It takes me about ten minutes
Throughout my years of book blogging, I’ve seen people talking about reviewing books, falling behind on reviews, or talking about their reviewing process. In these discussions, it often comes up (even if just in passing) how long it takes people to write their book reviews. I’ve always been a bit surprised by what I’ve seen. It takes some bloggers about 1-2 hours to write a review, but it takes me only 10-15 minutes (maybe 20 tops if it’s particularly fangirly or ranty).
Now I don’t think it’s any better or worse that it takes someone 1-2 hours to write a review. It’s just different. This was really interesting to me and I thought it was a good talking point!
My reviews are like word vomit
I think this is why they only take me about 10 minutes to write. Some people (probably the 1-2 hour people) carefully craft their reviews. They analyse the story, break down the characters, look carefully for inconsistencies.. Or they just spend a long time trying to get their thoughts in order.
That’s not me!
My reviews aren’t carefully crafted masterpieces. They’re kind of a regurgitation of my thoughts and reactions. I like to capture that moment of euphoria (or indifference or disgust) after finishing a book. It’s that moment when all my thoughts are completely raw and torn open. I like to put all that into some kind of sentence structure and form a review. That usually means I sit down and TYPE TYPE TYPE!! GET IT ALL OUT THERE ON THE PAGE!! And in the end, it’s usually a pretty readable set of thoughts and reactions. Maybe it’s not super eloquent or carefully crafted, but that’s my style.
Everyone has a different style!
We all read, write, review, and process differently. For me and book reviews, that means word vomit and 10-15 minute reviews. What is it for you?
Well, I think it depends on the book and how my thoughts are going but I think it probably takes me about 30-40 minutes to write a review. I am a distracted writer though so some times I get distracted and it takes me from the review..lol. I try and write them right after I read a book so I have it fresh in my head but sometimes that doesn’t happen. 🙂
I usually spend about as long on you do on the actual review part, in an Evernote note. But it still needs to get put into the WordPress post, along with a lot of other info, finding buy/goodreads/author website links, quote graphics made (I’ve been slacking on this part recently), and social posts for the next few months schedule. After all that, it probably takes an hour or two.
The main reason I fall behind (I’m always behind) on reviews is because I finish a book and go, “Hmm…I could write the review now, orrrr I could start a new book.” You can guess what I usually choose. 🙂
Agreed. I generally like to get my review down as soon as I finish the book and it is often, as you say, word vomit. It’s my initial thoughts and feelings and what REALLY sticks out about the story, whether that’s good or bad. Often I go back and reread a review before it’s actually published, but I enjoy reading reviews such as I write them, so they are often posted as they were written, within hours of finishing that book.
I wish I could review like you do!
Normally my reviewing process has two stages. First, I write down notes on the book, my thoughts and other things I want to mention. I leave that for a day or so, so I have time to think about anything additional, and then I’ll try to put those notes into something coherent. Usually the latter part takes about half an hour to an hour.
I like the idea of being able to express your immediate reaction to the book by writing the review straight away and quickly – I wish it worked for me!
I am never behind on reviews, because I very quickly write mine right after finishing the book, when my feelings are fresh. I type it on a Word document, then copy it to Amazon, Goodreads, and one of my blogs. Then I link the review to the title on my Purchased Books page on Curl up and Read, followed by adding the title and link to my Books Read page there. All of that takes about half an hour. So writing the actual review: 10 minutes or less.
I have Networked Blogs on FB, so my review appears there as soon as I post it on my blog. Some reviews might take slightly longer, but never more than 15 minutes. It is a system that works for me, and that’s why I have 1148 reviews posted on Amazon, currently…LOL.
I’ve tried to speed up but the results are not ones that make me happy.
There’s no need to be fast. Do whatever you’re comfortable with. 🙂
Same here! I always start the review immediately. I’ve never been one of those people who fell behind on reviews just because I don’t even start a new book until I’m done with the review of the previous one.
Hmm….this is a really interesting discussion question Ashley! 😀 For me personally, it definitely varies – I used to take a lot longer to review, but now I try to make my reviews a bit more concise and to-the-point, so now it takes me probably 20 – 30 minutes (if I don’t get distracted 😉 ). Fantastic post Ashley! 😀
Thanks! 🙂 I’m a big fan of concise and to-the-point reviews. I like to quickly find out what sucked and what rocked, haha.
Same here, for sure! I generally review the book within the next half hour of finishing it because I otherwise forget EVERYTHING except the main points of what I’m feeling haha. I try to vary the types of reviews I write depending on my reaction to the book, but it definitely won’t take me more than 20 minutes.
10 minutes — that’s fast! I take about 30 minutes, sometimes longer. #perfectionstproblem
30 minutes is a pretty good amount of time. 🙂 There’s nothing wrong with being a perfectionist!
