to go. This step in creating a critical book review will help uncover the true value of the book’s contents and allow readers to appreciate the work for what it is. Here are some tips that can get this process started:

• Understand the author’s argument – getting familiar with their purpose as well as how they support it.
• Break down each element of the book – from its structure, use of language, and imagery, to character development .
• Make sure all questions have been answered – did the author reach their goal? What was missing?

It may not always be easy, but taking time to dissect each aspect of the novel can lead to thoughtful insights on both the good points and potential areas for improvement. By engaging in this analysis, readers gain a better understanding of why certain elements were included or excluded from the story—allowing them to more fully appreciate any underlying themes or messages being communicated by the author.

Step 3: Research the author and the Book’s Background

Engrossing yourself in a great read can be an amazing experience. But, before diving into the book, it is essential to research the background of both the author and the book itself. This includes looking at the book jacket for any reviews or awards given to the book as well as searching online for new books by that author. We’ll take a look at some steps you can take to help get familiar with what you’re about to read.

First, try researching information on the author’s previous works and biographical details related to them. Look through interviews with them and see if they have won any awards for their work or been featured in literary magazines. You should also find out where they are from and what other books or genres they write about besides this one.

Next, check out reviews on websites such as Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble – these usually provide helpful insight into how readers reacted to the book when it was first released. Additionally, search for blog posts discussing its content – often people will discuss specific plot points and characters’ motivations which could give you more context around reading this particular piece of literature.

When all your research is done, make sure to use those keywords: great read, book jacket, and new books while writing your review so you can draw attention from your target audience! Don’t forget what we’ve discussed here today; even though it may not seem like much fun now, doing research beforehand will ultimately enhance your appreciation of any new book you decide to pick up!

Step 4: Consider How the Book Compares to Similar Works

When considering how to write a book review, it’s important to look at how the work compares to similar ones. It can be helpful to think of it as tasting different flavors of ice cream – you don’t just want one scoop, you want several so that you can discern what makes each unique. When analyzing a book this way, readers can get an understanding of its main points and why they should recommend it (or not) to their fellow readers.

To do this effectively, try looking for key elements in other books within the same genre or by the same author . What were their successes? How does your current read differ? Take note of any similarities and differences between them; use these observations as evidence when discussing the appeal of the new book. Don’t forget to consider if there is something special about this particular text – some signature style from the author or overarching theme – that sets it apart from others in its category.

By taking into account both broader contexts and fine details, we are better able to form opinions on our reading experiences and share those views with others who may benefit from hearing them. Such reviews can help people make informed decisions on what works best suit their interests and tastes.

Step 5: Outline Your Book Review

Outlining your book review is an essential part of the process. You’ll want to make sure you have all the information you need to write a thorough and thoughtful assessment . There are several different ways to go about this, depending on what kind of angle you’d like to take with your opinion of the work.

First, consider jotting down some notes as you read – making note of characters, plot points, and any other elements that stood out in particular. additionally, it’s always helpful to identify themes or ideas proposed by the author throughout their writing; these will help form the basis for your analysis later on. Lastly, try summarizing each part of the book so that when writing up your final review, you can quickly reference them for accuracy and consistency.

It’s important to be objective while also drawing attention to subjective elements such as style and tone during your review-writing session. always keep in mind that there should be evidence presented within your text – whether facts from the narrative itself or quotes taken directly from its pages – to back up any claims made regarding the quality of the work being discussed. By following these steps and incorporating keywords into your review, you’ll be well-equipped to craft a comprehensive overview of whatever subject matter you’re tackling!

Step 6: Write an Engaging Introduction

Writing an engaging introduction can make or break your book review, so it’s important to find the perfect balance between creative and informative. Following these five steps will help you craft an introduction that captures readers’ attention:

• Ask yourself questions about what makes this book unique and worth reading
• Make sure to include relevant details from the story
• Summarize the main points quickly without giving away too much content
• Respectfully convey your opinion while maintaining objectivity
• Check with the writing center for more tips on summarizing the plot

Incorporating all these elements into your introduction will ensure readers stay engaged throughout their journey through your book review. Plus, following questions like these when crafting an introduction helps you get inside readers’ heads—what do they want to read? What kind of information are they looking for? Knowing those answers will guide you as you create a memorable and exciting start to your book review.

Step 7: Summarize the Plot

When writing a review it’s important to provide readers with enough information about the story without giving away too much – so they have the incentive to buy and read the book themselves!

A summary of the plot should include where and when the story takes place, as well as any pivotal points in the narrative arc. If the book has been part of a series, mention that fact as well as how it fits into or differs from other installments. Be sure to reveal if there was ever a twist in the first place or whether it remained consistent throughout the entire novel. also don’t forget to give out some details regarding the author and their place of publication – this helps boost credibility for potential readers and gives them more context around why certain parts may have been included in the book.

To ensure accuracy while summarizing, try re-reading key passages or chapters. This will help you identify pertinent elements like characters’ motivations and reactions during particular scenes that might otherwise go overlooked but could still be beneficial for someone considering buying the book (e.g., did they find something funny or poignant?). By providing such details within your review, readers will gain insight into what makes this particular piece special – setting it apart from all those other titles vying for their money and time!

Step 8: Evaluate the Characters

In this day and age, a great way to evaluate the characters in a book review is by taking a deep dive into their personalities. Whether it’s on your personal blog or published in an academic journal, analyzing the characters can be incredibly insightful!

When evaluating characters, ask yourself questions like: are they likable? Do they have flaws or redeeming qualities? How do they interact with other characters? What kind of journey do they go through throughout the story? Answering these questions gives you greater insight into how well-rounded the characters are and whether or not the author has done justice to them. It also helps you understand if the character was written for any particular purpose.

It’s important to remember that even though some books may contain more complex characterization than others, every character should still be uniquely rendered with depth and nuance. Not only will this make for an interesting read but it will also give you as a reader clear insights about who each person is and why they matter to the overall story. Keep this in mind when writing your book review – it could be one of many ways to assess the quality of a piece of literature!

Step 9: Analyze the Setting and Subplots

Aspects of the book, particularly it’s setting and subplots, are key elements in any successful novel. When writing a book review, it’s important to take time to analyze these components and evaluate how they contribute to the overall story.

The setting can often provide insight into the characters’ motivations and actions. By analyzing the different locations that take place throughout a book, you can get an idea of how the plot develops over time. Similarly, examining the various subplots can give readers more information about what is going on behind the scenes. Both elements work together to create a full picture for readers, allowing them to form their own opinions about the story being told.

Taking all this into account, it’s easy to see why evaluating settings and subplots when writing your book review is so important. It helps bring clarity and context as well as provides valuable insights for both authors and readers alike. That said, don’t forget to consider other aspects of the book too – such as character development or themes – before forming your final judgment!

Step 10: Discuss the themes

Captivating stories always have interesting themes that keep the reader interested. Uncovering these underlying messages can be a rewarding experience and often gives readers an insight into the author’s perspective. When writing a book review, it is essential to discuss the prominent themes present in order to provide a comprehensive analysis of the work.

Themes are usually conveyed through characters and their actions as well as the setting and plot. It is important to pay attention to any symbols or motifs used by the author; this will help to identify what is being communicated throughout the novel. In addition, looking for patterns in dialogue and examining how characters develop over time provides further context for understanding each theme’s importance within the story. By exploring all these aspects, you can gain a greater grasp of the overall message of the book and make connections between events more easily.

It is also beneficial to look at how individual elements interact with one another. How does an event affect later scenes? Does it introduce new ideas or build upon existing ones? these questions allow you to explore deeper levels of meaning and better understand why certain things happen in relation to others. after thoroughly analyzing each element separately, drawing conclusions about which themes dominate will give your book review added depth.

Step 11: Make a Final Assessment of the Book

Putting pen to paper and creating a book review is an art like no other. Crafting the perfect words that can captivate your audience and draw them in, all whilst providing an honest assessment of the work – it’s a daunting task. But by breaking down each part – from discussing its themes to making a final judgment on how successful you found the piece – there’s nothing stopping you from delivering an insightful critique!

When it comes to making a final assessment of the book, consider all aspects : Was it interesting? Did it keep your attention throughout? How were the characters written, and did they drive the story forward? Were any cultural or social issues addressed within its pages, and if so, how effectively were they handled? all these questions will help build up a picture of whether or not this was something worth reading; logically weighing up pros and cons before coming to a verdict can give your opinion gravitas. Make sure to state what age group you think would best appreciate this book too – after all, everyone has different tastes when it comes to literature!

Ultimately, writing a book review requires careful consideration as well as creative flair. You need to be able to articulate both good points and bad ones with confidence, backed up by strong evidence. So take some time out for yourself, grab your favorite beverage, sit back…and get inspired!

