A critical review is your personal evaluation of a piece of creative work. This includes books, restaurants, theater, movies, software, and fashion just to name a few but the list goes on and on and on.
Why write a critical review?
Is your teacher is making you? Is it your job to write reviews for the New York Times? or maybe you
just enjoy helping others
not waste their hard-earned money?
Before you can review something you have:
- Read the book
- Try the product
- Eat the food
- Watch the movie
- Use the service
What to include in your review?
Introduction
We need to let our readers know what we are reviewing and why.
Summary
Include a description of what you are reviewing. Keep your opinion out of the summary, that part comes next.
Critique
This is your chance to let your readers know what you thought. Your opinion doesn't have to be negative it could also be a positive. If you consider your review positive post your positive points first. If you consider your review to be negative start with your negative points.
Conclusion
Think of this as your call to action (CTA). Here is your chance to tell your audience what you want to them do based on the information you gave them in the review.
To write a great review, you need to become an expert at what you are reviewing. An easy way to do that is to take notes and photos.
I like to break my notes down into positive and negative. Here is a little chart I created for this steak from
Stickman's Steak Shack.
Stickman's Steak Shack
Let's work on each step together:
Critical Book Review Example:
What if we were to write a review on this book?
Let's write down the positive and negative points:
I Have To Go by Robert Munch
Let's work on each step together
Critical Review Cheat Sheet:
Introduction - What are you reviewing.
Summary - Description of what you are reviewing.
Critique - Your opinion.
Conclusion - Your call to action.