I’m like you, only taking 10-15 minutes. I start my reviews immediately after finishing the book and just write out all of my thoughts upon finishing. Sometimes I even start my reviews while I’m still reading, if there’s something I feel really strongly about.
Same here! If there’s something I REALLY want to mention in the review then I jot it down mid-book.
I don’t even wanna say how long it takes me to write a review- I’d just be embarrassing myself. Seriously, I’m such a turtle when it comes to writing reviews or anything really. But 10 minutes is seriously fast, Ashley! Your reviews don’t come along as word vomit at all!
There’s nothing wrong with taking a while. 🙂 We all have our own paces and methods.
In general, I’m a VERY fast writer. Like in high school when we’d get essays, my classmates would all stress over them and spend days writing outlines, drafts, and revisions. I just whip that puppy out in one sitting and no outlines/drafts. My writing may not be perfect, but it flows really quickly.
I spend way too long on them. These things only stick around for a few days before they are forgotten so I don’t know why. At times I can toss one out in fifteen minutes but usually they are about forty minutes. I have also learned NOT to proofread too heavy because that leads to revising completely reviews; better to leave the mistakes in at times.
Yeah I don’t proofread much either. My process is usually:
1. Write it all out
2. Read it over once (and make corrections if needed)
3. Schedule the post (anywhere from 1 week in the future to 4-6 months)
4. Reread the post one more time the night before it goes live (and make corrections if needed)
Well this is interesting to see!! I usually take around 2-3 hours to write a review…very slow, I used to take double that and spread it out through 2-3 days – working on a paragraph when I had a chance, here and there. I always have a bit of a hard time starting my review – finding the “hook” or “theme” or just the dang topic sentence can take me some time!
I think that’s perfectly fine if it works for you and you’re happy with it. 🙂 Writing reviews certainly isn’t a race!
I thought I was the only one who just spills whatever thoughts they have in their review. Haha I have the same style as you! Of course I organize my review…For instance, in my 1st paragraph, I state whether I liked it/disliked it/kind of in the middle, then I state if it is told in 1st,2nd,or 3rd point of view. On the next paragraph, I talk about the characters / world building. Then if I did not like something, I’ll say it on the 3rd paragraph. If I didn’t like something but it’s not a lot, I’ll just state it on the first paragraph. And then I always end my review with ‘Overall, this book is blah blah blah. I recommend/not recommend it because blah blah’. But yeah, I just try to spill everything on my post on what I feel about the book.
Generally it will take me 20-30 on a particularly long review. And if it’s a harder book to review, I may draft it and come back to it later, but it never takes me HOURS to do! That’s crazy!
It takes me about 10 minutes, maybe less, to write first draft of review. As you said, when I start, it usually vomiting my thoughts without order.
But add to that fixing mistakes and inconsistencies in text +filling UBB info + making featured image graphic + picking right quotes for review. It all adds up to 2-3 hours. :/
It probably takes me half and hour max if I factor in adding all the book information and such. For me, I probably waste at least 10 minutes just putting off starting. It always seems to be the hardest thing for me. But once I do start, it’s all word vomit as well LOL. Plus, I have to get past my procrastination and laziness issues. 😛
It takes me about 10-15 minutes as well. I just try to get to roughly 500 words. Unless I had a lot of feels (positive of negative) that’s enough for me to form an opinion about the book. It’s definitely part word vomit and part laziness 😉
I’m like you. 10-20 minutes tops. I just like to get all my thoughts out and just leave it at that. Sometimes that makes my reviews not so eloquent, but I don’t really care much about that. I just want to share my thoughts you know? But I know some bloggers who take a lot longer and it shows in their reviews. They are beautifully written and they pretty much touch on everything.
It use to take me a log time to write a review. The actual writing of the review, not setting up the post, use to take me about an hour. Now it takes me about 15-30 minutes. I edit while a go, which takes time. But some reviews are just longer and some are shorter. Some are harder to get out, some are easy. It just depends on the book.
For me, it depends on the book. Some books come easy, others not so much. It is the ones that I really or don’t like that are the easiest. If a book is “meh,” it is hard for me to write most of the time. I usually write something, which takes me less than 30 per book. Then I walk away and let the review sit and come back the next day and re-read and put any final tweaks on it, usually less than 10 minutes.
I will also say it depends of if I’m getting distracted. Right now, with football season, I’ve been writing reviews during the games between plays and during commercials. It takes me a little longer, but I’m multi-tasking, so it is all good. I do have to spend more time on my “editing” when I write during the games. I’ve found several unfinished sentences because the play starts back up and I don’t pick up where I left off.