Step 12: Write a Catchy Conclusion

Wrapping up your book review with a catchy conclusion is like the cherry on top of an ice-cream sundae. It’s what ties together all the elements, giving it that perfect finishing touch. Here are 5 tips to make sure you write a great ending :

• Showcase any central themes or ideas that resonated with you in the book – this will give your readers something to think about after they’re done reading.
• Sum up your overall thoughts and feelings on the book by providing a brief evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses.
• offer some insight into why other people should read (or not) this book – making sure to include any relevant details such as genre or author credentials.
• End with a thought-provoking quote from either yourself or the author – this can be especially effective if it relates back to one of the main points discussed earlier in your review.
• Give praise where it’s deserved, but don’t hesitate to point out areas for improvement too – remember, honest reviews are key!

By following these simple steps, you’ll have written a memorable and engaging conclusion that leaves readers wanting more! Make sure to tie everything together neatly so that all strands come full circle and reflect upon each other effectively; this way, they will leave feeling satisfied and eager to explore similar books in the future.

Book Review Example 1: The Catcher in the Rye

Author : J.D. Salinger

Summary of Plot : The Catcher in the Rye tells the story of Holden Caulfield, a 16-year-old boy who has been expelled from his boarding school in Pennsylvania. After being expelled, Holden decides to go to New York City. In New York, he visits old friends and makes new ones, but is ultimately unable to connect with anyone. He spends his days wandering the city aimlessly, reflecting on his own loneliness and disillusionment with the world. His journey eventually leads him to a mental hospital, where he begins to come to terms with his identity and his place in the world.

Theme Analysis : The Catcher in the Rye is a coming-of-age story, in which Holden struggles to find his place in the world. The main theme of the book is alienation, as Holden is unable to find a sense of belonging despite his efforts. He feels disconnected from the adults around him and is unable to form meaningful relationships with his peers. The book also touches on themes of maturity and innocence, as Holden struggles between his desire to remain in a state of innocence, and his need to grow up and face the world as it is.

Character Analysis : Holden Caulfield is the protagonist of the novel. He is an unreliable narrator , as he often lies, exaggerates, and omits details in order to fit the story he is telling. Despite his flaws, Holden is an idealistic, sensitive, and thoughtful person. He is an outsider, struggling to find his place in the world, and his journey is one of self-discovery.

Critique: The Catcher in the Rye is an iconic work of literature and an important commentary on the human experience. Salinger’s writing is vivid and captivating, and his characters are complex and multi-dimensional. One of the book’s main strengths is the way it captures the confusion and uncertainty of adolescence. Despite its strengths, the book does have some weaknesses. Some readers may find the protagonist’s narration to be overly self-involved and annoying, and some may find the ending unsatisfying. However, these criticisms do not detract from the overall power of the novel.

Book Review Example 2: The Hunger Games

Author : Suzanne Collins

Summary of Plot : The Hunger Games is a thrilling novel set in a dystopian future in the nation of Panem. The story follows Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl, who volunteers to take her younger sister’s place in the Hunger Games, an annual televised event in which 24 teenagers from 12 districts fight to the death until one victor remains. Along the way, Katniss must navigate a dangerous world of political intrigue, manipulation, and the power of the media in order to survive and emerge victorious.

Theme Analysis : The Hunger Games is a story about the power of hope and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. It is a story of individuals struggling against oppressive systems and finding strength within themselves and from those around them. The novel also touches on themes of courage and strength, as well as the power of friendship and love in the face of impossible odds.

Character Analysis : Katniss Everdeen is the novel’s protagonist and heroine. She is a strong, independent individual who is determined to survive the Hunger Games and protect those she loves. Her bravery, resourcefulness, and loyalty make her a compelling protagonist and an easy one to root for. Peeta Mellark is another major character in the novel. He is the other tribute from District 12 and helps Katniss survive the Hunger Games. He is a kind, gentle soul who ultimately sacrifices himself to protect Katniss.

Critique: The Hunger Games is a thrilling, action-packed novel that is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats. The characters are well-developed and engaging, and the novel explores themes of courage, strength, and resilience in the face of impossible odds. The only weakness of the novel is that some of the themes are a bit heavy-handed and may not appeal to all readers.

Book Review Example 3: The Kite Runner

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Summary of Plot: The Kite Runner follows the story of Amir, a young boy from Kabul, Afghanistan. He is raised by his wealthy father, Baba, and has a best friend, Hassan, who is a servant in their household. The two boys form a strong bond, but ultimately Amir betrays Hassan in a shocking act of cowardice. Years later, Amir moves to the United States and is overwhelmed with guilt and regret for his actions. He eventually decides to return to Afghanistan to make amends with Hassan and his family. Along the way, he faces many obstacles and learns valuable lessons about self-forgiveness and redemption.

Theme Analysis: The Kite Runner is a story of redemption and self-discovery. Amir has to confront his guilt and learn to forgive himself in order to move forward in life. The novel also explores the power of relationships and how they can be both influential and destructive. In addition, it examines the notion of identity and belonging, as Amir struggles to reconcile his Afghan heritage with his new American life.

Character Analysis: Amir is the protagonist of the novel and is a complex character. He is initially portrayed as a timid and cowardly boy, but as the novel progresses, he learns to overcome his guilt and find his courage. Hassan is a loyal and brave friend to Amir and is a foil to his character. Baba is Amir’s father and is a strong and proud man who is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for his son.

Critique: The Kite Runner is a powerful and thought-provoking novel. Hosseini does an excellent job of capturing the emotions and experiences of his characters, and the story is both heartbreaking and uplifting. A major strength of the novel is its vivid depiction of the cultural and political landscape of Afghanistan before and after the Soviet invasion. The only weak point of the novel is its somewhat abrupt ending, as Amir’s journey to redemption feels unfinished.

In conclusion, writing a book review is an important skill to have. It takes time and effort to read and analyze the book as well as research its background before making an assessment. after this process is complete, it’s time to write your review! Make sure you include catchy conclusions that will make readers remember your opinion of the book.

When constructing those concluding paragraphs, don’t forget to use anachronisms! Something like ‘this timeless tale will remain evergreen in our hearts’ can be a great way to add some flair while still being accurate. Your unique perspective on the work should come through in these last few sentences – that’s what makes a memorable review!

At the end of the day, if you take all these steps into consideration when crafting your book reviews you’ll be able to confidently share your thoughts with others. From there, it’s just a matter of perfecting them until they are ready for publication or sharing with friends and family. Happy reviewing!

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Hi, I am a doctor by profession, but I love writing and publishing ebooks. I have self-published 3 ebooks which have sold over 100,000 copies. I am featured in Healthline, Entrepreneur, and in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology blog.

Whether you’re a busy professional or an aspiring author with a day job, there’s no time like now to start publishing your ebook! If you are new to this world or if you are seeking help because your book isn’t selling as well as it should be – don’t worry! You can find here resources, tips, and tricks on what works best and what doesn’t work at all.

In this blog, I will help you to pick up the right tools and resources to make your ebook a best seller.

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I recently published a short book on Amazon using their Kindle Direct Publishing platform (KDP).

Self publishing is becoming more popular so I wrote this post to talk about the pros and cons of self publishing on Amazon … The pleasant surprises, the frustrations, the things I didn’t find out until it was too late.

Here’s everything you need to know about Amazon self publishing…

Pros of Self Publishing on Amazon:

It’s incredibly easy. You can write and upload a Word document as your eBook and it’ll look fine on Kindle and other platforms. If you want to get a bit fancier with the formatting, you can upload an HTML file (you can quickly save your Word doc into HTML with one click, so Word is still viable!)

It’s cheap. No publisher fees. No printing costs. You can even create a print version of your book based on the eBook version, with a service called CreateSpace . Overall you’re looking at very minimal costs of $20-50 for cover design (a good cover is SO important for sales, more on this later), $20-50 for a proofreader or editor, and that’s about it for getting your book out.

You can start earning money quickly, and if you price your book between $2.99 and 9.99, Amazon gives you 70% of the cut. Not a bad deal considering they let you use their technology to publish your ebook, and then help you promote it on their massive eCommerce platform with millions of regular visitors.

Cons of Self Publishing on Amazon:

I actually started writing a longer book, the basic concept being how to navigate a “Career Change at Any Age”. I got about 6,000 words into it, out of a goal of 20,000 or so, and decided it was WAY too much work for something that’ll sell for less than $5.

I’ll likely turn this concept into a video course in the future. But my point here is that one of the negatives at least in my perception was the limited upside. You pour a ton of work into something that’ll sell for so little, if you can even get it to sell at all (continue to the next point to see what I mean).

It’s hard to get your book noticed at first. It’s hard to get those first one or two book reviews or break into the top rankings. This is why promotion matters so much. If you plan on writing a book on Amazon do not make the mistake of thinking the project is complete once the book is finalized. That’s only 40% of the battle. Marketing/selling is the other 60% and you need to be prepared to either do this or pay somebody to do it for you. Otherwise your book WILL NOT sell.

