Typically written for new releases 30 days before publication date or up to 90 days afterwards, book reviews are 500-750 word essays which give other readers an idea of what the book is about so they can decide whether or not to read it. I blogged about the reasons to consider book reviews a couple of weeks ago. Here I provide suggestions on what to write in a review of someone else’s book. What kind of book is it? Who is the intended audience? What is the purpose of the book? These are three questions to ask yourself before you begin. Keep readers in mind. What do they need to know about this work to make an informed decision? Points to note What is the premise of the book? Give the reader enough information to know what it’s about and who would be interested. It’s not a summary of plot points or a synopsis of the argument as much as a product description. What is meant by the title? Are there features worthy of note? Are such things as pictures, maps, DVD, and lesson plans included?  What is the cover design? How is the book organized? How effective is the structure? Is it a page-turner or shelf-reference? What does the book contribute to the marketplace of ideas? What is the take-away? What are two or three quotes from the book you identify as examples of the author’s voice and perspective? Critic’s appraisal A book review requires a critical assessment of…

When you write a book, it needs to be about something. When someone asks what your book is about, how do respond? Do you stumble over your words trying to describe your book? Time to pin down your premise. Premise: The central idea, situation, or set-up which provides the foundation and pushes the narrative forward. What happens as a result of actions is another way of describing the premise. If point A is where the conflict or problem arises and point B is the outcome, then the premise is A leads to B. Perhaps another way to get a handle on the premise of your book is to determine its main point or take-away lesson. A premise is usually one sentence. It conveys the larger lesson or a universal truth. “When Dorothy is caught up in a Kansan tornado, she visits a magical place called Oz, only to discover there’s no place like home.” Expressing your premise — your driving idea — helps you while you write. It keeps you from wandering too far astray from the organizing concept and your narrative arc on a steady path. Consider your opening scenario, central characters, the inciting incident and how the stakes are raised. Your premise may be stated in the form of a question. “What if a group of school boys stranded on a desert island work to govern themselves?” A premise should be brief, provocative, and include the central characters, a conflict, and a hook. The premise should pull the…

For nearly 20 years, Margot Bloomstein has shaped the content strategy industry. She’s the author of Content Strategy at Work: Real-World Stories to Strengthen Every Interactive Project (Morgan Kaufmann, 2012) and the principal of Appropriate, Inc., a brand and content strategy consultancy based in Boston. Bloomstein developed the message architecture-driven approach to content strategy now popular with many practitioners. Recognized in 2015 as one of Boston’s “40 Under 40,” Bloomstein shaped the communication of corporate social responsibility at Timberland, content for crisis response at Harvard University, and strategy for cultural tourism in the state of Nevada. She has spoken at events worldwide and teaches in the content strategy graduate program at FH Joanneum University in Graz, Austria, and earned a BFA in Design and Anthropology at Carnegie Mellon University. She also guest lectures at universities, where she especially likes to focus on her work for Lindt & Sprüngli. It offers a vital lesson: if you get the opportunity to work for a chocolate company, do it. Trustworthy: How Smart Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust Gap by Margot Bloomstein will be released in March of 2021 from Page Two Books. To regain the trust of consumers and citizens, marketers talk about empathy and authenticity. But how do you get beyond those buzzwords? Empower your audience to earn their trust. Smart organizations teach their audiences to evaluate product options, engage in continuous self-education, and make more informed choices and confident decisions. Airbnb, the FBI, TED, the United Kingdom Government Digital Service,…