This varies with me a lot. It depends on the book really… and how chatty I feel that day. Plus most of my reviews are done on my work computer and that means there could be a lot of interruptions.
I never write my reviews right after I’ve read the books. It can take me months. But then when I actually sit down to write it can take me several hours. I like my reviews to be well structured and also, I proofread several times cause English is my second language 🙂
It takes me about half hour to hour if I enjoyed the book. I am not one of those who breaks down the whole book. Majority of people who read reviews get bored after 2 paragraphs. I like to read how a reviewer felt about the book and thats it! Great post, now I don’t feel so alone. Lol!
I’m a lot like Meredith. After several years without writing reviews now that I’m doing it again it takes me a lot of time, some times more than one day just figuring the right way to start and trying to find the best way to explain my thoughts
I’m a lot like you. I just write what’s on my mind right after finishing the book when it’s still fresh. I’ve seen a lot of people who need a few hours or even days to write it. I could never wait days, I need to get it all out immediately, when I still know what I want to say. 😛
I’ a 10 to 15 minute reviewer too. I used to form ginormous book report like reviews. Then one day I woke up and realized that most readers probably don’t need my version of the synopsis. I know that I was far more interested in what a reviewer feels about the book. That’s when I started writing how I felt about the book rather than what the book was about. I can’t tell you how much time this saved me!
I definitely do not take 1-2 hours to write a review. But I do take more than 10-15 mins. I usually am able to write my review in about 20 minutes (sometimes longer if I’m struggling). But that is just the draft. Then, at least a few days later, I go back to the review, and make changes, then schedule it. So total I would say between 30-45 minutes on the review.
Apparently, I am ÜBER slow! 0_o
I’m not a 15mn reviewer, or a 2h reviewer… I think it takes me easily 4 hours total. And I don’t think I really analyse each book thoroughly, it just the time it takes me to reflect on the book, figure out what I want to say about it, pick quotes, write the review and re-read it. My reviews are not even super long… :/
I’m a bit quicker when I review in French since obviously it’s easier to write in my mother tongue, but not even by that much.
Oh well… 😀
It takes about 30 minutes to an hour for me, depending on the book. I discuss the book in three different mini reviews within the review (plot, characters, writing style/setting), so that takes me a little more time to think through, but, overall, I wouldn’t say it takes me too long.
Ha ha … word vomit. Definitely how my reviews are, too! I have so much respect and awe for people who can take 1-2 hours to craft a review, but I’m just so not like that.
High five for word vomit!
Sometimes it takes me 20 minutes, sometimes it takes me 45 minutes. It really depends on if I know everything I want to say before I start writing.
I think I might be physically incapable of word vomit. I think it’s an occupational hazard that comes from being a student journalist and an IB student. That being said, I don’t think I’d ever put something I wrote for my blog in a newspaper. My blog posts are written with an extremely casual (sometimes fangirly) tone. I think it’s interesting how I can write in completely different tones, but my voice still resonates similarly in the writing. My friends always tell me they can hear my voice when they read the stuff I write.
I think it’s great that you have such a distinctive voice! 🙂
My sentiments exactly. I have no idea what on earth people do for a couple hours in putting together a review. I use my UBB to make it pretty, then (as you so eloquently put it) vomit the words into my post. You’re right. Either way is fine. Just different. I just know if I thought too hard about reviews, I’d never write them. It wouldn’t be fun anymore. And the short, sweet, and extemporaneous review is kinda my thing. I am going to start taking some brief notes for when I can’t write a review right away, but it’ll just be an abbreviated version of the vomit that will end up on the blog.
It takes me 20-30 minutes and I do it right after I finish the book otherwise it will never get done, because if I wait days I’ll forget what I read and what I wanted to say. I don’t understand when people say they fall behind – I just get my confused face on. Haha. Maybe it’s just me and my REALLY rubbish memory!
Really the only reason I get my reviews done quickly and as soon as I’ve finished are so a) I don’t forget what I’ve read and b) so I don’t get distracted by the SHINY, SHINY internet which is SO distracting, especially when writing a book review for some reason?!?!
I’m one of those that takes a long time to write a review. My reviews tend to be long and wordy and I try to hit points such as characterization, plot, writing style, and impressions. It also takes me a while to get “right” quotes. I think that at a minimum, it takes me 30 minutes to write a review 😉
I wish I was fast like you! But for me it depends on when I finish the book. My husband doesn’t mind me reading in bed while he is sleeping so I often finish the book in the middle of the night. So it’s too late for me to start the review. But I do type up some notes while I’m reading the book so I don’t forget things I want to say. I think the fastest I’ve ever written a review was 30 minutes.