I already mentioned limited earnings potential, let me explain. Except for a few of the absolute best-selling authors, mainly in fiction, and all of whom are offering multiple books in a series or collection, you’re not going to earn a ton from your eBook sales on Amazon. You might earn a few thousand dollars a month after an initial burst during the marketing of your launch. And that’s optimistic. That brings me to my next point also.

From what I’ve heard, sales fade fast. Amazon favors newer titles. If you look in some of the best-seller categories you’ll notice that the vast majority of books listed near the top were published recently. I’m talking VERY recently. October, November, etc. (I’m writing this blog post on December 14). This is good because it gives you a fighting chance as a new author, but it also means your success might be short-lived unless you follow up with another title soon.

Things That Surprised me About Publishing on Amazon:

Formatting was easier than expected. I uploaded a Word document directly to Amazon and had very few issues with formatting.

Editing the actual content is harder than I thought and more frustrating. I should have hired an editor from the start. Lesson learned.

Relatively speaking, non-fiction or self improvement ebooks like mine are just a tiny piece of the self-publishing ecosystem. On various eBook websites you’ll often see 10 or 15 book categories and non-fiction is just one. Sometimes it’ll be two but that’s rare. Whereas fiction will be divided into romance, sci-fi, mystery, horror, fantasy, and so many others. And each of those categories has a ton of books and a ton of readers and followers.

The Verdict: Is It Worth it to Self Publish a book on Amazon’s KDP Platform?

Based on the pros and cons above, I’d say that if your only objective is to share information you know and turn that into revenue, you’re better off looking into consulting, coaching, or creating a video course that you can sell for a much higher price point than an eBook.

However, if you have some spare time and believe that being able to point to the fact that you’re a published author on Amazon will help boost your credentials or career, then it’s worth it.

Self publishing on Amazon is also worth it if you can use the clicks and views that your eBook receives to boost another venture. Do you have a newsletter or email list? Put a freebie into your book and offer it in return for an email signup.

So overall it was worth it for me to publish my short e-book on Amazon, but I’m glad I stopped writing the book I originally planned – “Career Change at Any Age” – because it would have taken months and would not have been worth it in this format.

After choosing a shorter topic to write about (self improvement quotes and tips), I’m happy to have something up and selling.

This process of self publishing on Amazon will also give me experience in launching, marketing, and selling a product… which is extremely valuable. I didn’t have this experience previously.

But self publishing a book on Amazon is not a “home run” play by any means. The highest-paid authors on Amazon have a series of books and have spent years building that up. And the highest-paid authors on Amazon KDP tend to be fiction writers, too.

So I’m glad I did this, but don’t expect a follow-up book anytime soon. A video course is more likely.

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Finding a job after self employment: tips for resumes, interviews and more, how to start freelance writing (no experience needed), the best side hustles for introverts (16 ideas), are side hustles worth it, what i learned self-publishing an ebook on amazon: pros and cons, upwork proposal samples that get interviews (2 templates), 3 upwork bio examples to win jobs, 55 thoughts on “what i learned self-publishing an ebook on amazon: pros and cons”.

Thanks for sharing. Another pro is that you can purchase paperback Amazon books for about $3-$4 a book, which is relatively cheap. Some printing companies want a lot more for printing your work. This saved heavily on expenses. At least $100 or more.

I had my book Denham Hall published by Publicious about 2 weeks ago. I see it advertised on Amazon. Where do I get information on Amazon marketing my book and the costs involved..

Hi. I’ve just finished writing a non-fiction book and waiting for it to be printed. I have my ISBN no. from my country. Can I still upload my book on Amazon and I have my own book cover?

Hello, I was looking into publishing a children’s book that I wrote. I was wondering if you think it is a good idea to publish on amazon ebook or if I should look elsewhere. Let me know what you think, Thank you

Thx. Very informative.

Hi – this was helpful. does amazon also print books for you that you can ship to your house and sell to other stores?

Thanks for for your valuable insight. I was looking for best option of publishing my book online (fiction), when I saw your appraise.

I have noted some points to take along in my search.

Absolutely incorrect information about how much you will spend. Editing and cover art that is worth anything will be hundreds of dollars.

I found this article useful. I have found that there are a lot of rogue publishers out there. Kindle will be fine for me. I’m not writing for financial gain, but would gain satisfaction from people reading my work.

Great article! Lots of helpful information contained therein. Glad I happened upon it. Thanks for sharing your lessons learned.

Your article was quite nice but very limited, no offense intended. Does Amazon control where else you can publish the work? How important is the cover? If you have drawn your own cover then what? How about the blurb (right?) and title–do you have any specific pointers? What is a good length for a non-fiction book–a dictionary of phrases, for instance? What about B&N and universities? How important is an agent? If Amazon produces the hardcover version can I then sell this to university (and other) bookstores on my own? How? Thank you.

Hi Kevin, no offense taken. There are whole books and courses on how to self publish on Amazon. Of course an article will be pretty limited.

You’d have to check Amazon’s current terms of service for your first question.

The design and quality of your cover is super important.

You sound pretty serious about this, which is great! But in order to really have a comprehensive view of everything involved, you’re probably going to need to either piece together info from 5-10+ articles or youtube videos, and/or invest in a course that just walks you through everything step by step (I don’t think that’s necessary, though, if you’re willing to gather bits of info from various places).

Ebook royalties are 70% for maximum price point of $9.99 but you get 60% royalties for paperback and can sell at any price. You did not mention that.

Thanks for adding that info. I don’t have any experience publishing a paperback on Amazon, so I didn’t cover that here. I’m only familiar with e-books.

thank you for the advice

You mention a good cover is SO important but then you mention a cost of $20 to $50. I have literally done hundreds of covers but not at that price point. Please research design fees before you quote pricing. This is one reason why people expect the moon but aren’t willing to pay for years of professional experience. You can buy a cover design for that price but I bet you wouldn’t want it on your book.

I appreciate what you have written. Thank you. about the website that you are asking in this ‘leave a comment’ are you saying that I need a website in order to publish on Amazon?

You don’t need a website to publish on Amazon.

TERRIFIC article, but you never gave a definitive answer. Are you trying to say ” Better to publish short books on KDP than long books.” You ambiguously mentioned “Marketing 60%.” That’s a big percent to throw around. Bottom line. Is it better to use KDP or truly ” SELF PUBLISH”? Sincerely GLEN

Hi Biron. Thanks for the information. I am a new writer. I am writing a very short book. It’s on my journey through cancer. This may sound strange but I’m not looking to make money. My only hope is that this book would help another on their journey. I am however looking to reach people.

I have been approached by a company that has the phrase self publish in it but the reviews I read say t may cost about $3500.

So here’s my question. Amazon or a company? if I charge it’s only to pay back for publishing. Thank you for your help.

Paying someone $3500 to publish for you isn’t exactly what I call self publishing. The whole point of Amazon KDP is that you don’t need to pay any companies for help.

You can choose which route to take, but you don’t need to pay a company thousands of dollars just to release a small book. I’d publish it myself and then invest some of that money into marketing to help get the word out about the book once it’s launched.

Thank you I found this post most insightful. I’m basically putting together a short ebook for someone else who wishes to ‘translate’ the life of a Chief Mountain Tour Guide in the first person. This has provoked some veery good questions … much appreciated.

I’m also a self-published author on kdp and have produced a video series. I’m trying to figure out how to market my videos. Do you think that promoting the series on my FB author page with a link to PayPal and then delivery via DropBox might work? Or can you suggest a better way? Thank you.

Hi Judy, did you come to figure out the best way? I have 2 children’s books ((Picture books)) that kdp printed and are sale on Amazon. I would rather just have kdp print them for me then sell them on my own via website. I have a blogging website and I really don’t want to create a website but I guess I might have to if I want to do e-commerce on my own. Let me know if you discover an easier way. Also, reviewers are major on Amazon. you need 4-5 stars from lots of people before customers will buy. I wonder if some people pay for good reviews, that wouldn’t be fair. If you want to chat, comment back. Best of Luck!

i enjoyed your honest approach to publishing on Amazon. I am now rethinking that i could make some short videos of the information and still sell my book on Amazon.

Thanks for the information. Thinking of using Amazon. Very helpful for a first timer.

Thank you so much for that vital info – truly helpful for a 1st timer!

This was extremely helpful. Thank you.

Is possible to both publish an e book on Amazon and simultaneously publish it as a hard copy with a private printer?

I believe so, yes. You’d have to check Amazon’s policies (which are always changing), but last I checked – this was possible.

This review was helpful. Thank you for a clear , concise and thoughtful assessment.

If you get an ISBN number on Amazon and then decide to go traditional/agent/publisher route, does the ISBN transfer over? Or if you get an Amazon book number can you/should you get a new ISBN with a new publisher?

