A mentor once told me that to write well, a writer must read other writers' works. I decided if I was going to do that, I might as well get a bonus for it and become a literary critic. My mentor, Ken Jackson, author and former Book Editor for the Tulsa World gave me my break in this medium. That was over nine years ago. Ken is retired now, and a new editor has taken his place. I'm still reviewing for the Tulsa World, and for my Critic's Corner here in Business Know How. In fact, being a literary critic has become a second career for me. Just recently my 277threview was printed in the Tulsa World. I've also had reviews printed in other papers in Texas and New York.
My credentials for becoming a critic include college courses in advanced professional writing at Oklahoma University and Tulsa Community College. These courses were not on how to review books, but on how to write to the professional level in both fiction and nonfiction. Then, I began to read with a different mind-set. I studied the book at hand, analyzed it for its strengths and weaknesses.
Of course, I've been an avid reader all my life but never actually analyzed the books I read. Now I know what to look for in reviewing a book. First - I check for characterizations. Without in depth characters, the novel will not work. Second - What is the plot? Is it interesting to me, and will it be of interest to the reading public? Third - Has the author maintained a style and voice that carry through the book or is it simply a hodgepodge of incidents? Fourth - Is the book entertaining and informative? Fifth - Do I have anything good to say about a particular book? If not, I choose not to review it. After nine plus years of reviewing, I no longer review books I do not like. I try to pass these on to another reviewer who might see something I've missed. Critics who enjoy destroying the egos and/or careers of writers are not, in my opinion, good reviewers.
A good reviewer/critic must be objective. Many excellent writers cannot review books because they want to tell the author how to write their book and what to put into it or omit. This is foolishness. You critique or review what is written, not what you might have written or would have said or not said. This is the work of another and no reviewer has the right to interject their own likes and dislikes into the mix.
Knowing your craft is essential if you want to become a book critic. A book reviewer may just read a book and comment on the story. A critic will analyze, as stated above, and break down the story into its various parts. Some do as I do, they combine the two with comments both on the story and how well it is accomplished.
The rewards for writers who choose to review or critique professionally began small and build. First you get a byline, that is important. You receive free books (at an average of $20/$25 each this adds up). Some papers pay very little, some not at all. Then, there is the New York Times which pays very well indeed. The Los Angeles Times also pays upwards of $300 for a review, more depending on the reviewers' expertise and reputation. You start small, (go to your local newspaper editor), get that first byline, that first free book, then work toward fees as your experience deserves. You won't get rich writing book reviews, but many do make a nice sum for their efforts. Once you have some good published clips, you may want to try your hand at reviewing for various magazines that run book reviews. The pay for these varies according to the size of the magazine. Your local library is a good source to research for magazine and newspapers that run book reviews. The initial break may not come easy, but then again, it may. You never know until you try.
One of the best rewards I receive from being a book critic is the help it gives me as a serious writer. My own work is better, I know the rules of the game from reading other authors. In the writing business, one never stops learning. I watch carefully for the interest hook that causes me to read beyond the first few pages. I notice how a particular author uses characterizations, plotting, subplots, narration, dialogue, etc. Also, I watch for the different voices of the authors I read. It is amazing how many voices I hear, how different their tone, and how each achieves their intent for a given work.
If you want to be a professional writer, or even a book critic, you must incorporate "The Three Ds" into your everyday writing life. DISCIPLINE: (Learning your craft, grammar, language usages, markets, trends). DESIRE: (You must want more than anything else to be a writer, and not just a mediocre one, but a really good writer and work to that end.) DEDICATION: (A Writer writes! A writer writes everyday whether it is a nonfiction piece, fiction, book review, etc. A writer writes because she or he must. This dedication forces the writer to believe that she has something vital to say, insights and ideas to put forth that will interest others. The Three Ds comes not from me, but from one of my favorite contemporary writers, Nora Roberts. I enjoy reviewing her work because in the many novels she's written she has shown me that without the "Three Ds" no writer will become an "A" class writer.
So, how do you become a book critic? You read, you study your craft, you come to understand what makes a great book stand out from the mediocre book. Once you've discovered your style as a reviewer (this takes practice) you start knocking on doors. One of them will open for you, and when it does, you're on your way. Not to fame and fortune, but to something even better. What is better? I'll give you a hint. In my files are letters from many famous authors, but the one I cherish most is signed by James A. Michener. No amount of money could purchase the praise received from one of the top authors of the 20th Century.
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(Jones is a book critic for The Tulsa World, Tulsa, OK, and The Camden Times, Camden, New York.)
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