How to Write Audiobook Reviews

There are tons and tons of audiobook review websites out there, with new ones popping up all the time it seems. Quite a few of these sites have articles about how to write audiobook reviews. So why am I adding another one? Because any time you are researching a topic, it’s good to get as many opinions and ideas as you can. And really, opinions is all they are. There is no right or wrong way to write an audiobook review, but there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure your readers are getting information that they will find interesting, and interested readers will keep coming back for more.
Before I write anything about an audiobook I have just listened to, I like to start out with the technical data: title, author, narrator, duration, copyright info, and genres. You can provide any or all of these to your readers, it’s up to you, but you should at least include the title, author, and narrator. I think duration is a good one to include as well, as some people like to know how long an audiobook is before they start listening. If you’re not sure exactly how long the audiobook is, I frequently look that up at Audible.com. I get some of my audiobooks from my local library, but I also get media copies straight from the publisher. In either case, I like to include something like, “Review copy provided by Blackstone Audio.” In my review header. Again, this is up to you, but it’s kind of a professional courtesy to acknowledge your source.
Next comes the summary or synopsis. Sometimes I write the summaries myself, and sometimes I use the publisher’s summary, which can also be found at Audible.com, or the publisher’s website. Either method is Acceptable, but if you use the publisher’s summary, be sure to let your reader’s know by including the copyright line which is usually found immediately following the summary.
If you decide to write your own summaries, you need to grab the reader’s attention right away. Attention spans have grown short, and there are plenty of other places where people can get their audiobook reviews if they start to get bored, so your first paragraph is critical. Also, if you have an RSS feed or something similar, the first paragraph may be all your subscribers see, and you want them to click over to read the rest. Try to find the audiobook’s main conflict or underlying theme, and summarize it in four or five hard-hitting sentences. Then wrap up your first paragraph with a hook that will make your readers want to read more.
Here’s an example from a review I am currently working on, The Dark Half by Stephen King:
When promising young novelist Thaddeus Beaumont began to suffer from writer’s block, he took the cue from one of his favorite writers and decided to try writing under a pen name,, George Stark. Unlike Thad’s earlier books, Stark’s novels were darker and more violent, something the public seemed to crave since Stark’s books were much more popular than Thad’s had been. After a while, Thad himself seemed to grow darker, as if Stark’s forceful personality was somehow overpowering the mild-mannered persona of Thad Beaumont. When a crazed fan uncovers the link between Beaumont and Stark, and blackmails the writer, Thad decides it’s the perfect time to bury his dark half once and for all. It never occurred to Thad that George Stark might not want to go away.
Following your teaser paragraph, write another two or three paragraphs that go into a little more detail. You don’t want to give away the whole story here. Give them just enough so they will want to read the audiobook.
Once your summary is in place, it’s time to give your opinion. Tell your readers what you liked about the book, and what you didn’t like. I’ve seen some reviewers write their opinion in two sections, “Pros”, and “Cons.” Give that a try and see if it helps you organize your thoughts. The most important thing to do is tell your readers why. Remember, it’s okay to say you didn’t like the book, but you can’t just say “this book sucks.” Be constructive, and back it up with examples. Whether I like the audiobook or not, I like to use direct quotes to drive home the point. While you’re listening, you may want to jot down some lines that really grab you so you can use them in your review.
Here are some questions you may want to think about and discuss while writing your review: Did you feel any strong emotions while reading the audiobook? It takes a pretty good author to bring out these emotions in us. Did you care about what was happening to the characters? If so, the author has a real knack for creating interesting characters. How well does the author use dialogue? Did you understand what the author was trying to say in this book? The qualities you look for in an audiobook are probably similar to what other people lookk for, so talk about them.
After you give your opinion of the book, say a few things about the narrator. Obviously this is paramount when you’re dealing with audiobooks. Did the narrator use different voices for different characters? Does he or she sound natural, or is it obvious they are just reading from a page? Do the characters sound natural when speaking to each other? Did the narrator handle foreign dialects well? Again, be honest, but be professional. After giving my opinion about the narrator, I sometimes like to include some biographical data. If the narrator is an actor, it’s interesting to note what movies or tv shows he or she has appeared in. You could also mention what other audiobooks the narrator has worked on, or what awards he or she may have won. Wikipedia can be a good source for this type of information.
I usually finish up my review with a brief closing paragraph, maybe just one or two sentences. Here, you can re-iterate your overall opinion of the audiobook, or say something like, “Science fiction fans will love this one.” Nothing fancy, just something to wrap up the review.
There you have it, your audiobook review is complete and ready to go up on your blog or website. But wait, now that you have your reader’s attention, why not try to keep them around a bit longer. Throwing a few extras into your posts can round out your website a little, and keep your readers where they belong, at your site.
Whenever I review an audiobook that has a movie tie-in, I like to throw in a little information about the movie. I don’t go into a lot of detail here, the reader already knows the plot, so I just say a few words about who starred in it, what year it was released, how much money it made at the box office, how closely the film followed the book, things like that.
The best way to keep people from leaving your site, besides providing worthwhile content, is by giving them some links to click on. Below each of my reviews, I like to provide links to a few of my other reviews, usually from the same genre or series. In addition, I also like to provide a link to the publisher’s website where the reader can purchase the audiobook if they wish. You might also consider linking to the product at Audible or Amazon; they both have affiliate programs that are worth checking out.
On a final note, don’t forget to keep reading what others are writing about the books they love. In his book titled On Writing, Stephen King said “if you don’t have time to read, then you don’t have time to write.” Reading audiobook reviews can give you some ideas on how to develop your own style. You’ll be able to see what looks good to you, and what doesn’t. You’ll find tons of audiobook reviews if you search Google. I also have a few of my favorite audiobook review sites in my “Other Audio Resources” widget on the sidebar. Go to it, and have fun!