I’m not sure, Stephen. That’s something I’d ask a publisher. I only self-published on Amazon and never went with a traditional publishing route.

hi thanks for this. how are you able to market or advertise your book if you publish with amazon as i thought i read you cant promote it anywhere else? its just you mention having to market it a lot yourself to get it somewhere. thanks sally

I think you can definitely promote it – on social media, on a blog/website, with ads (ads directly on Amazon would probably perform best). There are lots of ways. But the main reason people list a product on Amazon is that the website already has a massive audience – far more than you could reach through your own promotion. But it’s still competitive and hard to get noticed on that platform if your book isn’t selling well.

can i upload pictures in my book

Thanks for advice. I self-publish under Neva Bell Books on Amazon Kindle. Really easy, but does take knowledge of Amazon Kindle. Learning so much from articles like yours. Thanks! Neva Bell Books.

My impression is that sales depend on how well you can market your product. Amazon provides a platform, but your on your own to get the word out and keep your message fresh

I have a children’s book I would Like to try on Amazon, would you know how well children’s books fare ?

I’m not 100% sure, but I’m guessing they would do very well. I assume this would be fiction? In general, if you look at the top-earning self-published authors on Amazon, almost all are fiction writers. Very few are writing about business topics, entrepreneurship, careers, etc.

And also – the top earners seem to write series of books, not just one. So if you had some success with your first book, I’d look into turning it into a children’s series. Good luck!

Hi, Ellen! I too would like to advertise my children’s book with Amazon. Where did you find your illustrator? I’m thinking about using an online illustrator (fiverr.com)

Hi Elleen, I was also considering publishing a children’s book on Amazon. I was wondering if you had any success with yours and if you would recommend it to me. Let me know, Thank you

I don’t understand why self publishing your book isn’t a home run to make tons of money. If your book is relevant enough and its marketed correctly, how come ONE great book can’t sell hundreds of thousands of copies, if not millions. In terms of anything specific stopping that from happening, I don’t see any built in roadblocks that would stop a great booking from grossing a large sum of money. Where am I misguided at?

Hi Roland – great point. There’s nothing about the system/model that limits what you can earn. You’re completely right. In my experience, though, unless you’re Tony Robbins or someone, your book won’t stay on top of the Amazon rankings forever. It’ll peak, and then slowly fade.

Also, the extremely low price point of most Amazon books is one limiting factor.

I’ve been selling various things online (all digital products) for years now, and my experience is that it’s easier to get $10,000 by finding 100 people who will pay $100 for something, versus finding 1,000 people who will pay $10 for something.

Still, Amazon does provide the massive audience you’d need to make a lot of money with such a low price point. There’s nothing inherently stopping you, like you pointed out.

I just know most people sell well for a year and then fade. And the 6- and 7-figure entrepreneurs I know are using their Amazon books to build authority, lead people into a bigger product or service (like a coaching service, a course, etc.)… not as a main source of revenue.

FYI- I’ve removed my ebook from Amazon. It wasn’t making sales anymore and wasn’t related at all to my current projects/business ventures.

I’m still glad I self published an ebook on Amazon. It gave me my first experience of selling ANYTHING online. I learned how to write bullet points for a product, how to launch something, how to get customer reviews for a product, how to network, and so much more.

So… still a valuable experience that I’m thankful for, but I no longer have any books listed for sale on Amazon KDP.

Brilliant. Thank you SO much for sharing this feedback. It was exactly what I was searching for, needed and peace of mind I was desiring. Much success to you on future ventures, friend!

Thank you so much?

Is there an editor you’d recommend? Thank you, ~ D. Marie

I just want to say thank you so much for doing this, and saving removing my Great Work!

Thank you for the advice and help with your article. I have been a writer for decades and have recently had the opportunity to pursue writing a novel of fiction. I am having fun and my family and friends are super supportive. They have also been encouraging me to try to have my writing published. Your input about good vs bad for e-publishing on Amazon was very helpful. My daughter in law sent me the link. Just wanted to say thanks.

The link to your book appears broken

Thanks for letting me know. I’ve removed it from Amazon recently. I need to update the blog post, thank you!

Was it easy to remove from Amazon? Are you able to publish going the traditional route after trying to sell on Amazon?

Hey Christina – yes it’s easy to remove from Amazon, and you can definitely sell/publish elsewhere after this. I’m not a lawyer and I don’t work for Amazon so don’t take this as legal advice, but based on everything I read and my memory of this process, it was very easy.

Thank you. As an old guy and novice, I appreciated your comments.

Comments are closed.

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How to Write a Commentary

Last Updated: May 19, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Richard Perkins . Richard Perkins is a Writing Coach, Academic English Coordinator, and the Founder of PLC Learning Center. With over 24 years of education experience, he gives teachers tools to teach writing to students and works with elementary to university level students to become proficient, confident writers. Richard is a fellow at the National Writing Project. As a teacher leader and consultant at California State University Long Beach's Global Education Project, Mr. Perkins creates and presents teacher workshops that integrate the U.N.'s 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the K-12 curriculum. He holds a BA in Communications and TV from The University of Southern California and an MEd from California State University Dominguez Hills. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 677,659 times.

At some point in your life, you'll probably have to write a commentary. Whether you're a teacher, editor, student, or amateur critic, knowing how to constructively analyze someone's work is a useful skill. There isn't a magical formula for writing a commentary. The commentary you write depends upon what you're reviewing, why you're giving feedback, and what you think about the work. No matter what you’re working on, having a clear goal and strong writing will help make your commentary successful.

Writing a Literary Commentary

• Your thesis is your argument or your point of view. This is where you take a stance, and spend the rest of the essay supporting your thesis.
• Maybe you are writing a commentary on Great Expectations . Your thesis could be, “Not only is Dickens’ tale engaging, it is also an insightful commentary on the differences between social classes in industrial Britain.”

• You might write at the top of your outline, “Important Themes in Great Expectations”. You could then make bullet points such as “Setting”, “Ambition”, “Class”, etc.

• You might start by saying, “ Great Expectations is full of imagery that makes the reader feel as if they are in 19th century England with Pip. Dickens’ novel about class, ambition, and love sheds important light on the social divides of the time.”
• You could then list the themes that you will discuss in the body of your commentary.

• An excellent specific example to illustrate this theme is pointing out that the character remains in her wedding dress, despite being jilted decades before.

• You might write something like, “Miss Havisham is an example of the theme that love can sometimes go terribly wrong. This is also an important theme when examining the relationship between Pip and Estella.”
• Make sure to use smooth transitions. When you move to a new example, use a good transition word or phrase. Some examples are “similarly”, “conversely”, and “again”.

• In your commentary on Great Expectations , you would want to make sure that you emphasize your summary again: this is a good example of class divisions and how ambition is not always the best quality.
• You might also choose to compare it to another book from the same period to illustrate why the work by Dickens is significant. However, you generally shouldn’t introduce new information in your conclusion.

Creating Data Commentary

• You might also be asked by your boss or teacher to write a data commentary. Make sure to ask about their expectations, such as length.

• For example, if the research is about the graduation rate in the Chicago Public Schools, you need to explain the numbers and illustrate why the results are important.

• You might say something like, “As shown in Figure 1.2, the costs of healthcare have risen at a steady rate since 2000.”

• As in the rest of your data commentary, your conclusion should refer to specific pieces of data.

• You should include a specific section for resources at the end of your data commentary.
• Any time you cite numbers or a quote, make sure to provide a reference.

Commentary Outlines

Expert Q&A

• If you are writing a commentary for a class, make sure to carefully follow the instructions. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Make sure to carefully edit and polish your writing. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.bucks.edu/media/bcccmedialibrary/pdf/HOWTOWRITEALITERARYANALYSISESSAY_10.15.07_001.pdf
• ↑ Richard Perkins. Writing Coach & Academic English Coordinator. Expert Interview. 1 September 2021.
• ↑ http://www.udc.edu/docs/asc/Outline_Structure_for_Literary_Analysis_Essay_HATMAT.pdf
• ↑ https://www.germanna.edu/wp-content/uploads/tutoring/handouts/Literary-Analysis.pdf
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/writing-data-commentary/
• ↑ https://ebooks.hslu.ch/academicwriting/chapter/4-5-results/
• ↑ https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/modernlanguages/intranet/undergraduate/skills/commesswriting/commentarywriting/
• ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4789530/

About This Article

To write a commentary, write about your observations and analysis of the text you read. You should craft a clear and specific thesis statement about the novel, poem, or play you are evaluating. Your thesis statement should explain your stance or argument about the text. Use this thesis statement to build a brief outline of your commentary and then choose specific details from the text to support your argument. Then, add an introduction to give your reader some context for the themes you will discuss. For tips from our Education reviewer on how to write a data commentary, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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• Research Guides

Literature Review: A Self-Guided Tutorial

• Getting Started
• Literature Reviews: A Recap
• Peer Review
• Reading the Literature
• Using Concept Maps
• Developing Research Questions
• Considering Strong Opinions
• 2. Review discipline styles
• Super Searching
• Finding the Full Text
• Citation Searching This link opens in a new window
• When to stop searching
• Citation Management
• Annotating Articles Tip
• 5. Critically analyze and evaluate
• How to Review the Literature
• Using a Synthesis Matrix
• 7. Write literature review

What's a Literature Review?

