As a literature major, teacher, and pro writer, I've had to cope with many various challenging jobs. I've had to scribble both creative and nonfiction essays, short stories, reports of varied kinds, and other pieces too countless to say. It may shock you that book reviews are a few of the most hard things I have had to pen. Every saw a crappy book review in several papers that's all he gets revealed. Lots of the worst ones are really book outlines. They tell everything that occurs in the book without regard to the pleasure of the reader. Instead of tantalizingly with one or two key facts, judging the book, and letting you explore it if you need to, they essentially mess it up. While it is better to write this style of book review, it's also shoddy writing. When I teach my introductory composition classes, folks often search for book outlines. I used to suspect that this was just slackness, but now I see what's truly going on. A lot of our kids aren't truly learning to read like competent adults. Instead of digesting and assessing a book themselves, they look to a book review or outline to inform them what it is about.

They do not actually have the vital abilities to trust their own judgment, and they do not know a way to raise questions. With this to mind, I customarily give one or two simple assignments at the start of my writing class. I do not ask them to draft a book review or a book report, a creative essay or an original work of fantasy. I simply asked them to react to what they have read. The sole rule is they aren't permitted to debate the book with others or use outside sources. The entire point of this exercise is to loosen them up as writers. A lot of them find out after they learn the way to open up a tiny bit that they understand books better than they suspected. This is the 1st step towards changing into a good reader and a good writer.