I don’t take that long when I write reviews–usually around 20 minutes, but possibly 30 if I have a lot of things to say about it. It takes me forever to START writing the review, but once I do, the words just seem to come out. 🙂 I know that a lot of people like quick, straight-to-the-point reviews, but I can’t help but want to justify every single thing I say, which is why my reviews take some time to write and end up being behemoths…
Of course, everyone reviews in different styles. Your reviews don’t seem like word vomits at all, girl. 😉
I have a template on my blog for my reviews, so either just before I start it or during it I create a new one for my book and add all the info. Then I take notes while I read so that when I write the review it doesn’t take long. Maybe 15-20 minutes for the writing and proofing.
It takes me 1-2 hours to write a review, especially if I’ve received them from publishers/authors! I’m one of those people who likes to analyse everything in a book and voice my opinions about the plot/characters/writing in detail. If I’m reviewing a book that I had VERY strong feelings for, they’re generally less carefully constructed and much more fangirly!
I’m always a mix of terrified and impressed when people write about reviews taking hours since I don’t think I could continue blogging if that was the case for me. I think I take about 30 mins for a review usually, but that doesn’t count the time I write notes immediately after finishing a book. But yeah, I definitely write them quickly, the only reason I might get behind is if I’m not in the right headspace for writing a review for a few days. I like to be in a particular outgoing-feeling mood to review since it makes it easier for me to make them silly and hopefully more entertaining to read. If I’m feeling down for a few days, it’s just unlikely I’ll write a very good review, so I wait, ha.
I am one of those who will take 1 to 2 hours (sometimes longer) to write a review. I tend to reread my writing at least a few times before I publish the post. But I agree with you, everyone is different and we have our own styles.
It took me a while to figure out what my problem is, but I think you just nailed it for me (in this post, and in one of your comment replies). I have the same review style as you – quick, from the gut, reaction. But it still takes me an hour or more to write my darn review, and I just figured out why. I don’t write them immediately. I wait, sometimes a day, sometimes weeks (I have a toddler and a back injury, and I’m chronically behind), and when it’s no longer fresh I have to flip back through the book, and try to remember what I did and did not like. It doesn’t fit my style at all, and in one case it led to me accidentally positively reviewing a book I didn’t like because I got it mixed up with another book, and in another case I reviewed the same darn book 3x because I kept forgetting to take it off my “finished, review pending” list. Not okay!! So from now on, I’m going to review the book right away, even if I save the spew and format later. Thank you!! ♥
I could never review a book weeks later!
Whenever I don’t review a book straight away, I don’t bother reviewing it at all because I know I’ll have forgotten so many of the important feelings and details.
It’s kind of sad, but I tend to forget things about most books after a while. I don’t remember character names, or plot events, or side characters.. They just all blend together.
I’m so glad that you’ve discovered this and can move forward with a new system. 🙂
I’m the same way. I have to watch a movie at least twice before anything sticks, other than a general impression of like or dislike. I’m a little better with books, but not much.
We moved 2 years ago, and I just pulled out the last stack of library boxes to shelve. Guess what I found? 25 books I’d read, ready to be reviewed…two years go. #soscrewed Why do people keep sending me books??? #lol
I’m almost done with the launch posts, which will be going up in just a bit. I’ve got 5 reviews scheduled, and then I’m starting fresh. No more reading review books until then, though!!
Hahahahaha 10 mins! I wish! I think it will take me 15-30 mins to write what I consider to be my GR review – it’s like a mini-review, or what you call the “regurgitation.” That works for me in some instances, because in my 4 years of blogging, I sometimes don’t have a lot to say. But sometimes, I really, really do. And those are the reviews that will take me anywhere from 1-10 hours to write. Yes, I have taken that long to write a review. But yeah, I also will sometimes leave a review for days on end if I want to think about it. And yeah, you’re right, the ones that take longer are ones when I analyze the book. Because that matters to me – it’s not for everyone, but I’ve figured out that that’s what works for me and my blogging.
Also, I’m a really slow reader. I’m not a slow writer, but I’m very picky when it comes to what thoughts I want to put down on the page.
That said, I would like to mention that it took me about a year to really fully get the hang of formatting stuff in WP, but I can now do it with Ultimate BB in less than an hour. Which is a huge feat. =)
I’m so glad to hear that UBB makes it so much faster and easier! 🙂
I know I’m late but I thought I’d post anyways.
It usually takes me 10 minutes to leave reviews. It used to be faster, but now I take notes and provide some examples of why I liked or didn’t like a book. Before I was an author, I was a reader, and good books deserve recognition, while “bad” books don’t.
But I like to organize my review into something tangible, even though I’m a pantser writer. I want people to understand where I’m coming from as well as understand my examples, instead of me giving a blanket statement about something I didn’t like in a book.