A literature review (or lit review, for short) is an in-depth critical analysis of published scholarly research related to a specific topic. Published scholarly research (the "literature") may include journal articles, books, book chapters, dissertations and thesis, or conference proceedings. 

A solid lit review must:

• be organized around and related directly to the thesis or research question you're developing
• synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known
• identify areas of controversy in the literature
• formulate questions that need further research

View the video below for a brief explanation of lit reviews. (It's not just for grad students!)

What is a Literature Review?

Credit: NCSU Libraries. Video 1 of Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students . Run Time: 3:12

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• Next: Literature Reviews: A Recap >>
• Last Updated: Feb 22, 2024 10:53 AM
• URL: https://libguides.williams.edu/literature-review

WordPress Developer Blog

Building a book review site with Block Bindings, part 1: Custom fields and block variations

Imagine your agency just picked up a new client. This client runs a book review website that needs a complete overhaul. They need to add some custom fields to associate with each book like a rating, author, length, and a fancy link to Goodreads.

Your agency is also transitioning from classic-based WordPress development to fully embracing everything the Block Editor has to offer. But the job parameters aren’t going to let you build custom blocks for every bit of metadata and customization the client needs. You need a solution that’s a bit more efficient.

That’s where the Block Bindings API comes in. I covered a basic introduction to this API in two previous posts:

• Introducing Block Bindings, part 1: Connecting custom fields
• Introducing Block Bindings, part 2: Working with custom binding sources

But the true power of Block Bindings is in combination with various other APIs and systems within WordPress, such as Block Variations, Patterns, and more. Once you start piecing them together, the potential for what you can achieve atop the block system feels nearly limitless.

So let’s build the foundation of your client’s book review site together. Then, I’ll let you take over and fine tune it.

Table of Contents

Prerequisites

This tutorial will cover a lot of ground, and I cannot explain every line of code in detail without it becoming overly complex. Therefore, you’ll need at least a cursory understanding of the following concepts. The goal of this series is to show how the various APIs in WordPress can be used in unison.

• Node and npm: You must have Node.js and npm installed on your local machine to follow this tutorial.
• JavaScript programming: You should have some baseline knowledge necessary to read, write, and understand intermediate JavaScript.
• Block Editor development: You should feel comfortable building code that runs in the WordPress Block Editor .
• Theme development: You should be able to build a block theme , work from its functions.php file, and set up a build process .
• Build tools: You must know how to write commands from a Command Line Interface (CLI), such as npm run <command> .

Setting up your project

For this project, you will create a child theme for Twenty Twenty-Four named TT4 Book Reviews. This is so that you don’t have to recreate every part of the theme just to get things rolling. You can view the fully built example via its repository .

I suggest importing the example content directly into a clean development install. Note that the meta keys used for the posts have the themeslug_ prefix as used throughout this tutorial.

There is also a live demo using WordPress Playground if you want to see the final result:

File structure

Create a new folder named tt4-book-reviews in your /wp-content/themes directory. Also, go ahead and add the following sub-folders and files within your theme:

• variations.js
• functions.php
• package.json
• webpack.config.js

This may seem like a lot, but most of the files that you’ll add have very little code. They will just be separated for their specific purpose.

The main stylesheet and functions file

Because you’re building this as a child theme of the default Twenty Twenty-Four theme, you first need to create your style.css file in your theme folder and add a file header so WordPress recognizes it.

Add this code to your style.css file:

You’ll also be working with functions.php throughout this tutorial, so it’s a good idea to get this file set up too.

Add this code to your theme’s functions.php file:

Now visit the Appearance  > Themes screen in your WordPress admin, locate your new TT4 Book Reviews theme, and activate it.

Build scripts

This tutorial requires some JavaScript, so it’s also a good idea to set up a build process at this early stage. This process has been previously covered in depth in Beyond block styles, part 1: using the WordPress scripts package with themes . It is also described in the Build Process documentation in the Theme Handbook.

Open your theme’s package.json file to add a project name and these scripts:

Now, navigate to your wp-content/themes/tt4-book-reviews directory on your computer via its command line program and type the following command to install the necessary packages:

Your package.json file should now look like this:

There’s one more step that you’ll need to take to get the build process working with your theme, and that is setting up your theme’s webpack configuration file. For this tutorial, you’ll only need this for building editor scripts.

Open your theme’s webpack.config.js file and add this code to it:

Registering custom fields

Before even thinking about connecting custom fields to blocks, you must first register each meta key that you want to use. For this book review site, let’s stick to four fields that your client would need:

• themeslug_book_author : The book’s author name.
• themeslug_book_rating : The user’s star rating for the book.
• themeslug_book_length : The number of pages in the book.
• themeslug_book_goodreads_url : The URL to the book’s page on Goodreads.com.

With the meta keys decided, it’s time to register them via the standard register_meta() function. Add this code to your theme’s functions.php file:

For these fields to work alongside the Block Bindings API, you need to ensure that each registered meta key of both of these arguments is set to true :

• show_in_rest : This is necessary for the custom fields to be usable over the REST API, which the Block Editor uses.
• single : Multiple meta values for a single key are not currently supported by the Block Bindings API, so this needs to be set to a single value.

The keen-eyed among you may have noticed that a couple of the meta keys that are integers are defined as strings: themeslug_book_rating and themeslug_book_length . This is an unfortunate limitation of getting the values to appear in the editor when used with blocks that require stringed attributes. We’ll work around this later when we get into the meta input controls.

Problems and solutions: Connecting custom fields to blocks

WordPress 6.5+ supports connecting custom fields to blocks via the core/post-meta binding source by default. This means that you don’t have to worry about registering anything via the Block Bindings API.

But, as described in Introducing Block Bindings, part 1: connecting custom fields , the only way to insert a bound block into the editor is by manually switching to the Code Editor view and typing out the block markup.

For example, here is what the markup looks like when binding the themeslug_book_author custom field to the Paragraph block:

And the only way to input custom meta values is by enabling the Custom Fields panel and manually typing the keys and values:

As a reputable developer, you would never want to hand this experience over to a client and ask them to put in all that work. But these limitations were expected for the first version of the Block Bindings API. There wasn’t enough time to build a UI and perfect the user experience before the WordPress 6.5 launch.

A more fine-tuned user experience is expected for the Block Bindings API in the future, but it will happen over multiple WordPress releases. Subscribe to the Block Bindings API tracking ticket to follow along or get involved with the process.

As a developer, what can you do to start using—I mean really using—this API for real-world projects that you will pass over to clients? That’s the question that I seek to answer with this tutorial series, and the following sections will dive into solutions.

Using block variations to insert bound blocks

What if you could insert the bound blocks like any other block with no code editing involved? You can absolutely do this by registering a variation via the Block Variations API .

A block variation is nothing more than an alternative version of a block with a different set of default attributes than the original block. And a bound block is simply a block with a defined metadata.bindings attribute.

That means that it’s possible to combine these two concepts. For example, you can see variations that represent the custom fields you registered earlier in this screenshot:

Instead of manually typing block markup each time you want to bind a block’s attributes, you can set up a variation for inserting it just like any other block. That will be much less of a headache for both you and your client.

Registering variations for bound blocks

To integrate bindings and variations, you must register your variations via JavaScript (the PHP registration method doesn’t support the isActive() check needed for this technique).

If you haven’t already done so, kick-start the build process by typing the following in your command line program:

This will generate the build files needed for the project under the /public folder that you created earlier.

Before diving into JavaScript, you must first enqueue your newly generated /public/js/editor.js file in the editor. Add this code to your functions.php file:

Now add this code to your editor.js file in /resources/js to import the empty variations.js script:

With this code in place, you can begin registering custom variations for any block that you want to bind to a custom field. For this tutorial, you will bind each of your custom fields to a single block attribute:

Of course, you can bind your custom fields to any number of blocks that you need for your project.

First, open your variations.js file and add the following code to import the dependencies you’ll need and to define a Goodreads icon:

From this point, you must register variations for each of the bound blocks. Start by creating a variation for the Paragraph block named “Book Author”:

For the most part, you can define this variation however you like, but there are two properties that you need to pay special attention to:

• metadata : You must set the bindings property in the same way that you’d define it at the block level with the core/post-meta source and the associated post meta key ( themeslug_book_author for the above variation).
• placeholder : (Optional) When setting a placeholder, the text will appear in the editor whenever the user hasn’t yet set a meta value.
• isActive() : This callback checks if the block has the current variation. Therefore, it checks if the defined metadata.bindings.content.args.key value exists and matches the post meta key.

Now repeat the same process for the Book Length, Book Rating, and Book Goodreads Button variations:

From this point forward, you no longer need to manually type block bindings into the Code Editor. You can insert them just like you would any other block.

Adding meta input controls

There’s still one major problem to solve. To enter custom field values, users must know how to turn on the Custom Fields panel in the editor and correctly type both the key and value fields.

Let’s fix that by adding custom controls in the sidebar like this:

First, add this code to your editor.js file in /resources/js to import the empty meta.js script:

Then open your meta.js file and import the following dependencies:

The above code uses a few experimental components, which are needed to add the custom controls for meta input. There is currently an open tracking ticket that would remove the experimental designation from each of those that we’re using. If you’re uncomfortable using experimental components, you can always create the inputs using custom components.

To add controls to the post sidebar, the best option is to use the registerPlugin() JavaScript function and its render callback property. Don’t worry, you’re not registering a plugin that users must install and activate. You’re creating an editor plugin.

Open meta.js and add the following code:

From this point forward, your remaining code will go inside of the render callback.

Since you wouldn’t want your custom controls to be output for every instance of the editor, you first need to check the current post type to determine if this is the correct editor. You can do this with the useSelect() hook. In this case, you only want the controls to appear when post is the current post type. If it’s not, the render callback will return null . 

You’ll also need to use the useEntityProp() hook to get and set meta values by assigning a couple of constants: meta and setMeta .

Add this code inside your render callback:

From this point, it’s just a matter of returning the components to output the meta controls. The most important thing is to use the PluginDocumentSettingsPanel SlotFill so that they are added to the correct location in the editor. 

For this sidebar panel, you’ll use the following components and associate them with your meta keys:

• <RangeControl> : themeslug_book_rating
• <InputControl> : themeslug_book_author
• <NumberControl> : themeslug_book_length
• <InputControl> : themeslug_book_goodreads_url

Add the following code inside your render callback:

There are two values I want you to pay attention to in the above code for the Rating and Total Pages controls:

Those controls handle integer values but pass strings back when setting the meta. Take a look at how these are handled for the Rating:

Note that it uses parseInt() for the value property to pass an integer to the control. For the onChange property, the value variable is passed a template literal so that it’s treated as a string. This is necessary for the value to show in the editor and be saved correctly.

As you add data to the meta fields, you should see them automatically appear for any bound blocks in the content area of the editor:

The next steps

I would consider what we’ve accomplished thus far to be the “hard” part. You now have all the pieces in place to do the fun stuff like front-end design work.

Stay tuned into the Developer Blog for the next post in this series. Some items I’ll cover next include:

• Displaying posts via the Query Loop block by meta.
• Integrating custom fields into your theme templates.
• Building patterns for displaying custom fields.

Props to @ bph and @ ndiego for reviewing this tutorial and @ welcher for code examples.

2 responses to “Building a book review site with Block Bindings, part 1: Custom fields and block variations”

This is a complete learning package about the Block Bindings API feature. Great!

Thank you for the article, it’s really useful! Using block variations seems user-friendly for normal users for binding blocks. I have a couple of questions:

1. Doesn’t using block variations with metadata make it plugin territory? 2. Can we include CSS/JavaScript specifically for the block variation or binding we’re using?

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Self-Evaluations

Four fun, different ways to test your knowledge and experience of the publication process.

Before you submit your project to BookLife, we want to help you make your book the very best it can be. To that end, we’ve designed four self-evaluations that cover all the stages of the publication process. So, take a moment to answer some questions, assess your progress, check out some great resources, and determine how you can make your book a success.

Is your manuscript ready for readers? This self-evaluation tackles writing, editing, art, design, and everything that goes into creating your book. Answer a few questions about the steps you took -- or are planning take -- before publishing your book. That way, we can help determine how ready your project is for market – and how we can help you make your book the best it can be.

What’s your publishing plan? This self-evaluation addresses everything it takes to publish your book: printing, e-books, ISBNs, purchase points, and a whole lot more. Simply answer these questions about your publishing plan, so we can determine where we can help.

What’s your marketing plan? This self-evaluation covers all things marketing -- everything from social media and online communities to book reviews and advertising. Just let us know what you're doing -- and what you have planned -- to promote your book. And based on your score, we’ll have some resources to help you along the way.

Are you ready to publish your book? This self-evaluation covers the publishing process from start to finish: writing and editing; print-on-demand and e-books; and marketing and promotions. Answer a few questions about what you've done -- and what you're planning to do -- on the road to publication. Based on your score, we’ll point you to some resources that can help you along the way.

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9 New Books We Recommend This Week

Suggested reading from critics and editors at The New York Times.

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Parenting and its attendant anxieties underlie a number of our recommended books this week, from Jonathan Haidt’s manifesto against technology in the hands of children to Emily Raboteau’s essays about mothering in an age of apocalypse to Clare Beams’s novel about a haunted hospital for expectant mothers.

Also up: a double biography of the Enlightenment-era scientists and bitter rivals who undertook to catalog all of life on Earth, a book arguing that the ancient Greeks’ style of debate holds valuable lessons for the present, and a surprising history of America before the Civil War that shows how German philosophers helped shape abolitionist thinking. In fiction, we recommend an Irish novel about a bungled kidnapping, a political novel based on Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign and a three-part novel of ideas about the hidden costs of our choices. (That one also deals with parenting anxieties, in its way.) Happy reading. — Gregory Cowles

EVERY LIVING THING: The Great and Deadly Race to Know All Life Jason Roberts

Most of us have heard of the 18th-century taxonomist Carl Linnaeus and his systems of categorization; less familiar is his rival, the French mathematician and naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon. In Roberts’s view, this is an injustice with continued repercussions for Western views of race. His vivid double biography is a passionate corrective.

“Roberts stands openly on the side of Buffon, rather than his ‘profoundly prejudiced’ rival. He’s frustrated that human society and its scientific enterprise ignored the better ideas — and the better man.”

From Deborah Blum’s review

Random House | $35

THE ANXIOUS GENERATION: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness Jonathan Haidt

In “The Coddling of the American Mind,” Haidt took a hard stand against helicopter parenting. In this pugnacious follow-up, he turns to what he sees as technology’s dangers for young people. Haidt, a digital absolutist, cedes no ground on the issue of social media. Sure to provoke both thought and discussion, his book rejects complacency.

“Erudite, engaging, combative, crusading. … Parents, he argues, should become more like gardeners (to use Alison Gopnik’s formulation) who cultivate conditions for children to independently grow and flourish.”

From Tracy Dennis-Tiwary’s review

Penguin Press | $30

AN EMANCIPATION OF THE MIND: Radical Philosophy, the War Over Slavery, and the Refounding of America Matthew Stewart

In this absorbing intellectual history of the lead up to the Civil War, Stewart shows how German philosophers like Ludwig Feuerbach and Karl Marx influenced the American abolition movement.

“Engaging and often surprising. … Two decades before the outbreak of war, abolitionism was still a skulking pariah, a despised minority in the North as well as the South. The abolitionists clearly needed help. Enter the Germans.”

From S.C. Gwynne’s review

Norton | $32.50

CHOICE Neel Mukherjee

Narratives linked to a frustrated London book editor explore the gap between wealth and poverty, myopia and activism, fact and fiction, in an exquisitely droll heartbreaker of a novel.

“Full of characters deciding how much truth to tell. … To be in the company of his cool, calm, all-noticing prose is to experience something like the helpless wonder his characters experience.”

From Jonathan Lee’s review

Norton | $28.99

THE ANCIENT ART OF THINKING FOR YOURSELF: The Power of Rhetoric in Polarized Times Robin Reames

To bridge our nation’s political divide, we must learn to argue not less but better, contends Reames, a professor of rhetoric, in this wryly informative primer on ancient Greek and Roman oratorical techniques and the Sophists and sages who mastered them.

“Reames’s conceit for the book is intriguing. … In our era of Fox News and chants of ‘from the river to the sea,’ it is difficult not to gaze in admiration upon a people so committed to soberly debating ideas rather than settling for sloganeering.”

From John McWhorter’s review

Basic Books | $30

LESSONS FOR SURVIVAL: Mothering Against “The Apocalypse” Emily Raboteau

The perils — political, racial, climatic — multiply fast in this collection of elegant and anguished essays, by Raboteau, a writer and mother struggling to retain hope for the future while bearing witness to the encroaching threats all around her.

“A soulful exploration of the fraught experience of caretaking through crisis. … Her central concern is how to parent responsibly in perilous times, when the earth is warming, the country is divided and even the grown-ups feel lost and afraid.”

From Tiya Miles’s review

Holt | $29.99

THE GARDEN Clare Beams

Maternal body horror finds its eerie apotheosis in Beams’s pleasingly atmospheric novel, in which an isolated home for expectant mothers circa 1948 turns out to contain more life-giving powers than its medical staff lets on. (If you’re thinking “Pet Sematary” meets “Rosemary’s Baby” with a literary sheen, carry on.)

“The genius of the novel is the way Beams continually intertwines fictional elements with true-to-life obstetric practices. … Humor blooms at the least expected junctures. [But] make no mistake, this is a serious story.”

From Claire Oshetsky’s review

Doubleday | $28

WILD HOUSES Colin Barrett

In Barrett’s debut novel, a poorly planned kidnapping upends the lives of several young characters in a rural Irish town. Barrett, the author of two standout story collections, shifts gracefully between the kidnappee, who’s being held in a basement by two unstable brothers, and his intrepid girlfriend, who sets out to find him.

A “heartbreaker of a debut. … The lives of a small collective of mournful souls become vibrant before us, and their yearning is depicted with wistfulness, no small amount of humor and one dangerously ill-tempered goat.”

From Dennis Lehane’s review

Grove | $27

GREAT EXPECTATIONS Vinson Cunningham

In this impressive first novel, a Black campaign aide coolly observes as aspiring power players angle to connect with a candidate who more than resembles Barack Obama.

“Dazzlingly written. … Captures the grind and the mundanity of the campaign with precision and humor.”

From Damon Young’s review

Hogarth | $28

Explore More in Books

Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

The complicated, generous life  of Paul Auster, who died on April 30 , yielded a body of work of staggering scope and variety .

“Real Americans,” a new novel by Rachel Khong , follows three generations of Chinese Americans as they all fight for self-determination in their own way .

“The Chocolate War,” published 50 years ago, became one of the most challenged books in the United States. Its author, Robert Cormier, spent years fighting attempts to ban it .

Joan Didion’s distinctive prose and sharp eye were tuned to an outsider’s frequency, telling us about ourselves in essays that are almost reflexively skeptical. Here are her essential works .

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

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A Woman's Way through the Twelve Steps Workbook Paperback – August 9, 2000

There is a newer edition of this item:.

• Print length 104 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Hazelden
• Publication date August 9, 2000
• Dimensions 8.6 x 0.4 x 11.05 inches
• ISBN-10 1568385226
• ISBN-13 978-1568385228
• See all details

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From the author, about the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hazelden (August 9, 2000)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 104 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1568385226
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1568385228
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.6 x 0.4 x 11.05 inches
• #48 in Twelve-Step Programs (Books)
• #62 in Alcoholism Recovery
• #73 in Substance Abuse Recovery

About the author

Stephanie covington.

Dr. Stephanie S. Covington is an internationally recognized clinician, author, organizational consultant, and lecturer. She is a pioneer in the fields of addiction, trauma, and recovery. She has developed an innovative, gender-responsive, and trauma-informed approach that results in effective services in public, private, and institutional settings. Her presentations, staff-development seminars, and technical assistance focus on systems change and the development of caring, compassionate, and empowering therapeutic environments. They provide professionals an opportunity to learn new skills for dealing with personal, institutional, and societal changes and are always in demand, both nationally and internationally.

Dr. Covington’s clients include the Betty Ford Treatment Center, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment in Washington, D.C., and numerous others. She has conducted seminars for behavioral health professionals, community organizations, criminal justice professionals, and recovery groups in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Europe, Africa, Iceland, Brazil, and New Zealand. Dr. Covington was a workshop chair for the women’s treatment improvement protocol (TIP) published by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and served on the Advisory Council for Women’s Services for SAMHSA. She was the featured consultant and therapist on the Oprah Winfrey Network docu-reality show entitled "Breaking Down the Bars". For 35 years, she also has provided training and consulting to help institutions and programs in the criminal justice system develop effective gender-responsive and trauma-informed services. These include the Federal Bureau of Prisons; the National Institute of Corrections; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; many other state and local jurisdictions; the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; the Ministries of Justice in England, Scotland, and Switzerland; and the Correctional Service of Canada. She also is the co-author of a three-year research project, "Gender-Responsive Strategies: Research, Practice, and Guiding Principles for Women Offenders", for the National Institute of Corrections. This publication received the University of Cincinnati Award for its outstanding contribution to the field of corrections in the U.S. and Canada. Based in La Jolla, California, Dr. Covington is co-director of the Institute for Relational Development and the Center for Gender & Justice, which seeks to expand gender-responsive policies and practices for individuals under criminal justice supervision.

Educated at Columbia University and the Union Institute, Dr. Covington has served on the faculties of the University of Southern California, San Diego State University, and the California School of Professional Psychology, and she is a former chair of the Women's Committee of the International Council on Alcoholism and Addiction. She is a board-certified Diplomate of the National Association of Social Workers and the American Board of Sexology and is a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy and the American Psychological Association.

Among the many articles and books written by Dr. Covington are: "Awakening Your Sexuality: A Guide for Recovering Women"; "Leaving the Enchanted Forest: The Path from Relationship Addiction to Intimacy"; and "Women and Addiction: A Gender-Responsive Approach". She also has published gender-responsive and trauma-informed programs that include training manuals for professionals and complementary materials for participants, including the following:

• A Woman’s Way through The Twelve Steps

• A Young Man’s Guide to Self-Mastery (co-authored with Robert Rodriguez)

• Becoming Trauma Informed: A Training Program for Correctional Professionals (U.S., Canadian, and UK versions)

• Beyond Anger & Violence: A Program for Women

• Beyond Trauma: A Healing Journey for Women

• Beyond Violence: A Prevention Program for Criminal Justice-Involved Women

• Exploring Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Men and Gender-Diverse People (co-authored with Shane Pugh and Robert Rodriguez)

• Healing Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Women and Gender-Diverse People (co-authored with Eileen Russo)

• Helping Men Recover (co-authored with Dan Griffin and Rick Dauer; also with a special edition for the justice system)

• Helping Women Recover: A Program for Treating Addiction (with a special edition for the criminal justice system)

• Moving from Trauma-Informed to Trauma-Responsive: A Training Program for Organizational Change (co-authored with Sandra Bloom)

• Voices: A Program of Self-Discovery and Empowerment for Girls (co-authored with Kimberley Covington and Madeline Covington)

For a list of Dr. Covington’s recent articles, and descriptions of her current seminars for professionals, please visit her website.

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WNBA star Brittney Griner, still adjusting after Russian prison ordeal, details experience in book

FILE - Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) makes a layup during the second quarter of a WNBA basketball game against the Washington Mystics, July 23, 2023, in Washington. Griner continues her efforts to settle into a normal routine following her release from a Russian prison 17 months ago. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)

Brittney Griner continues her efforts to settle into a normal routine following her release from a Russian prison 17 months ago.

Life isn’t what it once was for the perennial WNBA All-Star.

The 6-foot-8 center looks different and has different priorities. Gone are her familiar dreadlocks that couldn’t be maintained during her incarceration. She regularly sees a therapist to help her cope after being imprisoned for 10 months. And since her release, Griner has been an advocate for the return of other Americans detained overseas.

She has met with President Joe Biden twice since her release, including once last month in Phoenix.

“Got to talk to him about a couple of people and just keep it on the forefront of everyone’s mind,” the Phoenix Mercury star said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “You want to get exposure and that keeps it on the forefront of people’s minds. Keep people accountable.”

Griner was detained at a Moscow airport in February 2022. Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis.

She shares details about the harrowing experience in her new book — “Coming Home” — which comes out Tuesday.

Griner hopes one takeaway for anyone who reads the book will be a vivid picture of what detainees have to endure. She said it’s why it took her all of last season to write it with Michelle Burford.

“I didn’t leave anything out from the detainment, to being over there, the conditions. As much as we could fit into a book, we basically did,” Griner said. “People will be shocked at some of the things.

“I hope it brings a little bit more of an understanding to the conditions that detainees go through.”

FILE - WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner speaks to her lawyers from inside a cage in a courtroom in Khimki, outside Moscow, Russia, on July 26, 2022. Griner continues her efforts to settle into a normal routine following her release from a Russian prison 17 months ago. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool, File)

Griner says it is important people have a clear picture of what it’s like for those Americans not home yet, including Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, so that no one gives up the fight.

“It took everyone to come together to bring me home,” she said. Government officials “have to make really hard decisions.”

Griner, who first met President Biden at the White House Correspondent’s dinner in 2023 a few months after her return to the U.S., said she and her WNBA teammates must keep the momentum going to get everyone home.

“How are we going to do it? Bringing in families, playing videos, give them airtime?” she said. “Maybe someone that doesn’t know, sees (the book) and they write a letter to Congress that tips over the scale to get someone home.”

Griner said her days of playing basketball overseas during the WNBA offseason are over.

Though many WNBA players still play in international leagues to supplement their league salaries, Griner said she is done, except with USA Basketball. She hopes to be on the Olympic team at the Paris Games this summer, and the odds are in her favor that will happen.

Griner had played in China for a few years during the WNBA offseason, before making the move to Russia — where she had played since 2015 before her arrest.

It’s not just her ordeal in Russia, however, that is going to keep her home. Griner’s wife, Cherelle, is expecting the couple’s first child.

“The only time I’ll go overseas is with Team USA,” Griner said. “I need to be in the states. About to be a parent. Last thing I want to do is be in and out of my kid’s life. I want to be there for everything. I don’t want to uproot my family and take them overseas with me. It’s too much.”

Griner, who has been an advocate for mental health for the past decade, said she sees a therapist regularly — something she did for several years before she went to Russia — and it helps her process what she endured while in prison.

“They are instrumental to my mental health,” Griner said about her sessions. “Everyone can benefit from having someone to talk to. Someone outside of their every day life. It just helps to have a different perspective on life from someone.

“That way if you do feel nervous or struggling with something, it’s very beneficial.”

The 33-year-old took a mental health break for several days last year during the WNBA season, missing three games. She’ll begin her 12th year in the league May 14.

Griner is looking forward to it after the welcome she received in her return last year. One of the only positives that Griner will take away from her ordeal was the outpouring of support she received from people in the form of letters they wrote to her in prison.

“The letters were amazing from the fans, teammates, opponents, GMs, they all meant so much to me,” she said. “It was very dark at times, especially going through the trial. When I was in isolation for weeks, it was an emotional rollercoaster and those letters made me remember that I wasn’t forgotten.”

The 21 Best Book Blogs of 2021

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Written by  Dana L. Church

Start reading the best books of the year

Want to embrace your inner book nerd but don't know where to begin? Look no further. These book blogs cover a range of genres and topics that will appeal to every kind of book enthusiast. So go ahead and check out the 21 best book blogs of 2021. There's sure to be something that catches your eye.

The 21 best book blogs of 2021

1.  amazon book review.

This book blog topped Scribendi's 2020 list , and it's easy to see why. It's probably the most comprehensive book blog out there for contemporary works, and it covers all kinds of genres. The Editors' Picks seem to have something for everyone.

All of this booky goodness is presented on a bright, easy-to-navigate website. There are even celebrity picks, where "celebrity" encompasses not only film and TV stars but also athletes, musicians, and authors. I must say that this book blog also tops my list when it comes to what's hot off the press and for its sheer variety.

2.  John Pistelli

If you're not concerned about hot topics and current events and are just looking for a good read, then this is the site for you.

John Pistelli is a professor at the University of Minnesota and holds a Ph.D. in English literature. He has also published several works of fiction and poetry. His website provides a new book review every week or so, and his choices are anchored in his personal interests, which center on classic and contemporary fiction. Take a look at his review index for a ton of books to choose from, each with his thoughtful and artful opinions and musings. He covers novels, nonfiction, poetry, drama, and comics, and he even throws in some commercial fiction for good measure.

What also caught my eye is his "lifetime reading list," which includes titles you'd expect to be recommended by an English professor—but also some surprises.

3.  Literary Hub

This book blog has everything you need to keep up to date with the literary world, plus some news and culture on the side. In addition to its numerous resources for both reading and writing, what caught my attention is its "Book Marks" section.

Similar to what "Rotten Tomatoes" does for movies, "Book Marks" compiles book reviews from magazines, newspapers, and websites and averages them into a score of "Rave," "Positive," "Mixed," or "Pan." You can also leave your own comments and reviews. Literary Hub is also a great site for finding your next favorite book-related podcast.

4.  49th Shelf

This site calls itself "the largest collection of Canadian books on the Internet." No kidding! The site is extremely comprehensive but also very easy to navigate. There's something for everyone, and you can sign up for free to contribute your own reviews, comments, and book ratings.

5.  The Broadcast (by Reedsy)

If you like reading lists, you'll love this book blog. From "10 Exciting New Books From Up-and-Coming Authors" to the "40 Best Spy Novels of All Time," you're sure to find a list that interests you.

Moreover, it's easy to get lost in their articles on a wide variety of book-related topics.

6.  A Life in Books

Blogger Susan Osborne has worked in book sales and as a writer and magazine editor. Her book blog is simple and crisp.

Susan provides thoughtful reviews and arranges books into unique categories, such as "Five Books I've Read," where she groups books in fives according to different themes, and "Six Degrees of Separation," where she links seemingly disparate books in clever ways.

7.  The Orangutan Librarian

This blog stands out not only for its unique name and concept but also for its color and charming sketches here and there.

Books are rated using a five-banana rating system and are accompanied by thoughtful—and, at times, philosophical—reviews. The Orangutan also invites comments. There are intriguing lists like "Books that Gave Me a Hangover" and "Forgettable Books—Books I Can't Remember…Though I Definitely Read Them (I Think)."

8.  Vilma Iris

Vilma Iris Gonzalez is an "internationally renowned book blogger and USA Today blog columnist" whose focus is on commercial fiction for a female audience.

She markets lifestyle, home, and beauty, but it's clear her heart is in books. Her site is smart and modern.

9.  From First Page to Last

What caught my eye about this blog, besides its stylish simplicity and plethora of reviews, were its unique categories like "Under the Reader's Radar – Celebrating the Quiet Novel" and "Spotlight on Publishers."

You're likely to spot a gem.

10.  Readability

Reading Fleur Morrison's blog feels like chatting about books with a best friend. She's honest, thoughtful, funny, and engaging.

I was pulled in by her accounts of her struggles with Dostoyevsky and stayed to read about her post-Harry Potter blues.

11.  Jane Friedman  

Jane's book blog stands somewhat apart from the others on this list because it targets writers, the writing life, and the ins and outs of the publishing world.

This site is a treasure trove for anyone looking to perfect their craft and learn more about the publishing industry. In addition to articles and book recommendations, Jane offers online classes and interviews with industry professionals.

12.  Electric Lit

Electric Lit's mission is "to make literature more exciting, relevant, and inclusive." This pleasantly quirky site is filled with unique essays, interviews, and reading lists provided by diverse contributors.

Of particular note are the lists "8 Books About Reckless Decisions" and "Offbeat European Children's Books for Adults."

13.  IndieReader

If you're interested in self-publishing and/or self-published books, this is the site for you.

IndieReader is "run by authors and writers for authors and writers." In addition to an enormous number of book reviews, you can find lots of helpful advice from indie authors as well as resources for how to distribute and market your own book.

In addition, if you do happen to be an indie author, you can sign up to have your book reviewed.

14.  School Library Journal

Confession time: I'm a children's author, and I love to read middle grade and picture books.

I couldn't resist including this blog. The School Library Journal is where it's at for comprehensive lists, reviews, and recommendations for all things kid lit.

15.  The Bibliofile

If you want totally honest and critical book reviews, you must check out Jenn's blog.

She's not afraid to explain why she didn't fall in love with books most people rave about, and she still gives thoughtful and thorough critiques of books she does love. Gotta respect that.

Jenn is a great source for thoughtful, interesting perspectives and viewpoints that make you think more deeply about books.

16.  Quillblog  

Quillblog is the book blog of Canadian literary magazine Quill & Quire . It spotlights literary news articles, prize winners, and, of course, book reviews.

This blog is a great complement to 49th Shelf to help keep you on top of what's happening in the Canadian literary world.

17.  The New Yorker 's Page-Turner  

A book blog from the folks who bring you The New Yorker magazine, this site is filled with thought-provoking articles and reviews of the latest up-and-coming fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and literature.

18.  The Millions  

The Millions is a fresh online magazine packed with reviews, lists, and author interviews. There are lots of recommendations categorized to suit a host of tastes. It's always exciting to check out their "Tuesday New Release Day" feature.

19.  Book Riot  

This website is teeming with book-lover culture. It's splashy, colorful, and full of energy.

You can find articles on various literary topics, assorted interest pieces, book collections, interviews, and examinations of book-to-movie adaptations. There are daily deals, giveaways, podcasts, and even a selection of book-related swag and “bookish things” to satisfy your inner book nerd.

20.  The Book Smugglers

Ana Grilo and Thea James are The Book Smugglers, "specializing in speculative fiction, YA and popgeekery for all ages since 2008." They also run Book Smugglers Publishing, which publishes speculative short fiction and nonfiction. Their blog was born after they started "smuggling" books home to avoid being threatened daily by loved ones for buying too many. Gee, I can't relate at all…

21.  Utopia State of Mind

Lili describes herself as "a scholar at heart, obsessed with SFF" (science fiction and fantasy).

She also focuses on diversity, smaller presses, and indie authors. Now and then, she includes some contemporary reads, too. She has a handy-dandy sortable table in her reviews archives, which makes browsing her site all the more addictive.

Thanks for reading The 21 Best Book Blogs of 2021! Whatever your fancy may be, I'm confident you'll find some great new books to dive into.

If you're an aspiring author yourself, be sure to check out Scribendi's Book Critique service. Our editors are experts at polishing prose to make it shine all the brighter. Moreover, if you're ready to pitch your book, Scribendi can also help you create a query package. There's no time like the present to chase your dreams.

Happy reading!

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Dana L. Church is a recovering academic and In-House STEM Editor at Scribendi. In between being a wife, walking her dog, and answering to “ Mommm! ” from her two kids, she writes middle grade nonfiction. Her first book, The Beekeepers: How Humans Changed the World of Bumble Bees , will be released by Scholastic Focus in March 2021.

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